Turkish member of Belgian Parliament Mahinur Ozdemir (Source: Armenpress)
YEREVAN (Armenpress)—Belgian “Humanist Democratic Centre” (CDH) has expelled a Turkish-Belgian politician Mahinur Ozdemir from the party for refusing to recognize the Armenian Genocide.
The final decision to expel the Turkish member from the party was made by the ethics committee.
CDH leader Benoit Lutgen hailed the decision to expel Mahinur Ozdemir from the party, mentioning, “Political commitment requires clarity and full faithfulness towards the values embraced by us.”
Mahinur Ozdemir, who was the first to enter the Belgian parliament with a head-scarf, boycotted the momenet of silence dedicated to the memory of the Armenian Genocide victims last spring, announcing that “The resolution adopted by European Parliament is not mandatory.”
Later she refused to sign the communiqué submitted by the head of her party, Lutgen, which assessed the incidents of 1915 as genocide, for which she was dismissed from the party.
Afterwards, she appealed the decision of the party. She demanded “Humanist Democratic Centre” Party to renounce the decision of her dismissal explaining it as an illegal measure and discrimination.