Abdi İpekçi

Abdi İpekçi (August 9, 1929 – February 1, 1979) was a Turkish journalist, intellectual and an activist for human rights. He was assassinated while editor-in-chief of the major Turkish newspaper "Milliyet".

Biography

İpekçi was born in Istanbul, Turkey. After finishing high school at Galatasaray Lisesi in 1948, he attended Law School at Istanbul University for a while. He started his professional career as a sports reporter for the newspaper "Yeni Sabah", and transferred later to "Yeni İstanbul". In 1954, he joined the newspaper "Milliyet" as its publishing manager, and was promoted to editor-in-chief in 1959.

A highly respected journalist, he was a proponent of the separation of religion and state, and an advocate of dialogue and conciliation with Greece, as well as of human rights for the various minorities in Turkey.

Assassination

On February 1, 1979, a member of the ultra-nationalist Grey Wolves, Mehmet Ali Ağca (the same who later shot pope John Paul II), murdered Abdi İpekçi in his car on the way back home from his office in front of his apartment building in Istanbul. Ağca was caught due to an informant and was sentenced to life in prison. After serving six months in a military prison in Istanbul, Ağca escaped with the help of the Grey Wolves and fled to Bulgaria, which was then a base of operation for the Turkish mafia.

According to reporter Lucy Komisar, Mehmet Ali Ağca had worked with Abdullah Çatlı in this 1979 assassination, who "then reportedly helped organize Ağca's escape from the prison, and some have suggested Çatlı was even involved in the Pope's assassination attempt". Ağca later became famous for his failed assassination attempt on Pope John Paul II on May 13, 1981. According to Reuters, Ağca had "escaped with suspected help from sympathizers in the security services". [" [http://www.redorbit.com/news/general/364653/man_who_shot_pope_must_return_to_jail_turkey_court/ Man who shot pope must return to jail: Turkish court,] " January 20, 2006, "Reuters".]

Writer Çetin Altan said that a former intelligence officer of the chiefs of staff, admiral Sezai Orkunt, had told him that the clandestine counter guerrilla had ordered his assassination. [cite journal|url=http://www.aksiyon.com.tr/detay.php?id=23162
accessdate=2008-09-21
title=İlk Özel Harpçi Orgeneral
first=Faruk
last=Mercan
journal=Aksiyon
volume=579
date=2006-01-09
language=Turkish
quote=Sonraki yıllarda yazar Çetin Altan, 1979'da öldürülen Milliyet gazetesi başyazarı Abdi İpekçi olayının bir Kontrgerilla işi olduğu iddiasını ortaya attı. Altan, 'Bana bunu Genelkurmay İstihbaratında çalışmış olan Amiral Sezai Orkunt söyledi. Abdi, bazı sivillere Kontrgerilla eğitimi verildiğini öğrenmiş ve Ankara'ya gidip bunu CIA Ankara İstasyon şefi ile konuşmuş.' dedi.]

Abdi İpekçi was interred at the Zincirlikuyu Cemetery. He is survived by his wife Sibel, daughter Nükhet and son Sedat.

Remembrance

The street, in which he lived and was murdered, was renamed after him. On February 1, 2000, a statue erected by the Municipality of Şişli near the place, where he was murdered, was revealed in his commemoration. It was designed by the architect Erhan İşözen, and the 3.5 m high bronze sculpture created by Güdal Duyar stands on a 0.70 m high granite base. The memorial depicts İpekçi's bust held by one male and one female student with a dove atop symbolizing peace. [cite news|url=http://www.milliyet.com.tr/2000/01/31/haber/hab08a.html
accessdate=2008-09-21
title=Abdi İpekçi ilkeleriyle anılacak
work=Milliyet
date=2000-01-31
language=Turkish]

Turkey's largest multi-purpose indoor sports arena, located in Zeytinburnu, Istanbul, is also named after him.

ee also

* Abdi İpekçi Street
* Abdi İpekçi Arena
* List of assassinated people from Turkey

References