ISTANBUL — Authorities in Istanbul have banned the annual commemoration of the Armenian Genocide on 24 April for the fifth consecutive year, according to Gazette Agos.
The 24 April Memorial Platform had applied for permission to hold this year’s memorial in front of the Kadıköy Süreyya Opera House on the evening of Friday. However, the group said in a statement that authorities denied the request, continuing a pattern of refusals over the past four years.
The platform noted that it had organized 24 April memorials in public squares across several cities, particularly in Istanbul, from 2010 to 2019. These events began to be banned at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the past four years, authorities have reportedly provided no official explanation for the continued prohibition.
“Commemorating on 24 April is a democratic right,” the platform said. “These memorials provide a space to express respect for the hundreds of thousands of people who were killed and to show that we have not forgotten those who were torn from their families, livelihoods, and communities. They are also a message to those living today.”
The statement added that remembering the victims is essential for strengthening democracy, fostering coexistence, and combating violence and hate speech. “To remember those we lost — the people, the culture, and the traditions — and to confront the past is fundamental,” it said. “We protest the ban and call on decision-makers to reconsider their position.”
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