ECtHR urges Turkey to stop viewing recognition of Armenian Genocide as crime

On October 25, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) passed a unanimous decision that recognition of the Armenian Genocide should not be treated as a crime in Turkey.

The lawsuit to the ECtHR was filed on June 21, 2007, by the Turkish historian Taner Akcam, who insisted that Turkish authorities put pressure on him for raising the issue of the Armenian Genocide.

According to the ECtHR's decision, the Turkish authorities were found guilty of persecuting Taner Akcam and violating his right to the freedom of speech, and, therefore, of violating the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). At the same time, the ECtHR dismissed the Akcam's claim to collect 860,200 euros from Turkey.

The ECtHR's statement says that Turkish authorities had repeatedly violated Akcam's right to the freedom of speech and prosecuted him under provisions of Article 301 of the Turkish Criminal Code (insulting Turkish self-consciousness). Thus, the recognition of the Armenian Genocide in Turkey cannot be treated as a crime, the "Tert.am" reports with reference to the English-language Armenian website "asbarez.com".

Besides, the ECtHR has concluded that the changes made to Article 301 of the Turkish Criminal Code had hardly affected the interpretation of this Article by the courts, the "Radio Azatutyun" reports.