Ogün Samast, who killed famed Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink outside the İstanbul offices of his Agos newspaper in January 2007, has been released following 16 years of incarceration.
Samast, who was only 17 years old at the time he murdered Dink, was subjected to a reduced sentence of 22 years and 10 months in prison on the charges of ‘premeditated murder’ and ‘possession of an unregistered weapon’. Now 33 years old, the decision to free Samast was reportedly due to his good behavior in prison for which he was rewarded with a conditional release. Samast had been serving his sentence for the past 16 years and 10 months at two prisons in Kocaeli and Bolu provinces.
Prior to his assassination, Dink had been a long time foe of Turkish far-right nationalists for his controversial statements regarding the Armenian genocide and alleged ‘insults to Turkishness’. An article written by Dink regarding the Armenian roots of one of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk’s adopted daughters proved especially controversial, and the Agos editor was formally charged three times for ‘insulting Turkishness’.
After Samast gunned down Dink in Şişli, İstanbul on January 19, 2007, photos surfaced of the assassin posing with police officers in Samsun displaying a Turkish flag, prompting widespread outrage and provoking allegations that police forces had failed to adequately protect Dink prior to his death.
Dink has been routinely commemorated in the years since his death, including a major event in January 2022 marking the 15th anniversary of his passing.
Reactions following Samast’s release
The news of Samast’s release from prison was followed by strong reactions from journalists across Turkey. Medyascope’s Editor-in-Chief Ruşen Çakır shared a post describing the news as ‘disgraceful’. Journalist Timur Soykan wrote on social media “Down with those who have caused this shameful injustice.” Others drew comparisons to the ongoing campaign to release imprisoned parliamentary member Can Atalay, whose case has confronted the Turkish judiciary with a historic crisis. Ismail Saymaz, another journalist, wrote: “Can Atalay and the Gezi defendants remain behind bars, while Hrant Dink’s killer walks free.” The Turkish Workers’ Party to which Can Atalay belongs also released a similar statement.
Former Republican People’s Party (CHP) Chairman and 2023 presidential candidate Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu shared a post on social media criticizing Atalay’s continued incarceration and condemning Samast’s release:
“Those who have prompted a judicial crisis by choosing to imprison a democratically elected member of parliament have also chosen to let a killer walk free.“
Written/translated by Leo Kendrick
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