Journalist Adem Yavuz Arslan was threatened several times since his book on the killing of Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink was published two weeks ago, IPS Communication Foundation (BIANET) has reported. The book revealed volatile information on the murder. Arslan has applied for police protection.
Arslan, Ankara correspondent for the Bugün ('Today') newspaper, was threatened by means of a parcel sent to his office less than two weeks after the release of his book on the assassination of Dink. Arslan is the author of the book An Armenian: The Hrant Dink Operation Codes that deals with the murder of Dink, then Editor-in-Chief of the Armenian Agos newspaper, on January 19, 2007. The book revealed new facts about the murder.
On January 26, a parcel was sent to the journalist's office which is located on the premises of the Kanaltürk television representation in Ankara. The parcel contained several bullets for an automatic Kalashnikov rifle and a white beret, it was announced.
Arslan said that he was being threatened on the phone ever since his book had been published. With this incident, the dimensions of the threat assumed increased proportions, he claimed. Hence, the author requested protection from the police.
One piece of information disclosed in the book was the statement that Non-Commissioned Officer Satılmış Şahin was just 500 metres away from triggerman suspect Ogün Samast on the day of the incident. It was said in the book that Şahin and Samast lived in the same neighbourhood.
The Turkish Journalists Association (TGC) called on the officials to find the source of the threats against Arslan. "We remind that everybody who wants more democracy in Turkey has to care for freedom of the press and for the right of the people to obtain truthful and unbiased news, the association declared.
