After knowing about the verdict by the European Court of Human Rights, Hrant Dink’s family members and lawyers made a statement before the editorial staff of the Agos newspaper.

Hrant Dink’s widow, Rachel Dink, pointed out that, if Hrant had not been murdered, he would be happy now. He did not want to leave Turkey. All his life he struggled against racism and hatred. Before he was murdered, Hrant wrote: “I was sentenced to six months for insulting Turkishness, which I had never done. The only chance for me now is to apply to the European Court. My lawyers will apply before January 17. They demanded that I write about the developments. I, for my part, considered it necessary to share my thoughts with the public, as a verdict of Turkish society’s conscience is as important for me as a verdict of the European Court – and even more important. If I am not acquitted by one of them, I will leave the country. A person found guilty of such an offence has no right to live together with citizens he has insulted.” “Today [September 14] the European Court released its verdict, and Hrant was acquitted. Hundreds of thousands of people who attended his funeral on January 23, 2007, justified Hrant and the European Court has joined them with its own verdict today,” Rachel Dink said. She pointed out the verdict proved to be a present for Hrant’s birthday anniversary.

Rachel Dink expressed hope that the Turkish state will henceforth reject the practice of justifying those guilty and accusing those innocent and will make steps in harmony with social conscience.

Rachel Dink decided to donate the €105,000 compensation to three organizations.

On September 15, Hrant Dink would mark his 56th birthday anniversary.

On September 14, the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg returned a verdict on the Hrant Dink murder case and found Turkey guilty of violating five points of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).