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TURKISH GOVERNMENT IGNORES PROPERTY LAWSUIT, COURT ENTERS DEFAULT
Armenian Weekly
Thu, Sep 8 2011
LOS ANGELES-The Turkish government is now in default after ignoring
a lawsuit brought against it and two Turkish banks over reparations
for land in southern Turkey seized from Armenians during the Armenian
Genocide (Alex Bakalian et. al vs. Republic of Turkey, the Central Bank
of Turkey, and T.C. Ziraat Bankasi et. al, Case Number 2:10-CV-09596,
Dec. 15, 2010). The default notice was entered on Sept. 1, 2011.
The land in question is currently home to the Incirlik Air Base,
which houses the United States 39th Mission Support Group and 39th
Medical Group. The Air Base is located near Adana, Turkey.
After refusing to accept service of the lawsuit under governing rules
of the 1906 Hague Convention, Turkey was served through U.S. Embassy
channels on June 20. Service was confirmed and the court was notified.
Turkey had 60 days (by Aug. 19) to answer the complaint, but did not.
The two bank defendants, Central Bank of Turkey and T.C. Ziraat Bank,
requested and were given an extension to respond by Sept. 19.
"The U.S. Department of State had sent a diplomatic note to Ankara
warning that the country is bound by law to defend against the
lawsuit," says Vartkes Yeghiayan, with the Yeghiayan Law Firm and
one of the attorneys representing the plaintiffs. "Choosing to ignore
the lawsuit won't make it go away."
The plaintiffs are arguing that their Armenian relatives owned land
now occupied by the Incirlik Base. Their complaint includes documents
showing legal ownership. When their relatives were forced to flee the
then Ottoman Empire, their property was subsequently seized and then
sold without their permission.
By refusing to respond, Turkey risks having the court rule against
it in absentia. Damages could be as high as $100 million.
Representing the plaintiffs are the Yeghiayan Law Firm in Glendale,
Schwarcz, Rimberg, Boyd & Rader, LLP in Los Angeles, and Michael
Bazyler from Chapman University School of Law in Orange.
Armenian Weekly
Thu, Sep 8 2011
LOS ANGELES-The Turkish government is now in default after ignoring
a lawsuit brought against it and two Turkish banks over reparations
for land in southern Turkey seized from Armenians during the Armenian
Genocide (Alex Bakalian et. al vs. Republic of Turkey, the Central Bank
of Turkey, and T.C. Ziraat Bankasi et. al, Case Number 2:10-CV-09596,
Dec. 15, 2010). The default notice was entered on Sept. 1, 2011.
The land in question is currently home to the Incirlik Air Base,
which houses the United States 39th Mission Support Group and 39th
Medical Group. The Air Base is located near Adana, Turkey.
After refusing to accept service of the lawsuit under governing rules
of the 1906 Hague Convention, Turkey was served through U.S. Embassy
channels on June 20. Service was confirmed and the court was notified.
Turkey had 60 days (by Aug. 19) to answer the complaint, but did not.
The two bank defendants, Central Bank of Turkey and T.C. Ziraat Bank,
requested and were given an extension to respond by Sept. 19.
"The U.S. Department of State had sent a diplomatic note to Ankara
warning that the country is bound by law to defend against the
lawsuit," says Vartkes Yeghiayan, with the Yeghiayan Law Firm and
one of the attorneys representing the plaintiffs. "Choosing to ignore
the lawsuit won't make it go away."
The plaintiffs are arguing that their Armenian relatives owned land
now occupied by the Incirlik Base. Their complaint includes documents
showing legal ownership. When their relatives were forced to flee the
then Ottoman Empire, their property was subsequently seized and then
sold without their permission.
By refusing to respond, Turkey risks having the court rule against
it in absentia. Damages could be as high as $100 million.
Representing the plaintiffs are the Yeghiayan Law Firm in Glendale,
Schwarcz, Rimberg, Boyd & Rader, LLP in Los Angeles, and Michael
Bazyler from Chapman University School of Law in Orange.