Hrant Dink — A Journalist Murdered for the Right to Speak the Truth

Hrant Dink — A Journalist Murdered for the Right to Speak the Truth On January 19, 2007, Hrant Dink was shot dead in front of the office of the newspaper Agos in Istanbul. His murder shocked Turkey and the entire international community. It was not only the killing of a journalist — it was an attack on freedom of expression, human dignity, and the right to speak without fear. Hrant Dink was born on September 15, 1954, in Malatya. He devoted his life to journalism, public dialogue, and human rights. As the editor-in-chief of Agos, he worked to build bridges between communities, promote mutual understanding, and confront painful historical and social issues with honesty and responsibility. Dink believed that journalism was not merely a profession, but a moral duty. He spoke against hatred, discrimination, and manipulation. He defended people, not political interests. For his words, he was repeatedly prosecuted, threatened, and publicly targeted. Despite constant pressure, he never chose silence. His assassination was the result of an environment in which hate speech, intolerance, and political hostility were allowed to grow. Thousands of people later marched through the streets carrying posters saying: “We are all Hrant Dink. We are all Armenians.” This was not about ethnicity — it was about humanity. The Civil Human Rights Platform DAYANCH / Turkmenistan honors Hrant Dink as a symbol of courage for all journalists and human rights defenders living under repression. His story is especially meaningful for societies where freedom of speech remains dangerous, where activists are persecuted, abducted, and silenced. Today, in many countries, including Turkmenistan, independent voices continue to face intimidation, censorship, and criminalization. The fate of Hrant Dink reminds us that silence protects injustice, while truth challenges it. Hrant Dink was killed, but his voice did not die. As long as there are people who remember. As long as there are people who speak. As long as there are people who refuse to surrender their conscience. Freedom begins with a word.