A Turkish-Armenian opposition MP has voiced her criticism over a recently proposed legislative measure envisaging sanctions for the use of “genocide” in the country’s parliament.
Selina Dogan of the People’s Democratic Party described the 18-clause package (initiated by the ruling Justice and Development party and its coalition partner Nationalist Movement) as an attempt to silence the opposition, sources from her press service told Tert.am.

The bill was proposed as an amendment to the parliament’s rules of procedure to impose fines or non-pecuniary sanctions upon lawmakers  who ever use “genocide” or make reference to Kurdistan in public speeches.

Dogan accused the Turkish authorities for spreading hatred against ethnic and religious minorities. “If those speaking about Genocide are to incur fines for insulting Turkey’s historical past, then what should be the punishment for those who insult the Armenians from the same podium?” she asked the Majilis.

While the Armenians pray for those regions’ prosperity, the Turks keep characterizing Armenians as fast-foes, Dogan added.

“Nobody can and must insult the shared past of the peoples who ever resided or reside on Turkey’s territory. What about the other nations? Is insulting the Armenians’ historical past permitted? Can any parliament member use insulting remarks about the Jews? Do they enjoy freedom when it comes to the Greeks or Assyrians?”

 

“The Armenian Patriarchate in Turkey served a special liturgy on the first anniversary of the [failed] coup to pray for those who died on July 15 last year; the Jewish community delivered prayers for its part. And what did you do? You called the coup organizer, Fetullah Gulen, an Armenian; you wrote a book about Gulen’s collusion with the Jews,” she added.

Out of the 18 clauses outlined in the package, 11 have been already adopted.