Armenian Assembly of America
1140 19th Street, NW, Suite 600
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 202-393-3434
Fax: 202-638-4904
Email: info@aaainc.org
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PRESS RELEASE
September 14, 2005
CONTACT: Christine Kojoian
Email: ckojoian@aaainc.org

EUROPEAN HUMAN RIGHTS CASE BEING CLOSELY MONITORED IN U.S.
Key Committee To Hold Mark-Up On Genocide Resolution

Washington, DC – The European Court of Human Rights is expected to
announce a decision next week on the property rights of minority
foundations. Specifically, the Court will adjudicate two cases filed
by the Soorp Purgich Armenian Hospital Foundation and the Fener Greek
Boys High School Foundation against Turkey.

In both cases, property gifted to the Armenian and Greek foundations
were seized as the Turkish courts upheld orders declaring that the
bequest violated a decree disallowing non-Moslems from donating real
estate. If the court rules in favor of the foundations, hundreds of
buildings seized in the past may be returned.

Earlier this year, Armenian Assembly Board Member and former Board of
Directors Chairman Van Krikorian testified before the Helsinki
Commission on freedom of religion in Turkey with respect to the
Armenian Church and community. During his testimony Krikorian noted
that “for centuries, Armenians paid and in many places still pay a
high price for their Christianity,” and that seizure and destruction
of Armenian Church property was commonplace. Krikorian noted that in
1914, in Turkey, there were approximately 5,000 Armenian Churches,
seminaries and schools registered by the Patriarchate and that today,
90 years after the Armenian Genocide, there are less than 50 Armenian
Churches under the Patriarchate’s jurisdiction. Krikorian also
pointed to the Soorp Purgich Armenian Hospital as example of how the
Treaty of Lausanne and other international standards for protecting
religious rights are not being upheld, and urged the Helsinki
Commission to play a critical leadership in addressing these issues.

Jeff King, President of International Christian Concern, who also
testified before the Commission, called the expected decision by the
European Court “an opportunity to right a long-standing injustice and
an opportunity for Turkey to utilize this opportunity to strengthen
its commitment to democratic reforms and to uphold its international
obligations to protect its citizens.” International Christian Concern
(ICC) is a non-profit and interdenominational human rights
organization dedicated to assisting and sustaining Christians who are
victims of persecution and discrimination due to practicing their
faith. ICC’s website is

At the same time that the European Human Rights Court is considering
this matter, in the United States, the House International Relations
Committee is scheduled to review another human rights issue;
affirmation of the Armenian Genocide. The Committee will mark-up
H. Res. 316, a bipartisan, pan-Armenian resolution, which reaffirms
the United States record on the Armenian Genocide, and was introduced
by Armenian Caucus Members George Radanovich (R-CA) and Adam Schiff
(D-CA), along with Caucus Co-Chairs Joe Knollenberg (R-MI) and Frank
Pallone (D-NJ).

“The anticipated European Court action is one of many venues in which
Turkey’s human and minority rights are being reviewed. Tomorrow, the
House International Relations Committee will consider legislation,
which affirms the Armenian Genocide and the American role in alerting
the international community and launching an unprecedented
humanitarian campaign to save the survivors,” said Armenian Assembly
Executive Director Bryan Ardouny. “Over the last weeks and months,
the community has rallied its support behind H. Res. 316 and we are
confident about tomorrow’s mark-up,” added Ardouny.

The Armenian Assembly of America is the largest Washington-based
nationwide organization promoting public understanding and awareness
of Armenian issues. It is a 501 (c) (3) tax-exempt membership
organization.

Editor’s Note: The testimony of Van Krikorian and Jeff King before the
Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (Helsinki Commission)
regarding Religious Freedom in Turkey can be found at

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NR#2005-091