NEWS CENTER - Drawing attention to the anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, İHD Chairperson Eren Keskin called for "Recognize the Genocide, apologize, and compensate". The Amed Bar Association also demanded that the process of revealing the truth be started.

 

The Human Rights Association (İHD) Istanbul Branch Commission Against Racism and Discrimination held a press conference at the association building on the anniversary of the Armenian Genocide that took place on April 24, 1915. The meeting, in which the banner reading "Recognize the genocide, Apologize, Compensate" was unveiled, was attended by the Greens and Left Future Party (Green Left Party) Istanbul MP candidate Dersim Dağ, the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Istanbul MP Musa Piroğlu, İHD Co-Chair Eren Keskin, and many others.

 

Stating that 2 million Armenian people lived in Turkey and Kurdistan before the First World War, İHD Chairperson Eren Keskin pointed out that after the genocide that started in 1915 and as a result of the policies in the Republican period, Armenians were taken from their settlements and everything about their lives was destroyed. Keskin said: “The current Armenian population, which is estimated to be around 50 thousand, lives mostly in three big cities, mostly in Istanbul. The state did not only exterminate the Armenians. It also erased its traces. You can't find traces of them in places where Armenians live intensely today."

 

'OTTOMAN ROBBERY'

 

Emphasizing that Armenians, who were detained from their places of residence, were also “robbed” by confiscating their bank accounts, valuables and safes, Keskin said: “Furthermore, since the beginning of the 20th century, American and French life insurance companies have provided life insurance to tens of thousands of Christians. It is estimated that its value exceeded 20 million US dollars in that time. The Unionists set their sights on these life insurance compensations, saying in their official writings that "their owners are dead, there are no heirs left, they should be transferred to the Ottoman treasury". The Armenian Genocide has been denied for 99 years. This great theft also plays a role in concealing denial, this unimaginable crime against humanity.”

 

'TURKISH STATE SHOULD APOLIGAZE AND COMPENSATE FOR GENOCIDE'

 

Keskin said: “We, human rights defenders, say that genocide cannot be reduced to a policy, a diplomacy or an international relations issue. It cannot be forgotten that genocide is, above all, the most massive violation of human rights perpetrated by the state. Denial is the most comprehensive, the most effective, the most permanent and the most widespread human rights violation. Demands, requests and wishes of Armenians, who were taken from their homeland and scattered all over the world as a result of the Genocide, to compensate for their losses, which cannot be counted or counted, should be answered. Denial is also an obstacle in front of such a process of reparation and justice. That's why we've been making a call for years: Turkish state should recognize, apologize and compensate for genocide!”