TURKISH ARMENIAN PIANIST IS SENT BACK TO ISTANBUL FROM BAKU AIRPORT

Noyan Tapan
Dec 26 2006

ISTANBUL, DECEMBER 26, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Pianist Purak
Petikian who went to Baku to perform a concert with singer Sertab
Erener, was badly treated at the airport and, after having been
examined and persecuted continuously for hours, was sent back by the
first Turkish plane. As Marmara states, quoting Milliyet, the pianist
was taken to a separate room and asked questions about his national
belonging. Purak Petikian said that he is a citizen of Turkey, an
Armenian by his father’s origin. He was very roughly treated at the
airport and was sent back by the first Turkish plane leaving Baku
for Istanbul. Purak Petikian criticized this chauvinist attitude and
addressed a complaint to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkey. The
Foreign Ministry stated that an examination will be held on the issue,
probably, the airport officials acted wilfully in this issue.