Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Newly Intro Legislation Makes Crimes vs Humanity Violation of US Law

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Newly Intro Legislation Makes Crimes vs Humanity Violation of US Law

    Armenian Assembly of America
    1334 G Street, NW, Suite 200
    Washington, DC 20005
    Phone: 202-393-3434
    Fax: 202-638-4904
    Email: [email protected]
    Web: www.aaainc.org

    PRESS RELEASE

    June 26, 2009
    Contact: Michael A Zachariades
    Email: [email protected]
    Phone: (202) 393-3434

    NEWLY INTRODUCED LEGISLATION MAKES CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY A VIOLATION
    OF U.S. LAW

    Armenian Assembly Signs Letter Urging Passage of Act

    Washington, DC - The Crimes Against Humanity Act, legislation that would
    make it a violation of U.S. law to commit a crime against humanity was
    introduced this week by Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Patrick Leahy
    (D-VT) and Russ Feingold (D-WI), reported the Armenian Assembly of
    America (Assembly). The intent of the legislation is to prevent
    perpetrators of the worst human rights violations from finding safe
    haven in the United States.

    Senator Durbin, Assistant Senate Majority Leader and Chairman of the
    Judiciary Subcommittee on Human Rights and the Law, commented, "The
    United States led the first prosecutions for crimes against humanity in
    the Nuremberg trials, following the Second World War. These horrible
    crimes, however, are still taking place. Our promise to hold accountable
    those who commit the most unspeakable crimes will ring hollow unless we
    lead the world in punishing those responsible for the gravest human
    rights violations."

    "The Armenian Assembly commends Senators Durbin, Leahy and Feingold for
    introducing this important legislation," said Assembly Executive
    Director Bryan Ardouny. "It was Henry Morgenthau, Ambassador to the
    Ottoman Empire, who alerted the world to the horrors of the Armenian
    Genocide setting in motion America's first international humanitarian
    intervention to help save the survivors. America's response at that time
    was unprecedented. Chairman Durbin's legislation represents another step
    forward in the cause of genocide prevention by ensuring that the
    perpetrators of such heinous acts cannot find refuge in the United
    States."

    A broad coalition of advocacy organizations, including the Assembly,
    signed a letter sent to Chairman Durbin, urging passage of this
    legislation, which "has not existed before today, despite the U.S.
    government's sustained efforts to ensure accountability for crimes
    against humanity elsewhere." The letter went on to read, "though U.S.
    law prohibits grave human rights violations such as genocide and
    torture, alleged perpetrators of crimes against humanity may escape
    accountability due not to their innocence of unforgivable acts but to
    loopholes in the U.S. criminal code. The Crimes Against Humanity Act of
    2009 would close this illogical gap in U.S. law."

    Last year, Ardouny submitted written testimony to a Subcommittee hearing
    entitled, "From Nuremberg to Darfur: Accountability for Crimes Against
    Humanity," which read, "The U.S. can and must utilize the resources at
    its disposal to stem the loss of life and end the cycle of genocidal
    violence... We urge this Subcommittee to continue to actively generate
    and introduce new mechanisms to better protect potential victims from
    future genocides and the consequences of genocide denial."

    In 2007, Durbin authored of the Genocide Accountability Act, which the
    Assembly supported and was signed into law. Durbin has also taken the
    lead in spearheading legislation to reaffirm the Armenian Genocide,
    which despite incontrovertible evidence, Turkey continues to deny.

    Established in 1972, the Armenian Assembly of America is the largest
    Washington-based nationwide organization promoting public understanding
    and awareness of Armenian issues. The Assembly is a 501(c) (3)
    tax-exempt membership organization.


    ###

    NR#2009-057
Working...
X