Garo Paylan: We must open the path to dialogue on 1915 in Turkey

September 22, 2017 By administrator

Garo Paylan, the Turkish-Armenian lawmaker (People’s Democratic Party) who is in Yerevan this week as part of the Sixth Armenia-Diaspora Conference, on Friday reiterated his firm belief that Turkey will never bring itself to confronting its past unless it chooses the path towards building democracy.

“The Turkish parliament bans the use of ‘genocide’. But the word doesn’t matter at all given that we suffered the Great Massacres. What matters is to find the way towards building a dialogue with Turkey to speak openly of what happened in 1915. A crime of genocide which goes unpunished will regrettably continue also in future,” he told reporters.

Paylan said that despite the continuing policy of denial, the Armenians in Turkey keep insisting on their demand for laying the foundations of democracy in the country.

“My grandmother with whom I lived in the same house until I was ten, died without seeing justice. My father, who was looking for justice, also died. So two generations left us, and now we see the third and fourth generations struggle for justice. My belief is that only a democratic country can recognize the Genocide,” he said when asked to comment on the concerns that those are an attempt to delay the Genocide recognition for more centuries to come.

“We have many democratic friends in Turkey, also among members of [President Recep Tayyip] Erdogan’s [Justice and Democracy] Party, but they are voiceless now against the nationalists’ rising demands,” he added.

Garo Paylan awarded Gold Medal of Yerevan State University

September 20, 2017 By administrator

Turkish lawmaker of Armenian descent Garo Paylan who is visiting Armenia to attend the 6th Pan-Armenian Armenia-Diaspora conference, held meetings today with students of different department at Yerevan State University (YSU).

As the University press department reported, Paylan delivered short speech and participated in the Q&A session with students and professorship.

YSU Vice-rector on Students, Alumni and Public Relations Ruben Markosyan welcomed the guest and awarded Paylan the YSU gold medal, the source said.

Only a democratic Turkey can recognize Armenian Genocide: MP

September 19, 2017 By administrator

Without facing the Armenian Genocide, Turkey can neither settle the Kurdish issue nor can it establish democracy, Turkish-Armenian lawmaker Garo Paylan said at the 6th Armenia-Diaspora conference in Yerevan on Tuesday, September 19.

According to him, the Turkish state was, unfortunately, founded without acknowledging the Genocide, Aysor.am reports.

Paylan said the use of the term Genocide in the Turkish parliament is considered a crime.

“The West is turning a blind eye to human rights violations in Turkey the same way it did when the Genocide was being perpetrated,” the lawmaker said.

The fight for democracy is a rather difficult process, Paylan said, as Turkey has been turning into a nationalist country in the past two years.

“Only a democratic Turkey can recognize the Genocide and open the borders with Armenia,” Paylan said, adding that “we don’t have the right to leave the issue of Genocide to the next generation.”

Garo Paylan to receive ANCA award

September 17, 2017 By administrator

Garo Paylan, an Armenian member of the Turkish Parliament representing the People’s Democratic Party (HDP), will receive the Freedom Award at the Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region’s Annual Gala Banquet on Sunday, October 8 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills.

“Garo Paylan is a true modern-day Armenian hero who fearlessly and courageously speaks truth to power as he seeks justice for Armenians everywhere directly from the Turkish government. He is a worthy recipient of the ANCA’s most prestigious Freedom Award, and our community is eager to honor him for his ongoing bravery and to hear him speak at the ANCA-WR Grassroots Conference as well,” remarked ANCA-WR Chair Nora Hovsepian.

Past ANCA-WR Freedom Award recipients include the Artsakh President Bako Sahakyan, U.S. Congressman Adam Schiff (D-CA), German Green Party Co-Leader Cem Özdemir, and the Grammy-nominated rock band System of a Down.

