EAFJD - European Armenian Federation /February 2019 Newsletter #11

European Armenian Federation for Justice and Democracy - EAFJD  February 2019                                              Newsletter #11 Anti-Armenian acts in Turkey despite European Criticism

European Parliament Foreign Affairs committee's annual report on Turkey strongly criticizes Erdogan's policy  On February 26, the European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) adopted its annual report on Turkey. The report condemns the multiple human rights violations and restriction of freedom of speech, political persecutions and arrests, as well as the pressure on ethnic, religious and sexual minorities which have taken place under Erdogan’s regime. Because of these considerations, the committee decided to reaffirm its last year's decision which consists in urging the European Commission to suspend Turkey’s accession talks to the EU. Furthermore, the report addresses the issue of the preservation of the cultural heritage of national minorities in Turkey and calls on the Turkish government to protect the Armenian cultural heritage. More details in EAFJD's communications officer, Harout Chirinian's interview with Armenpress. Read here

Freedom House's annual report puts the spotlight on Armenia According to Freedom House’s "Freedom in the World 2019"  report on political rights and civil liberties, the Republic of Armenia  and the Republic of Artsakh are both "Partly Free" countries, while most of the countries in the region are still considered as "Not Free" countries.  With one of the largest one-year gains in aggregate score (+6) Armenia deserved special scrutiny in 2019 report, after massive nonviolent demonstrations leading to a peaceful transition of power in country.   Read more here  Another act of vandalism & Armenophobia in Turkey On February 25, in an  Armenophobic act t he Armenian "Sourp Hrechdagabed" church was vandalized in Istanbul, Turkey. This unacceptable hate crime against the christian minority was strongly condemned by the EAFJD Communication officer Harout Chirinian. He stressed that this behavior was a demonstration of a refusal of the European Parliament annual report on Turkey, where the EP calls on the Turkish government to protect the Armenian cultural heritage.  It is time to stop Armenophobia in Turkey! Sumgait pogroms commemorated in Europe On February 27, Armenians commemorate the dozens of innocent victims of Armenian population of soviet Azerbaijan. In February 1988, the people of Artsakh/Nagorno Karabakh stood for their lawful demand to exercise their right for self-determination. These peaceful demonstrations were met with unprecedented violence turning into pogroms of Armenians living in different cities and towns of Soviet Azerbaijan such as Sumgait, Baku. Read the press release of the Armenian National Committee of Belgium here and about the demonstration organised by the Armenian National Committee of the Netherlands   here (in Armenian).  Emmanuel Macron marks the Armenian Genocide on the French calendar   On February 5, during the annual dinner of the CCAF (Coordinating Council of Armenian Organizations of France), the French President Emmanuel Macron announced that April 24 will henceforth be "National Day of Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide" in France. According to Harout Mardirossian, Chairman of CDCA France,  “it is the culmination of a long activism that began more than 50 years ago, and which has been repeated and reaffirmed tirelessly during all the demonstrations and commemorations and also in our meetings with numerous french political figures (...)”. Read here (in French) Anahide Ter Minassian: A lifetime defender of the Armenian Cause On February 11, a great French-Armenian historian, university lecturer and activist of the Armenian Cause, Anahide Ter Minassian has passed away at the age of 89. She is the author of many books related to Armenia and the Armenian Genocide. She takes part in the huge contribution of the Armenian diaspora and ensured the transmission of the Armenian history through her books. May she rest in peace. Invite your friends to subscribe to our newsletter!    Subscribe here