This year, the Istanbul Governor’s Office also banned the participation of commemorative events on April 24. Once again, the governor of Istanbul rejected the application of the “April 24 commemoration platform” without giving any reason.
Since 2010, the “April 24 Commemoration Platform” has been carrying out commemorative events both in Istanbul and in a number of cities in Turkey. In 2020, due to the epidemic, commemorative events were banned, and this ban continues to this day. the Turkish authorities call the measures “not expedient”.
In fact, the authorities’ presentation of the ban on April 24 events as “not expedient” stems from the policy of denial adopted at the state level. It not only limits commemorative events, but also undermines the opportunities for free expression of civil society.
The first and main reason for the ban on commemoration events is Turkey’s denial policy. Turkey has repeatedly stated that it did not commit genocide. In his speech, the President of the Republic of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, stated that the states that accepted the Armenian Genocide did not prove their claims with archival documents. As an example, Erdogan mentioned France, saying that the latter is not interested in the truth.
Therefore, the ban on events aimed at commemorating the Armenian Genocide in Turkey is related to denial itself. And the decision to hold commemorative events for the years 2010-2019 was due to the fact that the latter presented the international community with the message “freedom of speech exists in Turkey”.
The second reason is the foreign political factor. The events of April 24 were often accompanied by international reactions, and the holding of these events inside Turkey could be perceived as a rejection of the policy of denial, which the Turkish government avoids.
In 2016, the German Bundestag adopted a resolution officially recognizing the Armenian Genocide. Turkey criticized that decision. Erdogan announced that this decision will affect bilateral relations, calling it groundless, and the Turkish ambassador was recalled from Berlin.
In 2019, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that April 24 will be officially declared as the national day of remembrance of the Armenian Genocide in France. Turkey immediately condemned this move by Macron and again “documented” the denial of the Armenian Genocide. Turkish President’s Spokesman Ibrahim Kalin stated that the claims of the Armenian Genocide are political lies without a legal basis, and they contradict historical facts. Genocide “claims” have no value for Turkey.
In 2021, US President Joe Biden used the term “genocide” for the first time. Biden’s use of the term raised a big wave in Turkey. Turkish authorities criticized the announcement, calling it a politicization of history, and even temporarily recalled their ambassador from the US for consultations.
After the declarations by various countries aimed at recognizing and condemning the Armenian Genocide, Turkey not only denied or condemned the declarations of these countries, but also used economic or political tools to put pressure on those countries. Thus, after the recognition of the Armenian Genocide by France, the diplomatic relations between Turkey and France intensified. Turkish businessmen and parliamentarians traveled to Paris to temporarily suspend trade agreements and put pressure on France. That said, Turkey’s denial turned into a practical policy, and the ban on commemorative events is often perceived as a step by Turkey to counter pressure from the international community.
SCIENTIFIC ANALYTICAL FOUNDATION “GEGHARD”
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