During the same weekend, Paylan will also speak at the ANCA-WR’s biennial Grassroots Conference, which this year will take place on October 6 and 7 at the Pasadena Convention Center. This year’s conference will, once again, bring together experts in politics, law, the arts and media who make presentations on a variety of topics ranging from legal avenues to reparations, political and legislative actions, community organizing, and advocacy through film & the arts.

Turkey wishes to turn blind eye to dark chapters of history, says Armenian parliamentarian

July 11, 2017 By administrator

Garo Paylan, armenian Genocide

By enforcing restrictions on its parliamentarians’ right to express their opinion freely, Turkey is seeking to turn a blind eye to the dark chapters of its own history, according to Garo Paylan, an Armenian member of the Majilis (People’s Democratic Party).

In an interview with Tert.am, Paylan shared his concerns over the recently proposed legislative measure envisaging fines and other sanctions for the use of “genocide” in the country’s chief lawmaking body.

He also referred to the sanctions against him after what was perceived as a controversial speech at a constitutional debate last year. “Last year, they restricted my freedom of expression as I spoke about the Armenian Genocide. Now they are trying to do it legitimately by adopting a law which will bar me from speaking about the dark pages of Turkey’s history, including the Armenian Genocide,” he said.

Paylan, who repeatedly before faced persecutions for Genocide remarks in parliament and was suspended from three sessions in late 2016, noted that against the backdrop of Turkey’s silence, other countries are often vocal about the issue.

“Other parliaments make decisions concerning Turkey’s history, and discuss and condemn its dark chapters. I always propose my colleagues that we too, address those chapters, but they will not accept that,” he said.

The Turkish-Armenian MP said he sees high chances that the package, proposed by the ruling Justice and Development party and backed the nationalist opposition National Movement party, wil pass the parliament’s vote.

In his words, the move aims to not only put an end to genocide debates but also silence the Kurdish issue.

“We have been elected by people who cast their votes in our favor, so we, the parliamentarians, must be free to raise their voices in parliament. But the parliament blocks all our chances to raise the voices of the Armenians, Kurds and Alevis, and to speak about the Armenian Genocide and the Kurdish problems,” he said, not ruling out the possibility that the Genocide issue might be a taboo even after enforcing a corresponding legislation.

In the face of the Syrian immigrants, the West did not exert and is still not exerting considerable efforts to influence Turkey’s authoritarian regime, Paylan said.

He added that despite the real chances of the proposed bill’s success, all the members of their party will fight its passage. Paylan said he hopes that the People’s Republican Party will also join the campaign.

They made me target again – Garo Paylan

January 18, 2017 By administrator

In an interview with Tert.am, Garo Paylan, an Armenian member of the Turkish parliament who was temporarily banned from sessions over recent remarks, shared his comments on the scandal surrounding his personality, justifying his position on the Armenian Genocide.
Paylan said that the scandal rose after he said, at the debate over constitutional reforms, that the Turkish authorities annihilated four nations – Armenians, Greeks, Assyrians and Jews – in the early 20th century.
“What I said to them was that we made up 40% of the population then – instead of the 0.9% now. I referred to those events as ‘genocide’ and said ‘you can use any wording you like’.”
Paylan, who represents the pro-Kurdish Democratic Party in the Majilis, was suspended from three sessions after the controversial speech. His statements were later removed from the sessions’ protocols.
“Sadly enough, they made me a target again. I am in danger. But everybody else is in danger in Turkey,” he said, expressing concerns over deeper anti-nationalist sentiments in the wake of the constitutional referendum.
The proposed amendments, if adopted, will doom dissidents to silence, establishing a fascist regime in the country, the lawmaker noted.
He added that the Armenians in Turkey and he personally are concerned about the community’s future. “My concern is not limited only to the Armenian community; I am concerned also about the other religious minorities.”
Paylan said he was suspended after nationalists’ threats to vote down the constitutional reforms if he wasn’t punished. “It wasn’t normal,” he added.
But despite the dominating attitudes, Paylan says he has supporters among the democrats, as well as the Armenians in the country.
Paylan added that he is committed to work in the same way in parliament after facing the sanctions. “After the assassination of Hrant Dink, people are afraid to use ‘genocide’. So what we now need is a new generation which will have the brevity to speak about genocide in parliament, and through the media – newspapers and television,” he said.

