Jonathan Fryer had defined Hrant Dink in his obituary in the Guardian as “a warm, sensitive man, who would greet an old friend with a bear hug…”
He notes how Hrant Dink experienced harassment and threats, what Dink names and Fryer records as “psychological torture.”
Fryer further reflects on Dink’s words: “I am just like a pigeon, obsessively looking to my left and to my right, in front of me and behind me.”
This quote is remembered every year, transferred to generations.
I learned about Dink by joining these protests.
I knew little of him when I first joined and over the years got to know what he stood for and what he did.
Younger people are also learning about him by accompanying their families, friends or just turning up after hearing about this unjust death.
Being there makes one aware of the networks of solidarity and gives the feeling that one is not alone to stand up to injustices.
Thousands march to commemorate this sincere writer who was killed due to the predominance of hate, institutional hate.
Yet the hate that is maintained in institutions is being countered by the masses, with solidarity and objection.
These photos were taken on the 19th of January, 2015.
This is the day that the Armenian journalist Hrant Dink was killed eight years ago.
The march again was commemorating the life that had a lot to give, experience and was lost in an unjust and sudden way.
Hrant Dink has become a symbol of peace for many, every year thousands remember him and chant “Never Again”, “We are here!”
Articles and Sources on Hrant Dink
Hrag Vartanian (2006). A Voice in the Wilderness http://web.archive.org/web/20071119043902/http://agbu.org/publications/article.asp?A_ID=271&image=4
Hrant Dink Foundation https://hrantdink.org/en/hrant-dink
Section from his book “Two close peoples two distant Neighbours” https://hrantdink.org/attachments/article/109/TwoClosedpeopleTwoDistantNeighbours.pdf
Begum Zorlu 