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Turkish dissident to keynote Congressional remembrance of Armenian Genocide
13:25 05.04.2014
Armenian Genocide, Ragip Zarakolu
Ragip Zarakolu - a world-renowned Turkish dissident who has been
persecuted and imprisoned for his principled stand for recognition and
reparations for the Armenian Genocide - will be the featured speaker
at this year's April 9th Capitol Hill remembrance of the 99th
anniversary of this crime against all humanity.
This year's observance, hosted by the Congressional Caucus on Armenian
Issues and supported by the Armenian Embassy, the Nagorno Karabakh
Republic's office in Washington, and Armenian American organizations,
will take place in the historic Gold Room (2168) of the Rayburn House
Office Building - Room 2168 from 6:00 to 8:00 pm on the evening of
Wednesday, April 9th.
"We welcome Ragip Zarakolu to America and look forward to his remarks
on Capitol Hill, at the April 9th Congressional remembrance of the
Armenian Genocide," said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. "Mr.
Zarakolu represents the small but growing civil society movement
within Turkey that - despite persecution, imprisonment, and even
threats of assassination - is working to end their own government's
denial of the Armenian Genocide and to help build a better future
based upon a truthful and just resolution of this still unpunished
crime. It is this courageous message of truth and justice - not the
official genocide denials of Turkish government - that should be
encouraged and empowered by President Obama.
Zarakolu is the longtime director of the Belge Publishing House, which
has, since the early 1970s, courageously challenged legal restrictions
(including Article 301 of the Criminal Code) and violent threats
against public discourse about the Armenian Genocide, Kurdish issues,
minority rights in Turkey, and other banned topics. Several titles
published by Belge deal directly with the Armenian Genocide, a
principled stand that has resulted in him being targeted by official
prosecution, death threats, and even assassination attempts.
He serves as chair of the Freedom to Publish Committee of the Turkish
Publishers Association, is a leader member of the Turkish PEN Center.
In 2003 and 2008 he was awarded the PEN Free Expression Award in
2003,and, in 2008, he received the IPA Freedom to Publish Prize.
http://www.armradio.am/en/2014/04/05/turkish-dissident-to-keynote-congressional-remembrance-of-armenian-genocide/
13:25 05.04.2014
Armenian Genocide, Ragip Zarakolu
Ragip Zarakolu - a world-renowned Turkish dissident who has been
persecuted and imprisoned for his principled stand for recognition and
reparations for the Armenian Genocide - will be the featured speaker
at this year's April 9th Capitol Hill remembrance of the 99th
anniversary of this crime against all humanity.
This year's observance, hosted by the Congressional Caucus on Armenian
Issues and supported by the Armenian Embassy, the Nagorno Karabakh
Republic's office in Washington, and Armenian American organizations,
will take place in the historic Gold Room (2168) of the Rayburn House
Office Building - Room 2168 from 6:00 to 8:00 pm on the evening of
Wednesday, April 9th.
"We welcome Ragip Zarakolu to America and look forward to his remarks
on Capitol Hill, at the April 9th Congressional remembrance of the
Armenian Genocide," said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. "Mr.
Zarakolu represents the small but growing civil society movement
within Turkey that - despite persecution, imprisonment, and even
threats of assassination - is working to end their own government's
denial of the Armenian Genocide and to help build a better future
based upon a truthful and just resolution of this still unpunished
crime. It is this courageous message of truth and justice - not the
official genocide denials of Turkish government - that should be
encouraged and empowered by President Obama.
Zarakolu is the longtime director of the Belge Publishing House, which
has, since the early 1970s, courageously challenged legal restrictions
(including Article 301 of the Criminal Code) and violent threats
against public discourse about the Armenian Genocide, Kurdish issues,
minority rights in Turkey, and other banned topics. Several titles
published by Belge deal directly with the Armenian Genocide, a
principled stand that has resulted in him being targeted by official
prosecution, death threats, and even assassination attempts.
He serves as chair of the Freedom to Publish Committee of the Turkish
Publishers Association, is a leader member of the Turkish PEN Center.
In 2003 and 2008 he was awarded the PEN Free Expression Award in
2003,and, in 2008, he received the IPA Freedom to Publish Prize.
http://www.armradio.am/en/2014/04/05/turkish-dissident-to-keynote-congressional-remembrance-of-armenian-genocide/