ATHENS—Representatives of the Greek-Armenian community submitted a letter of petition addressed to the Government of Switzerland to the Swiss Ambassador in Athens, Lorenzo Amberg. The letter explains the concerns of Greek-Armenians regarding Turkish nationalist Dogu Perincek’s case at the European Court of Human Rights.
The editorial staff of the Athens-based “Azad Or” newspaper informed Armenpress that Bishop Khoren Toghramajian, Chairperson of the Greek-Armenian National Department Stepan Papazian, and the Representative of the “Hay Dat” Committee of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation Hakob Avagian had a meeting with the Ambassador and stated that the ECHR verdict is unjust and unethical and that it must be appealed.
The Ambassador stated that he is aware of the essence of the issue and pledged to convey the letter to his government, adding that he has previously worked as Ambassador to Armenia and Georgia and knows Armenians well. He also asked about the state of Syrian Armenians.
The ECHR recently ruled in favor of Armenian Genocide-denying Turkish politician Dogu Perincek in a lawsuit that was filed by him against Switzerland. The judgment by the European Court of Human Rights was made on the grounds of freedom of speech. In 2008, a Swiss court had convicted Perincek for denying the Armenian Genocide. Dogu Perincek is Chairman of the socialist Workers’ Party of Turkey.