Armenian MP banned from Turkey parliament after Genocide remark

January 14, 2017 By administrator

Garo Paylan, a Turkish lawmaker of Armenian origin from the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) was banned from Parliament for the next three sessions after he mentioned the Armenian Genocide during his speech on Friday, January 13.

“We used to account for 40 percent [of the population]. Now we are barely one per thousand. It seems likely that something happened to us. I define this as genocide,” Paylan said.

The abovementioned part of the deputy’s speech was removed from parliamentary minutes, Turkey Purge reports.

Paylan has on numerous occasions raised the problems Armenians face in Turkey.

Turkey Purge. Turkish-Armenian deputy temporarily banned from Parliament for using word ‘genocide’

Ankara: Garo Palyan congratulates Holy Christmas in Turkish Majlis Video

January 6, 2017 By administrator

Armenian MP Garo Palyan, who represents the Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP)

Armenian MP Garo Palyan, who represents the Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) in the Turkish Parliament, has congratulated Holy Christmas in Armenian, while delivering an address in the Turkish National Majlis.

Palyan has concluded his speech with Merry Christmas in Armenian: “Qristos tsnav yev haitnetsav, Orhneal e haitnutun@ Qristosee,” which is translated “Christ is born and revealed, blessed is the revelation of Christ”.

Armenian MP Garo Paylan of Turkey joins picket in support of opposition newspaper

November 1, 2016 By administrator

Istanbul-Armenian Garo Paylan, a member of the pro-Kurdish People’s Democratic Party (HDP) and member of the Turkish Parliament, joined the ongoing protest outside the office of the opposition Cumhuriyet daily of Turkey.

Paylan informed in his Facebook and Twitter accounts that he is participating in this demonstration in support of Cumhuriyet.

He also urged all democratic forces not to remain silent.

By the order of Turkish authorities, the prosecutor’s office detained the chief editor and several journalists of this newspaper, and on charges of collaborating with terrorists.

Istanbul: Garo Paylan, Turkish MP Files Criminal Complaint Against Erdogan

October 19, 2016 By administrator

Garo Paylan

ISTANBUL— Garo Paylan, Turkish MP, filed a criminal complaint against Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday concerning his disregard of anti-Armenian chants shouted during his speech in Trabzon on October 15. Paylan directed the complaint to the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office underlining that Erdogan violated Article 216 of the Turkish Penal Law which bans “inciting hatred and hostility among peoples and denigration.”

Paylan’s complaint, translated by Turkey-based Armenian newspaper Agos, can be read below.

“On October 15, there was a rally in Trabzon, where President Erdoğan gave a speech. The audience, which is claimed to be AKP members, repeatedly shouted ‘Armenian bastards cannot discourage us.’ The president, ministers and members of organization committee didn’t do anything to prevent people from shouting that slogan. This slogan, apart from the fact that it insults Armenian people who have been living on these lands for centuries, is considered as hate speech under the international laws to which Turkey is a party and the practices of ECHR. Unfortunately, such expressions about Armenian people are nothing new. It is self-evident that hate speech has the power of leading to public indignation and constitutes a danger to safety of life and property of Armenian citizens, for this fact has been a part of the rulings of national and international judicial authorities. Especially the silence of the president, who is supposed to treat equally to all citizens, increases the power of hate discourse and facilitates the targeting of Armenians. In addition, by constituting an obstacle to the practice of living together peacefully, this slogan incited hatred and hostility against a section of the population on the basis of their racial difference and denigrated Armenian people.”

On Monday, Paylan posted on his official Twitter account footage of Erdogan, Turkish Minister of Interior Suleyman Soylu and Minister of Forestry and Water Affairs Veysel Eroglu as witnesses of the incident.