Police bans Genocide commemoration event in IstanbulApril 24, 2017 - 18:28 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - The Turkish police in Istanbul has banned the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) from holding an event titled Time to Face the Armenian Genocide commemorating the 102nd anniversary of the Armenian Genocide near the city’s Pangalti Metro, Panorama.am reports citing Ermenihaber news agency. The source notes that the HDP members held talks with the law enforcement officers to receive permission for organizing the event, however, to no avail. The police informed that they “have orders from higher –ups to ban the event.” Afterwards, the participants of the rally headed to the HDP party’s building to hold the event, waving posters reading “Never let it be forgotten” and “The Genocide won’t stop unless confronted”. HDP member Melis Tatan delivered a speech at the event, noting that the 1915 Genocide has not ended. “It continues with the assassinations of Hrant Dink, Sevag Balikci and Maritza Kucuk, failing to bring the real culprits to responsibility and concealing the reality,” he added. Speaker of the Istanbul’s Nor Zartonk initiative Norayr Olgar also delivered a speech, noting that the genocide committed against the Armenians continued in Kurdish provinces of Turkey. He called on Turkey to face the evidence of the past 102 years to prevent the future deportations. “There can be no peace without facing the Genocide,” he added. The Armenian Genocide The Armenian Genocide (1915-23) was the deliberate and systematic destruction of the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire during and just after World War I. It was characterized by massacres and deportations, involving forced marches under conditions designed to lead to the death of the deportees, with the total number of deaths reaching 1.5 million. Top stories Six total incidents have burned 19 old-growth trees. Friday night 8 trees were torched along the beautiful main entrance. The EU does not intend to conduct military exercises with Armenia, Lead Spokesperson for EU Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Peter Stano says. Hikmet Hajiyev has said that there is no place for USAID operation in Azerbaijan any longer. A telephone conversation between Putin and Pashinyan before the CSTO summit is not planned, Peskov says. Partner news | Ex-Karabakh leader moved to solitary confinement cell in Baku, his son says David Vardanyan is the son of former Karabakh leader Ruben Vardanyan who who is currently imprisoned in Azerbaijan. Freedom House concerned by mounting reports of police violence in Armenia Freedom House urged Armenian authorities to investigate this pattern of excessive force and inhumane treatment. Ex-President: Only removal of “defeatist” rulers can save Armenia Former Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan has shared a message on the 109th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Pashinyan: We must stop searching for homeland, we have found that homeland Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has shared a message on the 109th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. |