ARMENIAN
ASSEMBLY OF AMERICA
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date:

Contact:
Danielle Saroyan

Telephone:
(202) 393-3434

Web: www.aaainc.org

U.S. MARSHALS ARREST TWO TURKS
FOR ATTACK ON PEACEFUL PROTESTERS

WASHINGTON, D.C. – United States Marshals arrested two Turks
who attacked peaceful protesters last month in our nation's capital, reported
the Armenian Assembly of America (Assembly). The Daily Caller and the State
Department did not provide the names of the men arrested, but the
Washington-based Turkish news website Washington Hatti reported that one man
involved in the attacks, Eyup Yıldırım, was detained in New Jersey and will go
before a judge in Newark.

In a
statement to The Daily Caller, the State Department confirmed that arrests have
been made. "Now that charges have been filed, the Department will weigh
additional actions for the named individuals, as appropriate under relevant
laws and regulations. Any further steps will be responsive and proportional to
the charges," a State Department official stated. "The Department
would like to thank the Department of Justice and the investigative agencies
for their diligence," they added. "We are committed to holding those
responsible for the violence on May 16 accountable. As we have previously
stated, the events surrounding the conduct of Turkish Security personnel during
President Erdogan's visit to the United States is troubling."

Last week,
the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously adopted House Resolution 354 with
a vote of 397-0, which condemns the violence against peaceful protesters
outside the Turkish Ambassador's residence on May 16, 2017, and calls for
measures to be taken to prevent similar incidents in the future, reported the
Armenian Assembly of America (Assembly). H.Res. 354 was spearheaded by House
Foreign Affairs Chairman Ed Royce (R-CA), Ranking Member Eliot Engel (D-NY),
Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), and Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer (D-MD),
and calls for "the perpetrators to be brought to justice."

In light of
the vicious attacks by Turkey's security detail last month in front of the
Turkish Ambassador's residence against peaceful protesters, a bipartisan group
in the House circulated a letter in opposition to a proposed gun sale to
Turkey. The Assembly urged its members to contact their Representatives to join
the bipartisan letter calling on Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to stop the
sale.

In
questioning today by Congressman David Cicilline (D-RI) during a House Foreign
Affairs Committee hearing on the Administration's Budget, Secretary Tillerson
said whether or not the U.S. will sell weapons to the very same security forces
who committed this attack is currently "under evaluation."

Established
in 1972, the Armenian Assembly of America is the largest Washington-based
nationwide organization promoting public understanding and awareness of
Armenian issues. The Assembly is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt membership
organization.

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NR#: 2017-044

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