CRIMINALIZATION ONLY WAY TO HALT GENOCIDES – ARMENIAN PARLIAMENT OFFICIAL
15:24 * 20.04.15
The vice speaker of Armenia’s National Assembly has called for
universal efforts towards criminalizing genocides, considering it
the only way to prevent future atrocities against the mankind.
In a speech at a musical exhibition held at St Petersburg’s Tavridi
Palace, Eduard Sharmazanov particularly shared the history of the
Armenian Genocide, strongly condemning Turkey’s continuing policy
of denial.
“Raphael Lemkin, a lawyer, used the term ‘genocide’ in 1944, referring
the atrocities against the Armenians in Ottoman Turkey. Exactly
100 years ago, Turkey’s leadership orchestrated the genocide and
dispossession of an entire nation only because they were Armenians
pursuing the Christian faith.
“On April 24, no later than a month after the April events, the
entente countries characterized the extremely grave crime committed
by Turkey against the Armenian people as a ‘crime against humanity
and civilization.’ This testifies to the fact that as early as 100
years ago, humanity realized the seriousness of the event. However,
Turkey keeps persistently denying the Armenian Genocide.
“I think we must not only condemn the Armenian Genocide but also
struggle with the progressive humanity to achieve its criminalization.
Criminalization is the only way that can close the doors to new
genocides,” he said.