Thousands of people have started marching from Taksim Square to the headquarters of the Agos newspaper to commemorate slain Armenian-Turkish journalist Hrant Dink, who was shot dead outside his newspaper’s office in Şişli on Jan. 19, 2007, on the eighth anniversary of his assassination. Report Today Zaman

The large-scale march kicked off at 1:30 p.m. on Monday in İstanbul’s Taksim Square and will end in front of the Agos newspaper, which is on Halaskargazi Street in the Şişli district.

Pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Co-chairpersons Selahattin Demirtaş and Figen Yüksekdağ were also expected to attend the march.

Security forces have taken strict security measures in Taksim for the march.

Dozens of people, including Dink’s wife, Rakel Dink, and other members of the Dink family, gathered at the Balıklı Armenian Cemetery in the Zeytinburnu district of İstanbul on Sunday, one day before the eighth anniversary of Dink’s death. Carnations were laid on Dink’s grave.

Various journalists’ unions released statements on Monday to commemorate Dink.

Turkish Journalists Federation (TGF) Chairman Atilla Sertel said the case launched to find the perpetrators of Dink’s murder has not reached a conclusion that satisfies the public even though a long time has passed since the murder. Noting that justice has not yet been served despite eight years having passed since Dink was shot to death in the middle of the street, Sertel said they want the real perpetrators to be revealed and they want them to justly suffer the consequences of their deeds.

A woman looks out of a window near a banner marking the eighth anniversary of the killing of Hrant Dink in İstanbul. The banner reads: “We are here, my brother. 8th year” (Photo: Reuters)

The Turkish Journalists Association (TGD) stated in its commemoration message on Monday: “The murderers and the dark powers behind the Dink murder have not yet been punished, although years have passed. Hrant Dink, a journalist who was defending the unity and peaceful co-existence of communities in Turkey, and thus fighting against racism, was killed by a fascist mindset.”

In its commemoration message, the Turkish Journalists’ Society (TGC) highlighted that the real criminals behind the murder have not yet been revealed. It said the public conscience, which was damaged by the murder, can only be recovered after the real perpetrators are punished in a fair trial.

Dink was shot and killed by an ultra-nationalist teenager. The hit man, Ogün Samast, and 18 others were brought to trial. Since then, the lawyers for the Dink family and the co-plaintiffs in the case have presented evidence indicating that Samast did not act alone. Another suspect, Yasin Hayal, was given life in prison for inciting Samast to murder.