BRUSSELS – 14/07/2025
On the occasion of the 42nd anniversary of the assassination of Dursun Aksoy, who served as Administrative Attaché at the Turkish Embassy in Brussels at the time, a commemorative ceremony was held by the Turkish Embassy in Brussels on Avenue Franklin Roosevelt, where the attack took place on July 14, 1983.
Dursun Aksoy was leaving his home and about to start his car when a man fired two shots through the window, hitting him in the neck and chest. The diplomat died instantly. Two terrorist groups—the Armenian Secret Army for the Liberation of Armenia (ASALA) and the Justice Commandos of the Armenian Genocide (JCAG)—claimed responsibility for the assassination. According to an article from lalibre.be (La Libre Belgique, February 6, 2016), these groups carried out numerous attacks in the 1970s and 1980s, particularly targeting Turkish diplomats. The attack on Dursun Aksoy remains an unsolved case, but Turkish diplomats have not forgotten this dark chapter. The victim was 39 years old and a father of three.
The ceremony was attended by Özgür Çakar, First Counsellor of Türkiye in Brussels; Faruk Kaymakcı, Türkiye’s Permanent Representative to the European Union; Ambassador Basat Öztürk, Türkiye’s Permanent Representative to NATO; Onur Sevim, Consul General of Türkiye in Brussels; Hümeyra Altuntaş Kıran, Educational Counsellor; Mehmet Kayış, Commercial Counsellor; and other members of the diplomatic corps.
The ceremony began with the laying of flowers at the site of Aksoy’s assassination, followed by a moment of silence in memory of the martyrs.
In his speech, First Counsellor Özgür Çakar recalled that Aksoy had been assassinated by terrorists in front of his home 42 years ago, stating:
“Our proposal to establish a joint historical research commission on these events remains on the table. The Armenian side must join in the creation of such a commission to give real substance to the normalization process between Türkiye and Armenia.”
He added:
“Whether it is Dursun Aksoy or our other diplomats who were martyred, their sacred memory reminds us that representing the Republic of Türkiye abroad is a heavy responsibility—one that sometimes involves mortal danger. We respectfully commemorate all our martyrs, especially our soldiers, police officers, teachers, and all those who lost their lives in the line of duty.”
Finally, After Çakar expressed his gratitude and respect to all martyrs who lost their lives while serving the state at every level, the ceremony concluded.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
La Libre Belgique. (2016, 6 février). Ankara demande une stèle à Bruxelles en mémoire d’un diplomate tué par des Arméniens. La Libre Belgique. https://www.lalibre.be/belgique/2016/02/06/ankara-demande-une-stele-a-bruxelles-en-memoire-dun-diplomate-tue-par-des-armeniens-SZH5QE2X4VCKLBPVAIEDEJNVIE/
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