EUROPEAN ARMENIAN FEDERATION
for Justice and Democracy
Avenue de la Renaissance 10
B – 1000 BRUXELLES
Tel./Fax : +32 (0) 2 732 70 27
Email: [email protected]
Web:
THE EUROPEAN ARMENIAN FEDERATION DELIVERS ITS REPORT ON TURKEY TO THE
EUROPEAN COMMISSION
— This document includes the most recent Turkish threats, including
information on article 306 of the new penal code
Brussels, Belgium — On Wednesday September 29th, the European Armenian
Federation provided the European Commission with detailed information
about Turkish Government strategy in dealing with Armenian concerns.
The extensive 32 page report, titled “Turkey and the Armenian Genocide,”
covers policies adopted and enacted in 2003 with a special 2004
addendum, focuses on Turkey’s domestic policies dealing with their
Armenian minority and relations with foreign countries with regard to
the Armenian Genocide. The document excludes coverage on Turkey’s
ongoing blockade of Armenia and its relations with that country.
The report, available on the Federation’s website ,
outlines Turkey’s efforts to destabilize Armenian institutions in
Turkey, providing information on so-called reconciliation attempts and
threats against other countries. The report is organized in several
sections providing examples of alleged scientific research,
administrative measures, manipulation tools, intimidation tactics and
diplomatic measures used to promote their strategy.
“European policy-makers often have a incomplete view of Turkey’s
aggressive policies toward their Armenian minority and Armenian issues
in general. Often, only the most egregious tactics are taken into
account. With this report, we aim to disclose the actual scale of this
strategy, which serves as a fundamental pillar of Turkey’s State policy”
said Laurent Leylekian, Executive Director of the European Armenian
Federation.
“We updated this report with the most recent measures undertaken by
Ankara, with special focus on the recent adoption of article 306 which
criminalizes the affirmation of the Armenian genocide. This attack on
liberty clearly contradicts accepted international laws dealing with
freedom of speech, specifically articles 10, 11 and 14 of the European
Charter of Fundamental Rights, which will serve as an integral part of
the forthcoming European Constitution” added Leylekian.
“Based on our findings, we hope that the European Commission’s annual
report on Turkey will give a more complete account of Turkey’s denialist
and anti-Armenian policies than previous years – policies which
consistently violate the Copenhagen criteria. The absence of these
finding, would signal the Commission’s endorsement of Turkey’s racist
and discriminatory policies,” concluded Leylekian.