Nalin Öztekin
Eighteen years after the assassination of Hrant Dink, the editor-in-chief of Agos newspaper, justice has yet to be served, and the full truth behind the events that led to his targeting remains elusive. Despite significant challenges, Agos continues to operate, releasing its latest issue with the headline, “The truth has no statute of limitations.” Two key figures at the newspaper reflected on the past 18 years and the current state of Agos in an interview with the Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA).
Hrant Dink, a journalist and advocate for Armenian-Turkish reconciliation, was fatally shot in front of the Sebat Apartment building in Istanbul, which housed the Agos office, on Jan. 19, 2007, by Ogün Samast. While Dink is remembered globally—from the sidewalk where he took his final steps to faraway cities—the struggle for justice and accountability in his murder case persists. Just last week, a retrial resulted in the charges against Samast being dismissed due to the statute of limitations, leaving many questions unanswered.
Despite this darkness, Agos, founded by Dink in 1996, continues to amplify minority voices and engage Turkish society with ideas of democracy, reconciliation, and peace. As the paper maintains its commitment to journalism under increasingly difficult conditions, its Ermenice (Armenian language) editor, Pakrat Estukyan, and current managing editor, İşhan Erdinç, shared their perspectives on the challenges and resilience of Agos.
‘Agos continues its mission despite all odds’
Reflecting on the aftermath of Dink’s murder, Estukyan noted that ensuring the paper’s continuity was the most critical priority for Dink’s family and the Agos team. “The belief that Hrant’s ideas could continue to live through Agos guided us,” he said. However, Estukyan acknowledged that the paper has struggled over the years, especially as print journalism has declined.
“When Hrant was killed, the team and those who came to support us were producing with great vigor. Today, that level of production has decreased significantly. We are now publishing the newspaper with just a handful of people—this is a true act of resistance,” he explained. “Agos is still striving to fulfill its mission. It remains a platform where Turkey’s Armenian community can express itself and where a distinct voice can contribute to the broader Turkish public discourse. We value both of these roles deeply, and we are committed to continuing this work with determination.”
Erdinç, who was just 12 years old when Dink was killed and now serves as managing editor, highlighted a worrying trend: “Back then, many young people from the Armenian community were eager to work with Agos. Today, that has changed. Almost no young Armenians are entering journalism, largely because they do not see it as an appealing profession.”
‘The state of freedom of expression has only worsened’
Founded in 1996 to provide a space for open dialogue in Turkey, where freedom of expression was already restricted, Agos played a critical role in challenging taboos. According to Erdinç, the situation has only deteriorated since then. He pointed to examples such as threats against the Hrant Dink Foundation, a black wreath left at the Agos office in 2015, hate speech targeting minorities on social media, and the cancellation of Open Radio’s terrestrial broadcast license over its coverage of the Armenian Genocide.
“Even the articles Dink wrote, such as ‘Why I Was Targeted’ and ‘The Uneasy Hrant of My Soul,’ continue to resonate today. They speak volumes about the state of freedom of expression,” Erdinç said, adding that the infamous Article 301, under which Dink was prosecuted for “insulting Turkishness,” is still used to prosecute lawyers and human rights defenders.
Estukyan echoed this view, emphasizing that press freedom has further eroded over the past 18 years. “Back when Hrant was writing, the environment was not free—it was his courage that allowed him to write the things he did. Today, the atmosphere is even more restrictive, and self-censorship is far more widespread,” he said. “If Hrant were alive today, I have no doubt that his fearless spirit would still compel him to speak out. But he would face even greater challenges.”
A commitment to connecting diverse communities
Erdinç, who transitioned from being a young reader of Agos to its managing editor, stressed the newspaper’s enduring commitment to bringing Turkey’s different communities together through its articles, interviews, and cartoons.
“As an Armenian in Turkey, increasing nationalism shows how far we have drifted from unity—whether you are a journalist or an ordinary citizen. Eighteen years later, Hrant Dink’s words and ideas have yet to be fully realized. We are doing our best to make them a reality and have not lost hope,” Erdinç concluded.
