Turkish nationalist group refused entry to Athens over Genocide bill

PanARMENIAN.Net - The Talaat Pasha Committee, a Turkish nationalist organization aiming to counter recognition of the Armenian Genocide, has been refused entry to Athens, where it was planning to issue a statement to protest a bill recently approved by the Greek parliament, Horizon Weekly reports.

The committee wanted to the withdrawal of the bill approved by Greece’s parliament in September that stiffens penalties for racially motivated crime and criminalizes the denial of genocide and war crimes. The delegation of 13 people was intercepted by police at the airport and prevented from entering the city for “security reasons.” They were sent back to Turkey with the next flight.

The Greek lawmakers adopted on Sept 9, 2014 an anti-hate crime bill on Combating Discrimination, Xenophobia, and Racism, making it illegal to deny the Jewish Holocaust, and genocides recognized by international courts or by the Greek parliament, including the genocide of Pontus Greeks, the genocide of Asia Minor Greeks, and the Armenian Genocide. Those violating this new law would be fined up to

Violation of the law supposes a fine of 30,000 euros or imprisonment of up to three years.

The Greek law stems from the European Union’s 2008 “Framework Decision against Racism and Xenophobia,” which urged all EU states to adopt laws that punish racism, xenophobia, denial of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes.