March 1, 2007 - 13:25 AMT
40 days have passed since Hrant Dink's assassination
40 days have passed since the assassination of Hrant Dink, the editor-in-chief of Armenian-Turkish bilingual "Agos" weekly. In this connection services for the dead have been offered in Armenian churches. "Agos" editor-in-chief Etienne Mahchubian told the PanARMENIAN.Net journalist that some events in connection this date will be organized on March 4. Particularly, Agos staff will attend his grave, after which a service will be offered in the Saint Blessed Virgin Armenian Church of Istanbul.

Hrant Dink was killed on January 19 in Istanbul, near his "Agos" editorial office. After several hours the Istanbul police detained Dink's murderer, 17-year-old Ogun Samast. Totally 12 suspects have been arrested for this case, 10 of which are residents of Trabzon city and most probably are members of a nationalistic gang. Accusations of organizing this crime were brought against 26-year-old Yasin Hayal, who gave Samast money and a gun. One more criminal case has been brought against Hayal for threatening Nobel Prize winner Orhan Pamuk, who like Hrant Dink, was prosecuted under the notorious 301st article of Turkish Penal Code for mentioning the Armenian Genocide.