TRIAL AGAINST 17 TURKS, WHO HAD TRIED TO REJECT THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE CONTINUES IN SWITZERLAND

PanARMENIAN.Net - Trial on the suit of two members of Armenian-Swiss Association against 17 activists of the Turkish organizations operating in Switzerland continues in one of Bern's courts of first instance. Plaintiffs convict them of the attempts to reject the fact of the Armenian genocide in 1915. According to the Criminal Code of the country, any attempt to justify or find extenuating circumstances for a crime against humanity is a crime, too. Punishment foreseen for it is a fine or deprivation of liberty. At the first sitting of the court the defendants justified themselves saying they did not know that they infringed upon Swiss laws when coming out against recognition of the genocide. One of the plaintiffs - descendant of refugees from Eastern Armenia Sargis Shahinian - stated in an interview to "Liberty" radio station that the process took place under strange circumstances. The main prosecutor was very passive. Shahinian also reported that in case the court justified the respondents, the accusers intended to appeal to higher echelons.