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Swissinfo, Switzerland
July 31 2005
Perinçek once more denies Armenian genocide
Turkish politician Doğu Perinçek, under investigation in
Switzerland for denying Armenian genocide, has compared Swiss law
with that of the Inquisition.
In a newspaper interview published on Sunday, Perinçek repeated his
revisionist views and called for Swiss anti-racism legislation to be
scrapped.
The head of Turkey's Workers' Party told the SonntagsBlick that the
legislation went against fundamental rights and the freedom of
speech.
He added that as a result, Switzerland was losing Turkish friendship
and respect from the rest of the world.
Under Swiss law, any act of denying, belittling or justifying
genocide is a violation of the country's anti-racism laws.
Perinçek's party obtained 0.51 per cent of the vote in Turkey's last
legislative elections in November 2002. There is therefore no party
member in Turkey's Grand National Assembly.
Treaty of Lausanne
"There was no Armenian genocide," he told the SonntagsBlick. Perinçek
had also expressed his revisionist views last weekend at celebrations
in western Switzerland marking the anniversary of the 1923 Treaty of
Lausanne, which defined the borders of modern-day Turkey.
Perinçek said he knew that Switzerland had anti-racism laws but did
not believe his remarks amounted to provocation. He felt "duty-bound"
to express them.
The politician compared the threat of a conviction with his
experiences in Turkish jails.
"Switzerland is worse than Turkey," he said.
Perinçek is the subject of two investigations into suspected
violation of Swiss anti-racism laws. A similar investigation has been
opened in the case of Turkish historian Yusuf Halaçoğlu.
Strong criticism
The Turkish government in Ankara has strongly criticised the Swiss
action.
Switzerland's ambassador to Turkey, Walter Gyger, was summoned to the
Turkish foreign ministry on Wednesday, while Turkey's envoy to Bern,
Alev Kiliç was called to the Swiss foreign ministry the following
day.
On Sunday, Kiliç warned against limiting the freedom of speech.
"The fact that the Swiss authorities open such investigations is a
serious signal to Turks who live or come to Switzerland. It means
they have to keep their mouths shut," he told the NZZ am Sonntag
newspaper.
A Swiss foreign ministry communiqué on Thursday said that the
government had always "regretted and condemned the tragic
deportations and massacres of Armenians" in the final phase of the
Ottoman Empire.
The government also welcomed a suggestion from Ankara to create a
commission of Turkish and Armenian historians to study the issue.
The House of Representatives is the only federal institution that has
officially recognised the Armenian genocide.
July 31 2005
Perinçek once more denies Armenian genocide
Turkish politician Doğu Perinçek, under investigation in
Switzerland for denying Armenian genocide, has compared Swiss law
with that of the Inquisition.
In a newspaper interview published on Sunday, Perinçek repeated his
revisionist views and called for Swiss anti-racism legislation to be
scrapped.
The head of Turkey's Workers' Party told the SonntagsBlick that the
legislation went against fundamental rights and the freedom of
speech.
He added that as a result, Switzerland was losing Turkish friendship
and respect from the rest of the world.
Under Swiss law, any act of denying, belittling or justifying
genocide is a violation of the country's anti-racism laws.
Perinçek's party obtained 0.51 per cent of the vote in Turkey's last
legislative elections in November 2002. There is therefore no party
member in Turkey's Grand National Assembly.
Treaty of Lausanne
"There was no Armenian genocide," he told the SonntagsBlick. Perinçek
had also expressed his revisionist views last weekend at celebrations
in western Switzerland marking the anniversary of the 1923 Treaty of
Lausanne, which defined the borders of modern-day Turkey.
Perinçek said he knew that Switzerland had anti-racism laws but did
not believe his remarks amounted to provocation. He felt "duty-bound"
to express them.
The politician compared the threat of a conviction with his
experiences in Turkish jails.
"Switzerland is worse than Turkey," he said.
Perinçek is the subject of two investigations into suspected
violation of Swiss anti-racism laws. A similar investigation has been
opened in the case of Turkish historian Yusuf Halaçoğlu.
Strong criticism
The Turkish government in Ankara has strongly criticised the Swiss
action.
Switzerland's ambassador to Turkey, Walter Gyger, was summoned to the
Turkish foreign ministry on Wednesday, while Turkey's envoy to Bern,
Alev Kiliç was called to the Swiss foreign ministry the following
day.
On Sunday, Kiliç warned against limiting the freedom of speech.
"The fact that the Swiss authorities open such investigations is a
serious signal to Turks who live or come to Switzerland. It means
they have to keep their mouths shut," he told the NZZ am Sonntag
newspaper.
A Swiss foreign ministry communiqué on Thursday said that the
government had always "regretted and condemned the tragic
deportations and massacres of Armenians" in the final phase of the
Ottoman Empire.
The government also welcomed a suggestion from Ankara to create a
commission of Turkish and Armenian historians to study the issue.
The House of Representatives is the only federal institution that has
officially recognised the Armenian genocide.