Hrant Dink Award Granted to Murat Çelikkan, Mwatana for Human Rights

* Photograph: Pınar Tarcan / bianet

Click to read the article in Turkish / Kurdish

International Hrant Dink Award has been granted every year since 2009 on September 15th, which is the birthday of Hrant Dink.

This year, the 10th International Hrant Dink Award has been given to Murat Çelikkan, the director of the Truth Justice Memory Center in Turkey, and to the Yemen-based Mwatana for Human Rights Organization.

Çelikkan: I am receiving this award for hope

Çelikkan has received his award from attorney Eren Keskin and doctor/actor Ercan Kesal. In his speech of thanks, Çelikkan has said,

"I would like to believe that I am receiving this award because I am a good person. It is the struggle for human rights that will light the torch of hope against hopelessness, not only in Turkey but in the entire world.

"There is a crack in everything; that is how the light gets in. In the name of hope, I accept this award."

International award to Mwatana for Human Rights

The 10th International Hrant Dink Award has also been granted to the Mwatana for Human Rights Organization in Yemen.

The organization, which has been informing the world about the developments taking place in Yemen during the civil war and has been struggling against the rights violations in the country, has received its award from the jury members Albie Sachs and Rakel Dink.

Speaking on behalf of the organization, Radya el-Mutawakel has said,

"In spite of the very big differences on the situation between Yemen and Turkey, we still share many similar difficulties as civil society."

Rakel Dink: I want to wake up from this bad dream

* Photograph: Hrant Dink Foundation

The opening speech of the award ceremony was held by Rakel Dink.

In her speech, Dink referred to the Saturday Mothers/People, who have been prevented from gathering at Galatasaray Square in Beyoğlu, İstanbul since the 700th week of their protests:

"For a long time now, I've felt like I've been in a bad dream that I want to wake up from. I wish everything that happened on January 19th, 2007 and afterwards were only a horrible dream. The level of tension and uncertainty in our country is mind-blowing.

"I want to wake up from this bad dream. I want to wake up to a day in my country that witnesses the 'Saturday Mothers' receiving an apology, the whereabouts of all missing persons being disclosed, and thousands gathered at Galatasaray Square laying carnations only to commemorate them.

"I want to wake up from my sleep. I want to wake up to a Turkey where justice is in place, where no murders, abuses or sexual assaults take place. I want to wake up to a Turkey that cries out out, 'Never again!'" (PT/HK/SD)