Documentary materials about the Armenian Genocide were written by the efforts of both Armenian and foreign individuals. Those documentaries document the reality of the Armenian Genocide.

Armenian authors, eyewitness survivors, writers and public speakers, conveyed the tragedy experienced by the Armenian nation with their memoirs and documents.

At the same time, the testimonies of foreign diplomats, missionaries and journalists played an important role in informing the international community about the Armenian Genocide.

Even today, those documentary materials are the most important proof of the fact and historical truth of the genocide.

In this context, the testimonies sent to the Russian statesman and politician Sergey Sazonov about the Armenian Genocide, as well as his speech on the matter, are important and worth mentioning.

Sazonov was the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia in 1915. He also played an important role in the negotiations on the Armenian issue, as well as on the Armenian reforms, and he wrote about all this in his memoirs.

We read about the Armenian Genocide in the June 1915 message sent to Sazonov.

“Russian Ambassador to Cairo, Minister of Foreign Affairs S. D. Sazonov

Message number 58

Cairo,

June 25, 1915

The atrocities committed against Armenians in Syria and its neighboring regions reach incredible proportions. Looting, violence, massacre and often the head-on destruction of entire Armenian villages are repeated constantly, families are ruthlessly separated, women are taken from men, children are taken from their parents and all are sent to different directions of exile.

The Armenian clergy is particularly brutally persecuted, churchmen are tortured, their nails are torn off. Recently, 12,000 Turkish troops occupied Zeytun, which served as a bastion of Armenians and did not let itself close to Turkish forces.

By threats, deceit, and promises, the Turks induced the Armenians to surrender Zeytun, and, capturing the city, took the most cruel reprisals against its inhabitants and defenders.

Thousands of people were mauled and massacred despite broad promises of total impunity…” (Quote from: Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute Genocide Museum | The Armenian Genocide Museum-institute):

Already in the next documentary, we read Sazonov’s speech in the State Duma of Russia, in which the fact of the Armenian Genocide organized by Ottoman Turkey is emphasized, as well as the support of Turkey’s allies in this matter.

“Smirnov

Minister of Foreign Affairs S. D. Sazanov’s speech on the opening day of the State Duma

February 9, 1916

… I had before before mentioned to you the unheard of sufferings of that unfortunate people. Under the benevolent eye of Allied Germany, the Turks apparently intend to realize their long-held dream of the complete extermination of the Armenian population, which (the Armenian population) is not subject to the influence of the Muslim masses and thus serves as a barrier to German plans to subjugate the Turkish Empire economically and politically…” (Ibid.).

It is noteworthy that the facts pointed out by Sergey Sazonov – the Turkish plan to massacre Armenians and convert them to religion at the same time – are also read in one of Talaat’s declassified telegrams.

“Party of Aleppo

Answer: December 2, 1915 telegram.

Inform the Armenians who want to convert to Islam, thinking of saving themselves from general deportations (to the desert), that they must convert to Islam in their places of exile.

17 Dec. 1915: Talead, Minister of the Interior.” (Antonyan A., “The Great Crime”, Boston, 1921, p. 212).

The Russian documents of the Armenian Genocide are undeniable facts that prove the historical truth. They not only record the tragedy, but also reveal its organized nature, goals and implementation mechanisms.

Z. I hesitated

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