Pro-Erdogan Group Hacks Agos Weekly’s Website, Threatens Community With ‘Eradication’

ISTANBUL — The website of Agos weekly Armenian newspaper was hacked in the late hours of July 8, posting a message and a photo of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan with an Ottoman stamp in the background, the Hurriyet Daily News reports.

The hackers, calling themselves “Herakles Fearlesleon,” threatened to “eradicate” the community and accused it of “treason,” while also sending messages of support to Erdogan.

“We have seen a lot of traitors like you. We know what you did and what you will do in the future. But from now on the great Ottoman state will be reborn with the master Recep Tayyip Erdogan,” a first message read.

“Anti-Armenia, Anti-U.S., Anti-Israel. We will eradicate you,” it also stated.

A second message on the website’s main page contained more hate speech against the community, quoting a statement allegedly attributed to the killer of Agos’s former editor-in-chief, Hrant Dink.

“Even if there is only one Turk remaining in the world, he will be chasing you,” the message said.