Fuat Deniz

Fuat Deniz ( _sy. ܦܘܐܕ ܕܢܝܙ) (24 July 1967 – 13 December 2007) was a Swedish sociologist and writer of Assyrian descent. Until his murder in 2007, he worked as a lecturer in sociology at the Department of Social and Political Sciences at Örebro University.

Deniz was born as the oldest son into an Assyrian family in the village of Kerburan in Tur Abdin, Turkey. He came to Sweden with his parents as an eight-year old and grew up in Örebro. [cite news |author=Nilsson Rönnqvist, Åsa & Anderberg, Johan |title=Mördade läraren sörjs i hela världen |url=http://www.dn.se/DNet/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=147&a=724517 |publisher=Dagens Nyheter |date=2007-12-13 |accessdate=2007-12-15 |language=Swedish] In his youth he was active in the Assyrian Youth Federation in Sweden, which he also co-founded, and was also a diligent writer for the Swedish National Assyrian Federation's magazine "Hujådå". [cite news |first=Besima |last=Simsek |title=Assyrian professor Fuat Deniz officially declared braindead |url=http://esna.se/eng/?article=493 |publisher=Eastern Star News Agency |date=2007-12-12 |accessdate=2007-12-15] He earned a Ph.D. in sociology at Uppsala University in 1999. In his doctoral thesis, titled "En minoritets odyssé" ("The Odyssey of a Minority"), he discussed the experiences of Assyrians coming to Sweden in the 1970s. Deniz was a well known figure among the Assyrian community in Sweden and was also internationally known for his research on the Assyrian Genocide.

On 11 December 2007, at approximately 15.30 CET, Deniz was attacked and stabbed in the back of his neck inside Örebro University. [cite news |author=Amcoff, Jorunn & Elfström, Josefine & Palmquist, Sara |title=Lärare knivskars i nacken |url=http://orebro.expressen.se/nyheter/1.964478/larare-knivskars-pa-universitetet |publisher=Expressen |date=2007-12-11 |accessdate=2007-12-15 |language=Swedish] He died two days later from his injuries at Örebro University Hospital. [cite news |title=Stabbed lecturer dies |url=http://www.thelocal.se/9395/20071213/ |publisher=Tidningarnas Telegrambyrå/The Local |date=2007-12-13 |accessdate=2007-12-15] Early on there were some speculations in the media about a possible political motive behind the murder due to Deniz' research on the Assyrian genocide. [cite news |title=Political motive suspected in Örebro murder |url=http://www.thelocal.se/9419/20071216/ |publisher=Tidningarnas Telegrambyrå/The Local |date=2007-12-16 |accessdate=2007-12-16] On 16 January 2008, a 42-year-old man from Gothenburg, Sweden, was arrested on suspicion for the murder. [cite news |title=Man arrested for university killing |url=http://www.thelocal.se/9674/20080116/ |publisher=Tidningarnas Telegrambyrå/The Local |date=2008-01-16 |accessdate=2008-01-17] [cite press release |title=42-årig man anhållen för mordet vid Universitetet |publisher=Swedish Police Service |date=2008-01-16 |url=http://www.polisen.se/inter/util%5Cnodeid=21434&pageversion=1.jsp?articleid=11311660 |language=Swedish |accessdate=2008-01-17] The suspect, who according to the police is a close relative of Deniz, has admitted to the stabbing but denied any intent to kill.cite news |title=Suspect admits stabbing lecturer |url=http://www.thelocal.se/9699/20080118/ |publisher=Tidningarnas Telegrambyrå/The Local |date=2008-01-18 |accessdate=2008-01-19] The police said that an old feud between the two family members was the most likely motive for the killing and ruled out any political connections.

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References

Persondata
NAME=Deniz, Fuat
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Sociologist and writer
DATE OF BIRTH=24 July 1967
PLACE OF BIRTH=Kerburan, Turkey
DATE OF DEATH=13 December 2007
PLACE OF DEATH=Örebro, Sweden