ARMENIAN POLITICAL ANALYST PROSECUTED FOR ‘ARMENIAN GENOCIDE DENIAL’
Tert
Sept 23 2009
Armenia
ARARAT Center for Strategic Research NGO has brought forth a case
against Caucasus Institute Foundation for denial of the Armenian
Genocide, Director of ARARAT Center for Strategic Research Aybars
Gyorgulu said during a press conference today.
Alexander Iskandaryan, a political analyst and head of the Caucasus
Institute Foundation located in Armenia, is the editor of a book
called Caucasus Neighborhood: Turkey and the South Caucasus. The book,
published after a conference organized by the Caucasus Institute
in Istanbul, included a reprint of an article denying the Armenian
Genocide.
The article, titled "Turkish-Armenian relations: an eternal
deadlock?" by Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation colleague
Aybars Gyorgulu, thus became the basis for the legal suit. In his
report presented during the conference in Istanbul, the Turkish
figure denies the Armenian Genocide. Furthermore, in his article,
Gyorgulu uses the word "genocide" in quotation marks.
"The act of Genocide denial has also begun in Armenia, this is not
an exceptional case," Ayvazian stated. Referring to the Caucasus
Institute’s publication, the director of the ARARAT Center stated,
"This is a case of simple classic denial."
According to Ayvazian, intitial hearings will take place in the first
half of October.
Tert.am tried to get in touch with Alexander Iskandaryan, but was
advised by the Caucasus Institute that he is out of town, and no
comments will be made during the politician’s absence.