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OSCE CALLS ON GREEK CYPRIOTS TO RECONSIDER LAW ON ARMENIAN KILLINGS
Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey
April 10 2015
ANKARA - Anadolu Agency
The Organization for Security and Co-operation (OSCE) in Europe has
expressed concern over the Greek Cypriot administration's latest move
to criminalize the denial of Armenian allegations over the killings
in 1915.
"While fully acknowledging the humanitarian intentions of this bill,
I believe that this measure raises serious concerns about compliance
with international freedom of expression standards," the organization's
representative on freedom of the media, Dunja Mijatovic, said April 9.
The new law, approved on April 2, imposes a five-year prison sentence
and a 10,000-euro fine on anyone who denies genocide allegations in
the mass killing of Armenians in 1915 at the hands of the Ottomans
during World War I or any other war crime recognized as such by
the Parliament.
"The authorities should have taken into consideration the right to
openly discuss questions of a sensitive and controversial nature
as one of the fundamental aspects of freedom of expression which
distinguishes a tolerant and pluralistic democratic society from a
repressive regime," Mijatovic said.
The Greek Cypriot administration's move - which remains at odds with
the Turkish side over the future of the divided island - came in
the very month when Armenia is planning to hold a mass commemoration
ceremony in Yerevan to mark the 100th anniversary of the 1915 incidents
on April 24.
In January, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan sent invitation
letters to more than 100 leaders, including Armenian President Serzh
Sargsyan, to participate in a commemoration of the Battle of Gallipoli
on April 24.
Sargsyan reportedly denounced Erdogan's invitation as an attempt to
overshadow the 100th anniversary of the 1915 incidents, according
to armenianow.com.
The move also comes at a time when the Turkish and Greek sides of
the divided island of Cyprus have taken mutual steps to return to
the bargaining table.
April/10/2015
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/osce-calls-on-greek-cypriots-to-reconsider-law-on-armenian-killings-.aspx?pageID=238&nID=80886&NewsCatID=359
Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey
April 10 2015
ANKARA - Anadolu Agency
The Organization for Security and Co-operation (OSCE) in Europe has
expressed concern over the Greek Cypriot administration's latest move
to criminalize the denial of Armenian allegations over the killings
in 1915.
"While fully acknowledging the humanitarian intentions of this bill,
I believe that this measure raises serious concerns about compliance
with international freedom of expression standards," the organization's
representative on freedom of the media, Dunja Mijatovic, said April 9.
The new law, approved on April 2, imposes a five-year prison sentence
and a 10,000-euro fine on anyone who denies genocide allegations in
the mass killing of Armenians in 1915 at the hands of the Ottomans
during World War I or any other war crime recognized as such by
the Parliament.
"The authorities should have taken into consideration the right to
openly discuss questions of a sensitive and controversial nature
as one of the fundamental aspects of freedom of expression which
distinguishes a tolerant and pluralistic democratic society from a
repressive regime," Mijatovic said.
The Greek Cypriot administration's move - which remains at odds with
the Turkish side over the future of the divided island - came in
the very month when Armenia is planning to hold a mass commemoration
ceremony in Yerevan to mark the 100th anniversary of the 1915 incidents
on April 24.
In January, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan sent invitation
letters to more than 100 leaders, including Armenian President Serzh
Sargsyan, to participate in a commemoration of the Battle of Gallipoli
on April 24.
Sargsyan reportedly denounced Erdogan's invitation as an attempt to
overshadow the 100th anniversary of the 1915 incidents, according
to armenianow.com.
The move also comes at a time when the Turkish and Greek sides of
the divided island of Cyprus have taken mutual steps to return to
the bargaining table.
April/10/2015
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/osce-calls-on-greek-cypriots-to-reconsider-law-on-armenian-killings-.aspx?pageID=238&nID=80886&NewsCatID=359