ANKARA - Ministry of Interior claimed that there were no provocative demonstrations against the Armanians near the Armanian Patriarchate and they were unable to detect any hate speech against the Armanians.

 

Ministry of Interior responded to the note written byViolations of Right Experienced During the Tension and Conflict Process Started with Armenia Attacking Azerbaijan and the Situation of Armenian Citizens living in Turkey Subcommittee, establihed under the roof of Parliamentary Human's Rights Investigation Committee.

 

MISINISTRY: THERE IS NO HATE CRIMES

 

The ministry wrote, "According to the information and documents received from the General Directorate of Security and the Gendarmerie General Command; There was no incident such as an attack on the Armenian community living in our country due to the Azerbaijan-Armenia war or an action, activity that would put the community in tension, or an attack against the people or the places of worship, or any hate speech."

 

DANZİKYAN: IT CREATED TENSION

 

The commission visited the opinion leaders in İstanbul between October 26- November 9 to hear about the situation of Armenian citizens. The report prepared included the opinions of the opinion leaders. Agos Editor in Chief Yetvart Danzikyan said in the report: "Since September 27, Armenian citizens living in Turkey expressed concern and the main reason for it was the discourse of the media." Adding that the demonstrations held in Şişli and Kumkapı further increased concerns, Danzikyan said these concerns were decreased  depending on the course of the conflicts."

 

PATRIARCH MAŞALYAN: PSYCHOLOGICAL PRESSURE

 

Turkey Armenians 85th Patriarch Şahak Maşalyan said in the report, "Patriarch of Armenians in Turkey underlined that what the Armenians went through during the conflict was psychological pressure and told that except for some provocations, there is no threat against social peace however even though there is empathy among people, the Armenians living in Turkey are hurt by the insults and the swearing and it caused them psychological pressure."

 

ALEN TEKBIÇAK: THE PROBLEM IS THE HATE SPEECH IN MEDIA

 

Şişli Sports Club President Alen Tekbıçak said: "The reflection of the war between the Armenians and Azerbaijan stems from the hate speech in the media."

 

The conclusion of the report is as follows: "It was noted that the intense language of hatred and violence used against the Armenian community in all kinds of media caused serious disturbance in the members of the community. Although the legislation is sufficient to prevent this, it has been concluded that more meticulousness and sensitivity should be demonstrated in implementation."

 

BACKGROUND

 

On September 27, 2020, the 44-day conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh started. On September 28, a group of people driving cars holding Azerbaijan flags drove past the Armenian Patriarchate located in Kumkapı, causing tension among Armenians. Mentioning the videos of the incident, HDP Diyarbakır MP Garo Paylan said on Twitter: "Allowing such a demonstration to be held in the street where the Armenian Patriarchate is located is a provocation. I call on the government to take the necessary measures regarding our Patriarchate and institutions. Hate speech ends in committing hate crimes. Put an end to the hate politics."

 

 

MA / Diren Yurtsever