Turkish Citizen Suspected of Involvement in Assassination of Hrant Dink Arrested in Kyrgyzstan

BISHKEK — Kyrgyz authorities have arrested a Turkish citizen suspected of involvement in the assassination of of Istanbul-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink.

Dink, founder and editor of Agos newspaper, was killed at the entrance of his office on January 19, 2007 by Ogun Samast.

Samast, a minor at the time, was sentenced to 21 years and 10 months in prison. At least 19 people were named in the case.

During the operation against illegal migration, the Kyrgyz Ministry of Internal Affairs received information about the use of false documents by a Turkish citizen. Thus, on February 26, 2022, as a result of special operations, a Turkish citizen born in 1984, was detained in the capital with a fake passport and a driver’s license.

During the investigation, it was found out that the detained foreign citizen is wanted by the law enforcement agencies of the Republic of Turkey. He is wanted in Istanbul on charges of involvement in the assassination of journalist Hrant Dink, as well as a number of other serious crimes, including involvement in organized crime.

A criminal case has been initiated on the fact under articles 378 (Illegal crossing of the state border) and 379 (Forgery of documents) of the Criminal Code of the Kyrgyz Republic.

On February 28, by the decision of the Pervomaisky District Court of Bishkek the man was taken into custody for two months.