On January 19, the first anniversary of th death of the Armenian intellectual Hrant Dink, ten thousands of progressive, revolutionary and democratic people gathered in front of Agos newspaper at Sisli, Istanbul where the murder had happened shouting the slogans "Kurdish, Turkish, Armenian, long live the people`s brotherhood!" and "The murderer state will render account". Hrant Dink had been killed in an armed attack on January 19 last year at the entrance of Agos newspaper of whom he was the chief editor.
The masses laid down carnations at the place where Dink had been murdered and held a minute`s silence at the hour he was shot. Dink`s wife Rakel Dink held a speech at the commemoration demanding justice. In her speech Rakel Dink stressed the injustice in the case of the Dink assassination and reminded of the fact that pictures had been taken of the murderer of Dink by declaring him as a hero and that the state`s forces related to the assassination have not yet been charged. Rakel Dink`s speech was answered by the masses with the slogan "The murderer state will render account!".
After the commemoration the masses began to march towards Taksim and shouted slogans and singing marches. The masses walked down the Istiklal Street and there threw stones at the National Canal and the office of the fascist
MHP (Nationalist Movement Party). The masses also stopped in front of the office of
CHP (Republican People`s Party) to protest loudly. One person was arrested here by the police.
Carrying the anger at the Dink assassination, the masses opposed the police by making use of police barricades in front of a consulate. The action was continued by covering the side roads. 15 more people were arrested. The police terror, however, did not manage to hinder the progresive and revolutionary people to walk down the Istiklal Street in the city centre for hours with posters read "We are all Armenians". While Dink was commemorated on January 20 at Balikli Armenian cemetery by his family and friends, the assassination was also protested in Antep, Bursa, Malatya, Ankara and other cities.