On October 22, 1975, a dark day was recorded in Turkish diplomatic history. Turkey’s Ambassador to Vienna at the time, Hüseyin Daniş Tunalıgil, was martyred in a brutal assassination carried out by the Armenian terrorist organization ASALA (Armenian Secret Army for the Liberation of Armenia). Tunalıgil became the first Turkish ambassador to be targeted and killed by ASALA.
In the early hours of the morning, three ASALA militants entered the embassy building and made their way to Ambassador Tunalıgil’s office. The assailants shot and killed the ambassador in his office before fleeing the scene. This heinous attack stands as one of the most ruthless acts of ASALA’s campaign of terror against Turkish diplomats.
The assassination of Tunalıgil caused widespread outrage both in Turkey and internationally. Hüseyin Daniş Tunalıgil, who served his country as Turkey’s Ambassador to Austria, is remembered for his dedicated service and diplomatic integrity. In the aftermath of the attack, Turkey increased security measures to protect its diplomats abroad, but ASALA’s bloody attacks continued.
Today, we once again commemorate our martyred diplomats and victims of terrorism, and underscore the importance of ensuring a safe working environment for Turkey’s representatives around the world.
