Artin Penik (1921 – August 15, 1982) was a

Turkish-Armenian Armenians in Turkey (; or , ), one of the indigenous peoples of Turkey, have an estimated population of 40,000 to 50,000 today, down from a population of over 2 million Armenians between the years 1914 and 1921. Today, the overwhelming majority ...

who committed suicide by

self-immolation Self-immolation is the act of setting oneself on fire. It is mostly done for political or religious reasons, often as a form of protest or in acts of martyrdom, and known for its disturbing and violent nature. Etymology The English word ' ...

in protest of the Esenboga airport attack by the

Armenian Secret Army for the Liberation of Armenia Armenian Secret Army for the Liberation of Armenia (ASALA) was a militant organization active between 1975 and the 1990s whose stated goal was "to compel the Government of Turkey, Turkish Government to acknowledge publicly its responsibility for ...

(ASALA, also known as Third October) on August 10, 1982. Penik, a 61-year-old, self-employed

tailor A tailor is a person who makes or alters clothing, particularly in men's clothing. The Oxford English Dictionary dates the term to the thirteenth century. History Although clothing construction goes back to prehistory, there is evidence of ...

, set himself on fire in Taksim plaza, the main square of

Istanbul Istanbul is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, constituting the country's economic, cultural, and historical heart. With Demographics of Istanbul, a population over , it is home to 18% of the Demographics ...

Turkey Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...

, after leaving a suicide note in which he wrote "I can no longer bear the grief over slayings of innocent people." In the attack which led to Penik's suicide protest, ASALA directly targeted civilians for the first time, opening fire in a crowded passenger waiting room at the Ankara airport. While in hospital, he was visited by the Armenian Patriarch Shnork Kaloustian who described him as "a symbol of Armenian discontent with these brutal murders." Penik was interviewed for television in the hospital two days before his death, during which he called for all world governments to unite against terrorism, declaring that those countries which tolerated terror would one day find themselves facing it directed towards them and wished that God give patience to the Turkish people. He further stated that his original plan had been to self-immolate in front of the French general consulate, but he changed his mind at the last moment, and decided to die in the " presence of Atatürk" in Taksim. Penik died in the emergency ward of the Istanbul Cerrahpaşa Hospital five days after his attempted suicide. His funeral, held at the Surp Asdvadzadzin Patriarchal Church was attended by Armenians and Turks as well as by government officials and the funeral procession filled the streets of the Kumkapı district.

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* (Graphic) {{DEFAULTSORT:Penik, Artin Turkish people of Armenian descent Suicides by self-immolation 1921 births 1982 suicides Suicides in Turkey Armenian Secret Army for the Liberation of Armenia 1982 deaths Burials at Bakırköy Armenian Cemetery