Commemoration ceremony held for Armenian-Turkish journalist Hrant Dink in Istanbul

By Kaan Bozdogan

ISTANBUL (AA) - A ceremony was held on Thursday for Armenian-Turkish journalist Hrant Dink, who was shot dead outside Agos newspaper's office in Istanbul.

During the commemoration outside the newspaper's former building in the Sisli district, red carnations, candles and pomegranates, as well as Turkish, Kurdish and Armenian banners and an Agos newspaper were left at the site where Dink was gunned down on Jan. 19, 2007.

"Your faith, hope and courage are with us. We are with you Ahparig (my brother). We have been here for 16 years,” read a poster hanging on the building said.

Participants chanted slogans in Turkish, Kurdish and Armenian and carried placards while listening to the Dink’s voice from the balcony. Some came wearing scarves with Dink's photo.

Film director Emin Alper said the majority wanted to make the minority invisible, to make it silent and destroy it.

Alper said Dink, then editor-in-chief of Agos, was a brave person who can speak honestly without being provocative and he was a socialist who fought not only for the Armenians but for all of the oppressed and those silenced.

Dink's family, relatives and friends, as well as Turkish politicians attended the ceremony.

The Halaskargazi Street was closed to traffic during the ceremony where intense security measures were in place.