Paylan submits Armenian Genocide bill to Turkish parliament

PanARMENIAN.Net - Member of the Turkish parliament of Armenian origin Garo Paylan from the pro-Kurdish People's Democratic Party (HDP) has submitted a bill to the parliament on the recognition of the Armenian Genocide, Agos said.

Unveiled on the eve of the 107th anniversary of the 107th anniversary of the Genocide, the bill also provides for the removal of the names of the the masterminds and perpetrators of the Genocide from public places, the naming of those places in honor of officials who opposed the Genocide, as well as the granting of Turkish citizenship to the victims and their families.

“If this happens, it will not matter what the leaders and parliaments of other countries say about it. Only the Turkish society can heal the wounds of the Armenian people,” the bill reads.

Paylan, however, came under immediate fire from the spokesperson of Turkey's ruling AK Party, "Ömer Çelik", who described the stance as "immoral" and threatened to take legal action against the Armenian lawmaker.

Paylan submitted similar proposals in 2018 and in 2021.

On April 24, 1915, a large group of Armenian intellectuals was rounded up and assassinated in Constantinople by the Ottoman government. On April 24, 2022, Armenians worldwide will be commemorating the 107th 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.