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THE TEST THE ECTHR FACES
02.03.2015 09:54NEWS
Human rights activist and lawyer Eren Keskin has assessed the Perincek
v. Switzerland case heard at the European Court of Human Rights in
a column piece for the Ozgur Gundem newspaper. Keskin states that
Perincek's words "cannot be construed within the scope of the freedom
of expression", and adds that they "clearly amount to an abetment
to crime."
Eren Keskin's column piece published in Ozgur Gundem is below:
"Last week, the first hearing of an important case was held at the
European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), widely referred to as "the
Dogu Perincek case". We, the Human Rights Association, the Truth
Justice Memory Centre, and the Toronto-based International Institute
for Genocide & Human Rights Studies jointly submitted an application
to intervene in the case. Our application was accepted by the ECtHR
In other words, we took a stand against Dogu Perincek in this lawsuit.
As a person who for many years has repeatedly been tried for her
thoughts, and has served prison sentences, it is my opinion that Dogu
Perincek's words cannot be construed within the scope of freedom of
expression, and should clearly be considered an abetment to crime.
It was as a result of this abetment that Hrant Dink, Father Santoro
and Sevag Å~^ahin Balıkcı were massacred.
Let us recall how Dogu Perincek and his like acted during the Hrant
Dink and Orhan Pamuk cases!
Taking the name of Talat, architect and implementer of the 1915
Genocide, they shamelessly declared themselves 'The Talat Pasha
Committee'. And it was that committee that made calls for violence
outside court hearings. And they gave cause to new deaths, and
new crimes.
The day the hearing was held in Strasbourg, we, the Human Rights
Association and the Truth Justice Memory Centre, held a press meeting.
Unfortunately, the press did not dedicate much space to our words.
Today, I would like to present some excerpts from the press release
we issued that day.
'The denial of the Armenian Genocide, in our land, provokes racist
hatred and encourages anti-Armenian sections of society. Neither
the ECtHR decision, nor the file we submitted as a third party are
about the historical reality, or the exact judicial definition of the
1915-1917 massacres. The issue here is that Perincek's statements beget
racism and discrimination. In this respect, the lawsuit that will be
heard on appeal at the Grand Chamber, is of special significance since
for the first time, discrimination caused by denial, trivialisation or
legitimisation will be addressed in a context other than the Holocaust.
The ECtHR decision in favour of Perincek restricted the scope of denial
and discrimination to its impact upon Armenians in Switzerland, and
overlooked the direct impact of Perincek's words upon the Armenians
in Turkey.
The Talat Pasha Committee, of which Dogu Perincek is also a member,
carries out its activities in Turkey. And its intended audience is
the society of Turkey. Perincek's statement that those who lend an
ear to the voice of Armenians will not be permitted, and that they
will be put in their place even if they are at the ends of the earth,
was aimed at the society of Turkey.
Denial does not simply mean to say 'The Genocide did not take place'.
Denial means the legitimisation of the irredeemable, irrevocable
destruction of an entire people.
In brief, the denial of the Genocide, in Turkey, is the most
significant and main cause, facilitated by the State, for Armenians
to still live under threat.
Denial leads to hatred, and hatred kills.
While we, as human rights defenders, expressed our views in this way,
the State and political parties took the side of Dogu Perincek with
all their might.
In their group photograph at the hearing, it was as if Dogu Perincek,
the CHP members of parliament, the AKP members of parliament and the
MHP members of parliament were saying 'We are the Genocide perpetrators
of Ä°ttihat'.
Now, the ECtHR faces a test. Its verdict will either clear the path
for racist hatred, or draw a line.
It is an important test!'"
http://www.agos.com.tr/en/article/10458/the-test-the-ecthr-faces
02.03.2015 09:54NEWS
Human rights activist and lawyer Eren Keskin has assessed the Perincek
v. Switzerland case heard at the European Court of Human Rights in
a column piece for the Ozgur Gundem newspaper. Keskin states that
Perincek's words "cannot be construed within the scope of the freedom
of expression", and adds that they "clearly amount to an abetment
to crime."
Eren Keskin's column piece published in Ozgur Gundem is below:
"Last week, the first hearing of an important case was held at the
European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), widely referred to as "the
Dogu Perincek case". We, the Human Rights Association, the Truth
Justice Memory Centre, and the Toronto-based International Institute
for Genocide & Human Rights Studies jointly submitted an application
to intervene in the case. Our application was accepted by the ECtHR
In other words, we took a stand against Dogu Perincek in this lawsuit.
As a person who for many years has repeatedly been tried for her
thoughts, and has served prison sentences, it is my opinion that Dogu
Perincek's words cannot be construed within the scope of freedom of
expression, and should clearly be considered an abetment to crime.
It was as a result of this abetment that Hrant Dink, Father Santoro
and Sevag Å~^ahin Balıkcı were massacred.
Let us recall how Dogu Perincek and his like acted during the Hrant
Dink and Orhan Pamuk cases!
Taking the name of Talat, architect and implementer of the 1915
Genocide, they shamelessly declared themselves 'The Talat Pasha
Committee'. And it was that committee that made calls for violence
outside court hearings. And they gave cause to new deaths, and
new crimes.
The day the hearing was held in Strasbourg, we, the Human Rights
Association and the Truth Justice Memory Centre, held a press meeting.
Unfortunately, the press did not dedicate much space to our words.
Today, I would like to present some excerpts from the press release
we issued that day.
'The denial of the Armenian Genocide, in our land, provokes racist
hatred and encourages anti-Armenian sections of society. Neither
the ECtHR decision, nor the file we submitted as a third party are
about the historical reality, or the exact judicial definition of the
1915-1917 massacres. The issue here is that Perincek's statements beget
racism and discrimination. In this respect, the lawsuit that will be
heard on appeal at the Grand Chamber, is of special significance since
for the first time, discrimination caused by denial, trivialisation or
legitimisation will be addressed in a context other than the Holocaust.
The ECtHR decision in favour of Perincek restricted the scope of denial
and discrimination to its impact upon Armenians in Switzerland, and
overlooked the direct impact of Perincek's words upon the Armenians
in Turkey.
The Talat Pasha Committee, of which Dogu Perincek is also a member,
carries out its activities in Turkey. And its intended audience is
the society of Turkey. Perincek's statement that those who lend an
ear to the voice of Armenians will not be permitted, and that they
will be put in their place even if they are at the ends of the earth,
was aimed at the society of Turkey.
Denial does not simply mean to say 'The Genocide did not take place'.
Denial means the legitimisation of the irredeemable, irrevocable
destruction of an entire people.
In brief, the denial of the Genocide, in Turkey, is the most
significant and main cause, facilitated by the State, for Armenians
to still live under threat.
Denial leads to hatred, and hatred kills.
While we, as human rights defenders, expressed our views in this way,
the State and political parties took the side of Dogu Perincek with
all their might.
In their group photograph at the hearing, it was as if Dogu Perincek,
the CHP members of parliament, the AKP members of parliament and the
MHP members of parliament were saying 'We are the Genocide perpetrators
of Ä°ttihat'.
Now, the ECtHR faces a test. Its verdict will either clear the path
for racist hatred, or draw a line.
It is an important test!'"
http://www.agos.com.tr/en/article/10458/the-test-the-ecthr-faces