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Istanbul-Based Armenian Church Daubed With Hate Messages

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  • Istanbul-Based Armenian Church Daubed With Hate Messages

    ISTANBUL-BASED ARMENIAN CHURCH DAUBED WITH HATE MESSAGES

    21:49, 25 Mar 2015
    Siranush Ghazanchyan

    The Surp Astuanzazh Armenian Church in Istanbul's Bakırköy
    neighborhood was daubed with hate speech on Tuesday as "1915, blessed
    year" was written on the side of the building in reference to the
    massacre of more than 1 million Armenians living in the Ottoman Empire
    during World War I,Today's Zaman reports.

    In addition to "1915, blessed year," further graffiti on the church
    stated, "What does it matter if you are all Armenian when there is
    already one Ogun Samast."

    The message echoes a demonstration slogan that commemorated the murder
    of Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink who was assassinated in
    2007 by then-17-year-old ultranationalist Samast. In the aftermath
    of the murder, thousands of demonstrators took to the streets to show
    empathy for the slain journalist with signs reading "We are all Hrant,
    we are all Armenian."

    Today's Zaman visited the site on Wednesday morning and found that
    the graffiti had been painted over. But an administrator at the
    church said, "This type of thing happens all the time." The Armenian
    Patriarchate of Istanbul refused to comment on the matter. No criminal
    complaint has been filed.

    The incident comes hot on the heels of another racist slur against
    Armenians in Turkey. It was reported on Tuesday that Ankara Mayor
    Melih Gökcek had filed a criminal complaint against Turkish-Armenian
    journalist Hayko Bagdat on defamation charges after Bagdat posted
    lighthearted tweets on his Twitter account referring to the mayor as
    an Armenian after the March 2014 local elections.

    Gökcek appears to believe it an insult to be called an Armenian
    as his lawyer petitioned the Ankara Prosecutor's Office, saying,
    "The statements [by Bagdat] are false and include insult and libel."

    http://www.armradio.am/en/2015/03/25/istanbul-based-armenian-church-daubed-with-hate-messages/

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