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ANCA WR: Speier-Poochigian Arm. Genocide Recovery Law Enacted in CA

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  • ANCA WR: Speier-Poochigian Arm. Genocide Recovery Law Enacted in CA

    Armenian National Committee of America - Western Region
    104 North Belmont Street, Suite 200
    Glendale, California 91206
    Phone: 818.500.1918 Fax: 818.246.7353
    [email protected] www.anca.org

    PRESS RELEASE
    Tuesday, September 26, 2006

    Contact: Lerna Kayserian
    Tel: (818) 500-1918

    Speier-Poochigian Armenian Genocide Recovery Law Enacted in California

    SACRAMENTO, CA --- The Armenian National Committee of America - Western
    Region (ANCA-WR) welcomed the signing of "Armenian Genocide Bank and Looted
    Assets Recovery Act", SB 1524. The new law, co-authored by Senator Jackie
    Kanchelian Speier (D-San Mateo) and Senator Charles 'Chuck' Poochigian,
    allow victims and heirs recovery - through Californiia Courts - of assets
    looted by banks and financial institutions p;operating in the Ottoman
    Empire and Turkey during the Armenian Genocide which have been wrongfully
    withheld since the Genocide.

    The legislation, signed into law this week by Governor Arnold
    Schwarzenegger, was a key priority for Senator Speier in 2006. The
    governor's signing was made possible, in large part, due to her great
    efforts working with the State Senate and Assembly leadership to shepherd
    the bill through the legislature along with Senator Poochigian.

    "I authored this legislation on behalf of the 900,000 Armenian Americans
    living in our state. As a result of the Armenian Genocide, thousands of
    Armenian orphans and survivors were robbed of their country, their
    families, their ancestral homes, as well as personal property and other
    assets, including bank deposits," said Speier. "The time has come to return
    these deposits to their rightful owners."

    The ANCA-WR sponsored and testified in favor of the bill when it was first
    introduced and had closely followed its progression through both houses and
    onto the governor's desk.

    "We anticipate the new law will encourage banks doing business in Ottoman
    Turkey during the Armenian Genocide to do the right thing and return those
    assets," noted ANCA-WR Chairman, Steven Dadaian, who testified in support
    of SB 1524 before the legislature when it was considered by the State
    Senate Judiciary Committee.

    "We hope that recent lawsuits filed on behalf of Armenian American Genocide
    heirs will reach a just resolution for the return of those assets and we
    applaud all members of our legislature and the Governor for taking this
    important precedent setting step to stand up for justice once again," said
    Dadaian.
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