06 03 15 - BERLIN - UN TRIBUNAL LEVE PROVISOIREMENT L'INTERDICTION SUR LES MANIFESTATIONS NEGATIONNISTES TURQUES

BERLIN - UN TRIBUNAL LEVE PROVISOIREMENT L'INTERDICTION SUR LES MANIFESTATIONS NEGATIONNISTES TURQUES
Le tribunal administratif du land de Berlin vient de lever l'interdiction opposée par la police allemande aux deux manifestations de négationnistes turcs initialement prévues pour les 15 et 18 mars. Celles-ci pourraient donc se dérouler comme initialement prévu.

Cette décision provisoire pourrait néanmoins être remise en cause par la Cour suprême du land de Berlin. Toutefois, les informations actuellement
disponibles ne permettent pas de déterminer si cette juridiction sera saisie de l'affaire.

La Fédération Euro-Arménienne communiquera ultérieurement de plus ample informations.


GERMAN AUTHORITIES BAN PLANNED BERLIN
DEMONSTRATION DENYING ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

BERLIN, GERMANY - The German government has stepped in to prohibit a planned March 18th demonstration in Berlin by Turkish organisations that deny the Armenian Genocide.

The prohibition, announced on March 13th, is based on Article 189 of the German penal code, which prohibits offensive acts against the deceased. In their press release, German authorities mentioned "people killed in 1915," but without precisely noting the historical context of the Armenian Genocide.

The planned demonstrations in Berlin were to be the first large-scale initiative of the “Talaat Pasha Committee." This organisation was created
in early 2006 in honor of Talaat Pasha, the leading figure responsible for the Armenian Genocide. It was instituted by the Turkish government and gathers together the representatives of a broad range of Turkish political parties. The ex-"president" of the occupied northern territory of Cyprus, Rauf Denktash, is the president of the organisation.

The European Armenian Federation has called attention to the fact that the slogan used to rally supporters for the demonstration was: "You are Talaat, you are Atatürk, take you flag and come to demonstrate." This formulation established the clear link that the organization recognizes exists between the Young Turk genocidal regime and Mustafa Kemal’s Republic.

The aim of this "Major Operation 2006," which was to occur in Berlin, was to counter Germany's recognition of the Armenian Genocide, prevent the teaching of this crime in European schools, and to absolve the criminal Talaat Pasha of his guilt. In the weeks leading up to the protests cancellation, public indignation in Germany and throughout Europe led to many component Turkish associations - including the Turkish Association of Berlin and groups aligned with the ruling AKP party in Turkey - withdrawing from the event.

The Executive Director of the European Armenian Federation, Laurent Leylekian, stated that "This matter shows that Turkish deniers give in when
the Europeans stand firm behind the historically accurate and politically responsible position that their hateful brand of denial has no place in
Europe." He concluded that, "we call upon all European political representatives to always demonstrate this level of l'Ambasciatore armeno e quello turco che sarà trasmesso:
determination in the
face of unprecedented attacks by deniers, not only against Armenians but
against all Europeans."



FEDERATION EURO-ARMENIENNE
pour la Justice et la Démocratie
Avenue de la Renaissance 10
B-1000 Bruxelles
Tel: +32 2 732 70 26
Tel/Fax: +32 2 732 70 27
Email : contact@eafjd.org

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