[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 65 Reported in Senate (RS)]
Calendar No. 102
110th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. RES. 65
Condemning the murder of Turkish-Armenian journalist and human rights
advocate Hrant Dink and urging the people of Turkey to honor his legacy
of tolerance.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
February 1, 2007
Mr. Biden (for himself, Mrs. Feinstein, Mrs. Boxer, Mr. Dodd, Mr.
Menendez, Mr. Salazar, Mr. Coleman, Mr. Reed, and Mr. Whitehouse)
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee
on Foreign Relations
March 29, 2007
Reported by Mr. Biden, with an amendment and an amendment to the
preamble
[Strike out all after the resolving clause and insert the part printed
in italic]
[Strike the preamble and insert the part printed in italic]
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Condemning the murder of Turkish-Armenian journalist and human rights
advocate Hrant Dink and urging the people of Turkey to honor his legacy
of tolerance.
<DELETED>Whereas Hrant Dink was a respected, eloquent advocate for press
freedom, human rights, and reconciliation;
Whereas, in 1996, Mr. Dink founded the weekly bilingual newspaper Agos and, as
the paper's editor in chief, used the paper to provide a voice for
Turkey's Armenian community;
Whereas Mr. Dink was a strong proponent of rapprochement between Turks and
Armenians and worked diligently to improve relations between those
communities;
Whereas Mr. Dink's commitment to democratic values, nonviolence, and freedom in
the media earned him widespread recognition and numerous international
awards;
Whereas Mr. Dink was prosecuted under Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code for
speaking about the Armenian Genocide;
Whereas, notwithstanding hundreds of threats to Mr. Dink's life and safety, he
remained a steadfast proponent of pluralism and tolerance;
Whereas Mr. Dink was assassinated outside the offices of Agos in Istanbul,
Turkey, on January 19, 2007;
Whereas tens of thousands of people in Turkey of many ethnicities protested Mr.
Dink's killing and took to the streets throughout the country to honor
his memory;
Whereas the Government of Turkey has pledged to undertake a full investigation
into the murder of Mr. Dink;
Whereas the Prime Minister of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has stated that when
Mr. Dink was shot, ``a bullet was fired at freedom of thought and
democratic life in Turkey'';
Whereas the Foreign Minister of Armenia, Vartan Oskanian, stated that Mr. Dink
``lived his life in the belief that there can be understanding, dialogue
and peace amongst peoples''; and
Whereas Mr. Dink's tragic death affirmed the importance of promoting the values
that he championed in life: Now, therefore, be it
</DELETED>Whereas Hrant Dink was a respected, eloquent advocate for press
freedom, human rights, and reconciliation;
Whereas, in 1996, Mr. Dink founded the weekly bilingual newspaper Agos and, as
the paper's editor in chief, used the paper to provide a voice for
Turkey's Armenian community;
Whereas Mr. Dink was a strong proponent of rapprochement between Turks and
Armenians and worked diligently to improve relations between those
communities;
Whereas Mr. Dink's commitment to democratic values, nonviolence, and media
freedom earned him widespread recognition and numerous international
awards;
Whereas Mr. Dink was subjected to legal action under Article 301 of the Turkish
Penal Code for referring to the 1915 massacre of Armenians as genocide;
Whereas, notwithstanding hundreds of threats to Mr. Dink's life and safety, he
remained a steadfast proponent of pluralism and tolerance;
Whereas Mr. Dink was assassinated outside the offices of Agos in Istanbul,
Turkey, on January 19, 2007;
Whereas tens of thousands of people in Turkey of many ethnicities protested Mr.
Dink's killing and took to the streets throughout the country to honor
his memory;
Whereas the Government of Turkey has pledged to undertake a full investigation
into the murder of Mr. Dink;
Whereas the Prime Minister of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has stated that when
Mr. Dink was shot, ``a bullet was fired at freedom of thought and
democratic life in Turkey'';
Whereas the Foreign Minister of Armenia, Vartan Oskanian, stated that Mr. Dink
``lived his life in the belief that there can be understanding, dialogue
and peace amongst peoples''; and
Whereas Mr. Dink's tragic death affirmed the importance of promoting the values
that he championed in life: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, <DELETED>That the Senate--
<DELETED> (1) condemns the murder of Hrant Dink as a
shameful act of cowardice perpetrated with contempt for law,
justice, and decency;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) supports the pledge of the Government of
Turkey to conduct an exhaustive investigation into the
assassination of Mr. Dink and to prosecute those
responsible;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (3) urges the Government of Turkey to repeal
Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code and work diligently to
foster a more open intellectual environment in the country that
is conducive to the free exchange of ideas;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (4) recognizes the decision of the Government of
Turkey to invite senior Armenian religious and political
figures to participate in memorial services for Mr.
Dink;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (5) calls on the Government of Turkey to act in
the interest of regional security and prosperity and
reestablish full diplomatic, political, and economic relations
with the Government of Armenia; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (6) urges the people of Turkey to honor Mr. Dink's
legacy of tolerance.</DELETED>
That the Senate--
(1) condemns the murder of Hrant Dink, which was
perpetrated with contempt for law, justice, and decency;
(2) supports the pledge of the Government of Turkey to
conduct an exhaustive investigation into the assassination of
Mr. Dink and acknowledges the prompt arrest of individuals
allegedly responsible for the killing;
(3) urges the Government of Turkey to repeal Article 301 of
the Turkish Penal Code and work diligently to foster a more
open intellectual environment in the country that is conducive
to the free exchange of ideas;
(4) recognizes the decision of the Government of Turkey to
invite senior Armenian religious and political figures to
participate in memorial services for Mr. Dink;
(5) calls on the Government of Turkey and the Government of
Armenia to act in the interest of regional security and
prosperity and reestablish full diplomatic, political, and
economic relations;
(6) supports Mr. Dink's wish that Turkey pursue further
integration into Euro-Atlantic institutions and encourages the
Government of Turkey to enact reforms conducive to such ends;
and
(7) urges the people of Turkey to honor Mr. Dink's legacy
of tolerance.
Calendar No. 102
110th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. RES. 65
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Condemning the murder of Turkish-Armenian journalist and human rights
advocate Hrant Dink and urging the people of Turkey to honor his legacy
of tolerance.
_______________________________________________________________________
March 29, 2007
Reported with an amendment and an amendment to the preamble