[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