Suspect Arrested in Hrant Dink Murder Case
This young man, identified as Ogun Samast, was photographed running from the scene.
A 16 or 17 year old Turk, originally from the Black Sea area, but now living in Istanbul, has been arrested by Turkish police, after his father reported him. Turkish TV showed a picture of Ogun Samast running away after shooting Hrant Dink. His father saw it and called the police. Besides Ogun Samast, Turkish authorities have detained – at least – 12 individuals.
Samast is a high school dropout and possibly a drug addict.
That so many people have been detained combined with what Samast reportedly shouted right after he murdered Dink (“I’ve killed the non-Muslim”) gives one the impression that it was an organized crime, perhaps / probably committed by Muslim extremists.
I said it once and I’ll say it again: the Turkish government should honor Hrant Dink by getting rid of the ridiculous law that says that one is not allowed to insult the Turkish identity (which was used against Dink). Until that time I will simply regard Erdogan’s words to be hypocritical.
H/t Holly
4 Responses to “Suspect Arrested in Hrant Dink Murder Case”
Certainly I think the law should be removed. Then we can go ahead and remove the laws that make Jewish Holocaust denial a crime, lest the Turks call us hypocrites no?
Lynx, I agree. The countries that have those laws should get rid of them ASAP.
Turkey is notorious for laws of this type. Laws of this nature merely butress the reality that Turkey is a beacon of light for human rights violators all around the world. The mere actions of a 16 or 17 year old are not what is at issue here. Instead it is the ethno-centric and scary policies that the Turkish government knowingly tolerates and promotes.
It is disturbing to realize that what occured almost a century ago to Armenians within the Ottoman Empire is happening again today… Or just maybe it never stopped!
Out of respect for Hrant, we must remember what he was about. With his open and loving heart and his being a Turkish-Armenian, he felt love for both of his people. He certainly didn’t aim to spark a full out Turk vs. Armenian blood dispute. His goal, his dream, was for Armenians and Turks to set aside hard feelings and predjudices that were brought on by the past, and to finally make peace. Remembering the genocide and its victims is hugely important, but we must consider the future. It is unfair to label a whole group of people based on the actions done by thier predecessors. We all must contribute to make Hrant’s dream a reality. We cannot forget, but we can forgive.