Armenian, Assyrian and Hellenic Genocide News

Trial opens of Turkish human rights activist
by Anatolia news agency, 1 March 2001
Posted: Monday, March 05, 2001 08:20 pm CST

ANKARA - The trial began on Thursday in an Ankara court of Turkish a human rights activist who reportedly accused the Ottoman Turks of genocide against the Armenians in 1915, Turkish news agency Anatolia reported.

Human Rights Association (IHD) chairman Akin Birdal stands charged of "humiliating and vilifying the Turkish nation" when he allegedly made the remarks at a conference in Germany.

Birdal said in his defence that he had been talking about the "unfair treatment" the minorities in Turkey were exposed to at certain times.

"I never said Turkey should apologize because of the Armenian genocide. I was pointing to Turkey's mistakes regarding its minority policy," he said.

Judge Nuri Yilmaz adjourned the trial to allow further investigation into newspaper reports of Birdal's remarks.

The prosecution has demanded a prison sentence of up to six years for Birdal.

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