Call to Support Agos Newspaper

The Say Stop to Racism and Nationalism Initiative (DurDe) has called on people to support the Agos newspaper on 11 October, when its editor Arat Dink (the son of murdered journalist Hrant Dink) and licence holder Sarkis Seropyan attend a hearing at their continuing trial at a penal court in Sisli, central Istanbul.

The trial concerns news items on Hrant Dink's recognition of an "Armenian genocide" and a campaign opposing Article 301, precisely the Article they are being tried under.

Condemnation of Article 301 and Hrant Dink murder trial 

In a press statement, DurDe stated that Article 301 needed to be abolished, the murder of Hrant Dink needed to be solved, and racists needed to be brought to justice. The second hearing in the Hrant Dink murder case, which took place on 1 October, was called "shameful".

"The court has not given permission to investigate the police officer who took part in the planning of a murder and whose telephone conversation has been listened to by the whole of Turkey. A police officer who said about Hrant, 'If he's snuffed it, he's snuffed it' is now working next to the former Trabzon Chief of Police. Both have been protected and rewarded." (GG/AG)