İstanbul-based Armenian language newspaper Jamanak marks 116th anniversary

Jamanak, the longest-running Armenian newspaper in Turkey, stated, “We maintain our determination and hope in the struggle for continuity.”

Jamanak, one of the longest-running Armenian-language daily newspapers in the world, celebrated its 116th anniversary today.

Jamanak, which means “time” in Armenian, was founded in 1908 in the wake of the Ottoman Empire’s Second Constitutional Era, when political reforms briefly allowed for greater press freedom. Established by brothers Sarkis and Misak Koçunyan, the paper has been a continuous voice for the Armenian community in Turkey since then.

Jamanak has published works by prominent Armenian intellectuals, including politician and lawyer Krikor Zohrab, writer Yervant Odian, author of The Comrade Panchooni, and feminist writer Zabel Yesayan.

In its anniversary edition, Jamanak ran a bilingual headline in Armenian and Turkish: “JAMANAK IS 117 YEARS OLD — HANG IN THERE, WE’RE ALMOST THROUGH!.”

The issue included a message reflecting on the newspaper’s legacy and the challenges it faces today:  “The press is considered the mirror of society. Faced with the shameful panorama of the life of the Armenians of Turkey, the community leaders want to solve the language problem by destroying our newspaper and target it for reflecting the bankrupt existing system.

“We remember our founders with mercy. We bow with respect before the memory of all our contributors. We express our gratitude and appreciation to our dear and loyal readers who are our only support and assurance and who follow our print edition, website and social media accounts. We affirm our sense of responsibility towards them. We maintain our determination and hope in the struggle for continuity.”