Abdi İpekçi was a journalist and human rights activist. He was born into the prominent Karakaş merchant family of the İpekçis, which produced many notable merchants, intellectuals, artists, and politicians, including İsmail Cem İpekçi, a former Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs. İpekçi studied at Galatasaray High School and then attended law school at Istanbul University. He began his career as a sports reporter in the 1950s for various newspapers before joining the Turkish daily center-left liberal newspaper Milliyet as the publishing manager in 1954. He was promoted to editor-in-chief in 1959 and held the position until 1979, when he was assassinated by right-wing terrorist Mehmet Ali Ağca, who later attempted to assassinate Pope John Paul II in 1981.

Describing his identity as a "democratic socialist," İpekçi fought for press freedom in Turkey and was active in several NGOs focused on human rights. He wrote hundreds of columns and several books, including Anayasa, Yasalar, Devlet, İhtilalin İçyüzü, and İnönü Atatürk’ü Anlatıyor, to promote his ideas, becoming one of the most important and influential journalists in 20th-century Turkey.
Abdi İpekçi was interred at the Zincirlikuyu Cemetery, where many secular Sabbateans were buried during the Republican era. He is survived by his wife Sibel, daughter Nükhet, and son Sedat. Many streets and buildings have been named after him, recognizing his international prestige and status. In 1981, the İpekçi Peace and Friendship Prize was established to honor individuals who improved relations between Greece and Turkey. The award is presented every two years on a rotational basis in Athens and Istanbul.

Author: Cengiz Şişman