International Officials Condemn Attack On Hürriyet Columnist

- The violent attack on Hürriyet columnist Ahmet Hakan has drawn condemnation from international officials, who expressed concern about the state of freedom of expression in Turkey.

U.K. Ambassador to Turkey Richard Moore described the attack on Ahmet Hakan as “intolerable.”

“I strongly condemn the attack and send my get well wishes. No one should be threatened and subjected to violence. Freedom of the press and freedom of expression are the most important tools of an active democracy.

It is everyone’s duty to protect those freedoms,” said Moore in a tweet posted in Turkish.

The U.S. Embassy in Ankara also called attention to free speech in a tweet posted on its official Twitter account.

“Those who seek to intimidate journalists with violence are fighting a losing battle. Free speech cannot be beaten into silence,” the embassy tweeted.

In addition, Council of Europe (COE) Secretary-General Thorbjorn Jagland also strongly condemned the attack, daily Hürriyet has reported.

“The recurrent attacks on journalists in Turkey have a deterrent effect on press freedom in the country,” said Jagland, urging a full investigation into the attack.

Hakan was seriously injured after four men attacked him in front of his home in Istanbul’s Nişantaşı neighborhood in the early hours of Oct. 1.

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