Serj Tankian blasts Trump administration's last-minute deal with Turkey

PanARMENIAN.Net - System of a Down frontman Serj Tankian has posted a statement on Facebook criticizing the outgoing Donald Trump administration's last-minute deal with Turkey's Minister of Culture.

The agreement was signed on January 19 and aims to "protect Turkey's cultural property." However, the Armenian National Committee of America criticizes the deal as granting Turkey "legal rights over the vast religious and cultural heritage of the region's indigenous peoples and other minority populations," including that of the Armenians killed in the Armenian Genocide.

"Thanks Trump," Tankian wrote. "In your last minute you decided to grant Turkey my people's indigenous cultural heritage including ancient churches and stone crosses as a reward for them trying to exterminate us."

Tankian and System of a Down have also been vocal against Turkey recently due to the country's involvement in assisting Azerbaijan in its war with Armenia last fall. The conflict led to System sharing two new songs, marking the first time the band released music in 15 years.

Tankian recently joined his System of a Down bandmates in the studio to record their first new music in 15 years. The two new songs, “Protect the Land” and “Genocidal Humanoidz,” were recorded to help raise awareness about the crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh, also known as Artsakh, an ethnically Armenian area within Azerbaijan that is under siege. The band later reported that, in the space of a week, the songs had helped them raise $600,000 for aid in the region.