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LRAPER Church Bulletin
Armenian Patriarchate
TR-34130 Kumkapi, Istanbul
Contact: Deacon V. Seropyan
T: +90 (212) 517-0970
F: +90 (212) 516-4833
E-mail: [email protected]
or [email protected]
Istanbul 2nd Magistrates Court Rules in Favor of Armenian Patriarchate
In view of many accusatory, unfounded, reprehensible, discriminatory,
provocative and false assertions made regarding His Beatitude the Patriarch
and the Armenian community in an article by Soner Yigit entitled, "Former
Eminonu Mayor Lutfi Kibiroglu: They Want To Turn Kumkapi Into Balat" which
appeared in the 25 April 2004 issue of the daily Anadolu'da Vakit
newspaper, Armenian Patriarchate lawyer and Patriarchate Press Spokesperson
Luiz Bakar sent a notarized declaration of falsehood to the aforementioned
newspaper on the 30th of April.
In consequence of application made to the Istanbul 2nd Magistrates Criminal
Court when the newspaper did not print the declaration of falsehood, the
court found in favor of the request for a declaration of falsehood and
rendered the verdict that the declaration of falsehood be printed in the
next issue on the same page and in the same columns as the original article.
As is well known, both the former and present mayors of Eminönü also
declared the news item to be untrue.
The text of the declaration of falsehood is as follows:
THEY DO NOT WANT TO TURN KUMKAPI INTO BALAT
"THE ACCUSATIONS MADE AGAINST MY CLIENT, MESROB MUTAFYAN, THE ARMENIAN
PATRIARCH OF TURKEY, IN THE ARTICLE PUBLISHED IN THE 25 APRIL 2004 ISSUE
(NO. 872) OF YOUR NEWSPAPER ARE UNFOUNDED, REPREHENSIBLE, DISCRIMINATORY AND
UNTRUE."
The article, "They Want To Turn Kumkapý Into Balat," written in an obviously
one-sided fashion, is a concrete example of an irresponsible editorial
philosophy that abuses persons' freedom and right to be informed.
In the news article you published on page 10 with a large-point headline, to
have former mayor of Eminonu Kibiroglu state that there was a sneaky plot
behind the burning of historic buildings, that the buildings that burned
down in Eminonu had been purchased by Armenian citizens, that a church was
going to be built in place of the buildings that burned down and that the
Patriarchate, the official office my client, the Patriarch, intended to
establish an area that would be a center for 'proselytism' like the one in
Balat; and to have the Patriarch say 'We want to get a place in Kumkapi,
repair it and set it up; we're expanding,' represents your own false,
unfounded, one-sided, non-factual, discriminatory, racist and fabricated
interpretations, which constitute a provocation meant to create enmity
between Muslim Turks and Armenian citizens of the Republic of Turkey.
First of all, just as the Armenian Patriarchate, over which my client the
Patriarch presides, has no intention of establishing a center for
proselytism in Kumkapi and has engaged in no such undertaking, so also my
client the Patriarch did not say "I want to establish a center for
proselytism."
Furthermore my client, the Patriarch and the Patriarchate which he
represents, did not make any devious plan nor did they, for the sake of this
plan, have buildings burned down or arson committed. The historic buildings
that burned down in Eminonu were not bought by Armenian citizens of the
Republic of Turkey. My client, the Patriarch, did not say, "We want to get a
place in Kumkapi, repair it and set it up; we're expanding." The
Patriarchate has no intention of having a church built on the site where the
buildings burned down and no such activity exists.
Your news article, which is reprehensible from start to finish, violates the
principles of professionalism in journalism by creating an atmosphere that
incites hatred and enmity, not just towards my client the Patriarch, but
toward citizens of Armenian descent living in Turkey and against their
institutions. Your news article, which is contrary to the truth, is clearly
written from a partisan perspective which targets Armenians and belittles
them and aims to stir up resentment and enmity. Your publication constitutes
a clear attack on human rights. It exceeds the acceptable bounds of
interpretation and criticism.
As your publication has damaged the honor, personal dignity and public
respect of my client, the Patriarch, to alleviate the moral damage done to
my client's honor and respectability and person, you shall, by printing
unchanged the text of this reply and correction statement, make known to the
public that my client Does Not Want To Turn Kumkapi Into Balat, that he has
no intention of building a church on the site of any burned down buildings,
that he has not been involved in any devious plot, that he did not have old
buildings burned down or arson committed, and that he did not want to create
a center for proselytism in Kumkapi. I hope that you will not cast a shadow
upon the respectability of the press and that you will put an end to such
partisan publications.
