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Reuters Canada
July 30 2010
Turkey sued in California over Armenian genocide
Fri Jul 30, 2010 7:40pm EDT
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Lawyers for two Armenian men have sued Turkey
and two of its major banks, claiming they and others were victims of
genocide and seeking what could amount to hundreds of millions of
dollars in damages.
The lawsuit, filed Thursday in U.S. District Court in California,
names the Republic of Turkey, The Central Bank of the Republic of
Turkey and T.C. Ziraat Bankasi as defendants.
The suit seeks class action status on behalf of all Armenians and
Turkish citizens "who were deprived of their citizenship, brutally
deported, (and) had their property seized" by the Turkish government.
Los Angeles attorney Brian Kabateck, who filed the suit on behalf of
L.A. resident Garbis Daoyan and Queens, New York resident Hrayr
Turabian, said he believes this is the first lawsuit dealing with the
Armenian genocide that names the Turkish government as a defendant.
The Armenian genocide refers to the death and displacement of many
people who lived in the Ottoman Empire before and after World War I.
Turkey accepts that many Armenians were killed by Ottoman forces, but
denies the number was as high as the 1.5 million some researchers
believe died. The government has long denied the idea that genocide
occurred.
The U.S. government has never formally called the events a genocide,
but just this past March, a U.S. congressional panel voted to label it
genocide in a non-binding resolution. That act caused the Turkish
government to recall its ambassador.
Kabateck said he has successfully sued companies such as New York Life
Insurance Co. and France's AXA in the past, getting nearly $40 million
in damages for victims' heirs.
He said the suit was filed now for reasons that include the
documentation of original land deeds establishing ownership of
property in Turkey.
And he said it was filed in southern California due to the large
numbers of Armenians who live in the area.
(Editing by Todd Eastham)
From: A. Papazian
July 30 2010
Turkey sued in California over Armenian genocide
Fri Jul 30, 2010 7:40pm EDT
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Lawyers for two Armenian men have sued Turkey
and two of its major banks, claiming they and others were victims of
genocide and seeking what could amount to hundreds of millions of
dollars in damages.
The lawsuit, filed Thursday in U.S. District Court in California,
names the Republic of Turkey, The Central Bank of the Republic of
Turkey and T.C. Ziraat Bankasi as defendants.
The suit seeks class action status on behalf of all Armenians and
Turkish citizens "who were deprived of their citizenship, brutally
deported, (and) had their property seized" by the Turkish government.
Los Angeles attorney Brian Kabateck, who filed the suit on behalf of
L.A. resident Garbis Daoyan and Queens, New York resident Hrayr
Turabian, said he believes this is the first lawsuit dealing with the
Armenian genocide that names the Turkish government as a defendant.
The Armenian genocide refers to the death and displacement of many
people who lived in the Ottoman Empire before and after World War I.
Turkey accepts that many Armenians were killed by Ottoman forces, but
denies the number was as high as the 1.5 million some researchers
believe died. The government has long denied the idea that genocide
occurred.
The U.S. government has never formally called the events a genocide,
but just this past March, a U.S. congressional panel voted to label it
genocide in a non-binding resolution. That act caused the Turkish
government to recall its ambassador.
Kabateck said he has successfully sued companies such as New York Life
Insurance Co. and France's AXA in the past, getting nearly $40 million
in damages for victims' heirs.
He said the suit was filed now for reasons that include the
documentation of original land deeds establishing ownership of
property in Turkey.
And he said it was filed in southern California due to the large
numbers of Armenians who live in the area.
(Editing by Todd Eastham)
From: A. Papazian