Prevention of mass atrocities lies at the heart of democratic security, Armenian Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan said in his speech at 129th Session of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on Friday, May 17.

"We should be resolute about condemning denigration of victims and their dignity, and justification of heinous crimes," the Minister said.

"President of Turkey on 24 of April, of all dates in the calendar, justified crimes perpetrated against the victims of the Armenian Genocide by calling them “Armenian gangs and their supporter”, whose “relocation” was “the only reasonable action”.

This is a disturbing warning sign to all who are serious about prevention of mass atrocities.

April 24, 1915 is the day when a group of Armenian intellectuals was rounded up and assassinated in Constantinople by the Ottoman government. On April 24, Armenians worldwide commemorated the 104th anniversary of the Genocide which continued until 1923. Some three dozen countries, hundreds of local government bodies and international organizations have so far recognized the killings of 1.5 million Armenians as Genocide. Turkey denies to this day.