Respectfully,
Att. Luiz Bakar
Armenian Patriarchate
TR-34130 Kumkapi, Istanbul
Contact: Deacon V. Seropyan
T: +90 (212) 517-0970
F: +90 (212) 516-4833
E-mail: [email protected]
or [email protected]
Istanbul 2nd Magistrates Court Rules in Favor of Armenian Patriarchate
In view of many accusatory, unfounded, reprehensible, discriminatory,
provocative and false assertions made regarding His Beatitude the Patriarch
and the Armenian community in an article by Soner Yigit entitled, "Former
Eminonu Mayor Lutfi Kibiroglu: They Want To Turn Kumkapi Into Balat" which
appeared in the 25 April 2004 issue of the daily Anadolu'da Vakit
newspaper, Armenian Patriarchate lawyer and Patriarchate Press Spokesperson
Luiz Bakar sent a notarized declaration of falsehood to the aforementioned
newspaper on the 30th of April.
In consequence of application made to the Istanbul 2nd Magistrates Criminal
Court when the newspaper did not print the declaration of falsehood, the
court found in favor of the request for a declaration of falsehood and
rendered the verdict that the declaration of falsehood be printed in the
next issue on the same page and in the same columns as the original article.
As is well known, both the former and present mayors of Eminönü also
declared the news item to be untrue.
The text of the declaration of falsehood is as follows:
THEY DO NOT WANT TO TURN KUMKAPI INTO BALAT
"THE ACCUSATIONS MADE AGAINST MY CLIENT, MESROB MUTAFYAN, THE ARMENIAN
PATRIARCH OF TURKEY, IN THE ARTICLE PUBLISHED IN THE 25 APRIL 2004 ISSUE
(NO. 872) OF YOUR NEWSPAPER ARE UNFOUNDED, REPREHENSIBLE, DISCRIMINATORY AND
UNTRUE."
The article, "They Want To Turn Kumkapý Into Balat," written in an obviously
one-sided fashion, is a concrete example of an irresponsible editorial
philosophy that abuses persons' freedom and right to be informed.
In the news article you published on page 10 with a large-point headline, to
have former mayor of Eminonu Kibiroglu state that there was a sneaky plot
behind the burning of historic buildings, that the buildings that burned
down in Eminonu had been purchased by Armenian citizens, that a church was
going to be built in place of the buildings that burned down and that the
Patriarchate, the official office my client, the Patriarch, intended to
establish an area that would be a center for 'proselytism' like the one in
Balat; and to have the Patriarch say 'We want to get a place in Kumkapi,
repair it and set it up; we're expanding,' represents your own false,
unfounded, one-sided, non-factual, discriminatory, racist and fabricated
interpretations, which constitute a provocation meant to create enmity
between Muslim Turks and Armenian citizens of the Republic of Turkey.
First of all, just as the Armenian Patriarchate, over which my client the
Patriarch presides, has no intention of establishing a center for
proselytism in Kumkapi and has engaged in no such undertaking, so also my
client the Patriarch did not say "I want to establish a center for
proselytism."
Furthermore my client, the Patriarch and the Patriarchate which he
represents, did not make any devious plan nor did they, for the sake of this
plan, have buildings burned down or arson committed. The historic buildings
that burned down in Eminonu were not bought by Armenian citizens of the
Republic of Turkey. My client, the Patriarch, did not say, "We want to get a
place in Kumkapi, repair it and set it up; we're expanding." The
Patriarchate has no intention of having a church built on the site where the
buildings burned down and no such activity exists.
Your news article, which is reprehensible from start to finish, violates the
principles of professionalism in journalism by creating an atmosphere that
incites hatred and enmity, not just towards my client the Patriarch, but
toward citizens of Armenian descent living in Turkey and against their
institutions. Your news article, which is contrary to the truth, is clearly
written from a partisan perspective which targets Armenians and belittles
them and aims to stir up resentment and enmity. Your publication constitutes
a clear attack on human rights. It exceeds the acceptable bounds of
interpretation and criticism.
As your publication has damaged the honor, personal dignity and public
respect of my client, the Patriarch, to alleviate the moral damage done to
my client's honor and respectability and person, you shall, by printing
unchanged the text of this reply and correction statement, make known to the
public that my client Does Not Want To Turn Kumkapi Into Balat, that he has
no intention of building a church on the site of any burned down buildings,
that he has not been involved in any devious plot, that he did not have old
buildings burned down or arson committed, and that he did not want to create
a center for proselytism in Kumkapi. I hope that you will not cast a shadow
upon the respectability of the press and that you will put an end to such
partisan publications.
Respectfully,
Att. Luiz Bakar