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Today's Zaman, Turkey
Jan 22 2012
CoE human rights commissioner disapproves of France's genocide bill
22 January 2012 / ALYSON NEEL, İSTANBUL
Council of Europe (CoE) Commissioner for Human Rights Thomas
Hammarberg, during his İstanbul visit, said he disapproves of the
French Parliament's genocide denial bill.
The controversial bill, which France's lower house approved in
December, seeks punishment for anyone who rejects the term `genocide'
as the appropriate description for the mass murders of Armenians in
1915.
Hammarberg, during a discussion last Friday on the newly released
Turkish translation of his `Human Rights in Europe' report, made it
clear that he thinks France is going about what he refers to as a
`sensitive' issue the wrong way.
`I am not an advocate of initiatives such as that in France that
legislate their opinions on human rights violations like the Armenian
issue,' Hammarberg said, adding that this `hinders the freedom of
expression.'
But Turkey should initiate independent, extensive investigations of
what happened in 1915, the human rights commissioner advised.
Hammarberg does discuss Turkey's Armenian `massacres' in his report,
but said he does so with great sensitivity. `I do recommend that
everyone reads the part that deals with the Armenian massacres. I made
sure I took great care in handling this sensitive issue,' he said.
In his report, the commissioner makes a similar call for further
discussion on this `controversial' issue: `I hope that a genuine
process of understanding and acknowledgement will also start between
Armenia and Turkey. The very description of the enforced mass
displacement and the ensuing deaths, as well as the outright killings
of ethnic Armenians in 1915 under the Ottoman Empire, continue to be
extremely controversial.'
While he does acknowledge some progress in Turkey's efforts to delve
into its past, Hammarberg also criticizes in his report the detainment
of those who have tried to breach the issue: `Even though these events
occurred before the creation of the new Turkish Republic, there has
been an unwillingness to discuss these crimes in Turkey. Writers and
journalists who have tried to raise the issue have been brought to
trial. Some steps towards recognizing the facts are now being taken --
largely through academic discussion -- but much more needs to be
done.'
Thousands of Turks protesting the French government-initiated genocide
proposal marched through Paris on Saturday. Waving the republic's
flag, the crowd marched to the senate, where the bill will be debated
on Monday.
Jan 22 2012
CoE human rights commissioner disapproves of France's genocide bill
22 January 2012 / ALYSON NEEL, İSTANBUL
Council of Europe (CoE) Commissioner for Human Rights Thomas
Hammarberg, during his İstanbul visit, said he disapproves of the
French Parliament's genocide denial bill.
The controversial bill, which France's lower house approved in
December, seeks punishment for anyone who rejects the term `genocide'
as the appropriate description for the mass murders of Armenians in
1915.
Hammarberg, during a discussion last Friday on the newly released
Turkish translation of his `Human Rights in Europe' report, made it
clear that he thinks France is going about what he refers to as a
`sensitive' issue the wrong way.
`I am not an advocate of initiatives such as that in France that
legislate their opinions on human rights violations like the Armenian
issue,' Hammarberg said, adding that this `hinders the freedom of
expression.'
But Turkey should initiate independent, extensive investigations of
what happened in 1915, the human rights commissioner advised.
Hammarberg does discuss Turkey's Armenian `massacres' in his report,
but said he does so with great sensitivity. `I do recommend that
everyone reads the part that deals with the Armenian massacres. I made
sure I took great care in handling this sensitive issue,' he said.
In his report, the commissioner makes a similar call for further
discussion on this `controversial' issue: `I hope that a genuine
process of understanding and acknowledgement will also start between
Armenia and Turkey. The very description of the enforced mass
displacement and the ensuing deaths, as well as the outright killings
of ethnic Armenians in 1915 under the Ottoman Empire, continue to be
extremely controversial.'
While he does acknowledge some progress in Turkey's efforts to delve
into its past, Hammarberg also criticizes in his report the detainment
of those who have tried to breach the issue: `Even though these events
occurred before the creation of the new Turkish Republic, there has
been an unwillingness to discuss these crimes in Turkey. Writers and
journalists who have tried to raise the issue have been brought to
trial. Some steps towards recognizing the facts are now being taken --
largely through academic discussion -- but much more needs to be
done.'
Thousands of Turks protesting the French government-initiated genocide
proposal marched through Paris on Saturday. Waving the republic's
flag, the crowd marched to the senate, where the bill will be debated
on Monday.