Young editor to take helm of Turkish-Armenian weekly

Thursday, June 17, 2010

VERCİHAN ZİFLİOĞLU

ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News

The Turkish- and Armenian-language newspaper previously helmed by assassinated journalist Hrant Dink has been assigned a new editor in chief, young journalist Rober Koptaş.

Koptaş, 32, was previously a columnist at weekly Agos and will take over the top editorial spot as former Editor-in-Chief Etyen Mahçupyan moves into a new role as publishing consultant. The change, Mahçupyan said, will start with this week’s issue of the paper.

“We will hold a press conference together with Koptaş next week and make a joint statement. It would be inappropriate for me to speak prior to the press conference without his presence,” Mahçupyan said, refusing to answer further questions.

Longtime journalist Mahçupyan took the job with the Dink family’s consent after his predecessor was assassinated in 2007 and kept a lower profile than the slain editor.

Mahçupyan told the Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review that he will honor Dink’s legacy and the founding principles of the newspaper in his new role while allowing a young editorial team to bring Agos into the future.

According to sources close to the Dink family, the paper may hire additional new staff in the near future.
Agos is an Armenian weekly newspaper published in Istanbul. It was established on April 5, 1996. The paper has pages both in Armenian and Turkish as well as an online English edition.