It is with great sorrow that we mourn the loss of Hirant Dink, “Agos” newspapers editor-in-chief and outspoken defender of Armenian rights, who was shot dead this morning in Istanbul.

Dink had become a beacon of hope for many people around the world, including numerous and notable Turks, who regarded his fight for freedom of expression as the most promising path toward a just and durable resolution of Armenian-Turkish issues.  He believed that true freedom and democracy in Turkey would necessarily have to precede a meaningful and lasting end to Genocide denial.

We will remember Mr. Hirant Dink as  a hero, one whose intelligence, humanism, and bravery will undoubtedly inspire many to follow in his footsteps.  He was one in a million and we are shocked and devastated to hear he will no longer be around. We have all lost a great man and a true friend.

On behalf of The Organization of Istanbul Armenians we express our deepest condolences to his family and all Armenians. Dink was a national treasure that will not be easily replaced.

May his soul rest in peace, and may God grant the family the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss.