The author
Dr. Phil. Tessa Hofmann is a member of the Eastern Europe Institute of the Free University of Berlin and author or
editor of ten books on Armenian history and culture. She is also a volunteer human rights activist and defender of
minority rights since 1979 and has published or lectured on many occasions on the situation of the Armenian
minority of Turkey. In this capacity, she is also an expert for German federal authorities and administrative courts
dealing with asylum applications of Turkish citizens of Armenian ethnic background. The Armenian Benevolent
Foundation, New York, gave her the first Garbis Papazian award in 1988 in recognition of her scholarly and
humanitarian activities and the Hrachia Ajarian University of Yerevan awarded her the academic title of Professor.
The Forum of Armenian Associations in Europe
The Forum of Armenian Associations in Europe was established in 1998 to assemble and facilitate co-operation
between Armenian organizations in the European Diaspora. It now counts member organizations in 18 European
countries and growing. The Forum is pluralistic and deals with all issues of interest to its member organizations,
including international relations, human rights issues, economic co-operation and cultural matters.
The EU Office for the Armenian Associations of Europe assists Armenians associations in working with the
European institutions; it helps provide information of the highest standard to the European institutions on
Armenians issues and disseminates information on EU policies that are relevant to Armenians.
Acknowledgements
The FAAE wishes to express its heartfelt thanks to the author and to all those who contributed to this report with
information, financial contributions and practical assistance. Questions or comments on the text should be
addressed to the EU office of the FAAE.
Some changes, furthermore, are now being introduced
for the worse: the education ministry has recently
changed the school curriculum to reinforce its anti-
Armenian bias.
Recommendations
The following demands and recommendations stem
from the available evidence.
1. The authorities must protect the members of
the Armenian community in Turkey as well as
their institutions against attacks and threats;
they must also investigate and prosecute
those responsible for such offences more
consistently than in the past.
2. The discrimination and mistreatment of
servicemen belonging to non-Muslim
minorities must be stopped, and a control body
as well as a complaint procedure must be
created for that purpose in the army.
3. The systematic financial pilferage of religious
foundations must be put an end to. In this
respect, a series of laws governing the
situation of minorities must be revised, and all
the properties of foundations confiscated
under the previous law must be returned to
their owners.
4. Discriminatory and offensive reporting on
minorities in general and on Armenians in
particular must be stopped. This also applies
to the Turkish media, who must exercise self-
control and must recognize their responsibility
for the creation and hardening of prejudices
against minorities. Appropriate measures must
also be taken so that Turkish citizens
commenting on the Armenian genocide as a
historical fact are protected from attacks in the
Turkish media.
5. The disturbing anti-Armenians atmosphere,
based on ignorance and prejudice, which
obviously prevails in broad sections of society,
prejudice. This must also involve a revision of
schoolbooks, particularly in the field of history.
6. Turkish politicians and high-level
representatives of the authorities must also
recognize their own responsibility for the
protection of minorities and be called to
answer for public statements hostile to
minorities.
7. Those Armenians still remaining in Turkey as
well as the members of others non-Muslim
minorities should no longer have to feel
threatened. Among the confidence-building
measures to be implemented, the Turkish
State must guarantee unrestricted access to
all levels of the civil service to members of
non-Muslim minorities. Members of minorities
must furthermore actively and forcefully be
encouraged to apply for positions in the civil
service, as they have de facto been excluded
from such opportunities for decades.
8. The practice of prosecuting those Turkish
citizens who publicly express the opinion in
words or in writing that the Armenian genocide
is a historical fact must be stopped
immediately. The European Community, in line
with previous European Parliament
resolutions, should for its part take appropriate
measures to encourage Turkish academics,
publishers and journalists to contribute to the
inter-ethnic reconciliation through a critical
reassessment of history.
9. The Turkish government is called upon to
comply with its obligation under numerous
international agreement and treaties to protect
and maintain Armenian cultural assets. In
particular, it should prevent any further
manipulation or destruction of Armenian
cultural monuments under the pretext of their
protection, of their restoration or of
archaeological research. It would be desirable
for that matter to set up international teams of
researchers and experts in the field of
conservation and restoration, in which experts
from Armenia should also take part.
Dr. Phil. Tessa Hofmann is a member of the Eastern Europe Institute of the Free University of Berlin and author or
editor of ten books on Armenian history and culture. She is also a volunteer human rights activist and defender of
minority rights since 1979 and has published or lectured on many occasions on the situation of the Armenian
minority of Turkey. In this capacity, she is also an expert for German federal authorities and administrative courts
dealing with asylum applications of Turkish citizens of Armenian ethnic background. The Armenian Benevolent
Foundation, New York, gave her the first Garbis Papazian award in 1988 in recognition of her scholarly and
humanitarian activities and the Hrachia Ajarian University of Yerevan awarded her the academic title of Professor.
The Forum of Armenian Associations in Europe
The Forum of Armenian Associations in Europe was established in 1998 to assemble and facilitate co-operation
between Armenian organizations in the European Diaspora. It now counts member organizations in 18 European
countries and growing. The Forum is pluralistic and deals with all issues of interest to its member organizations,
including international relations, human rights issues, economic co-operation and cultural matters.
The EU Office for the Armenian Associations of Europe assists Armenians associations in working with the
European institutions; it helps provide information of the highest standard to the European institutions on
Armenians issues and disseminates information on EU policies that are relevant to Armenians.
Acknowledgements
The FAAE wishes to express its heartfelt thanks to the author and to all those who contributed to this report with
information, financial contributions and practical assistance. Questions or comments on the text should be
addressed to the EU office of the FAAE.
Some changes, furthermore, are now being introduced
for the worse: the education ministry has recently
changed the school curriculum to reinforce its anti-
Armenian bias.
Recommendations
The following demands and recommendations stem
from the available evidence.
1. The authorities must protect the members of
the Armenian community in Turkey as well as
their institutions against attacks and threats;
they must also investigate and prosecute
those responsible for such offences more
consistently than in the past.
2. The discrimination and mistreatment of
servicemen belonging to non-Muslim
minorities must be stopped, and a control body
as well as a complaint procedure must be
created for that purpose in the army.
3. The systematic financial pilferage of religious
foundations must be put an end to. In this
respect, a series of laws governing the
situation of minorities must be revised, and all
the properties of foundations confiscated
under the previous law must be returned to
their owners.
4. Discriminatory and offensive reporting on
minorities in general and on Armenians in
particular must be stopped. This also applies
to the Turkish media, who must exercise self-
control and must recognize their responsibility
for the creation and hardening of prejudices
against minorities. Appropriate measures must
also be taken so that Turkish citizens
commenting on the Armenian genocide as a
historical fact are protected from attacks in the
Turkish media.
5. The disturbing anti-Armenians atmosphere,
based on ignorance and prejudice, which
obviously prevails in broad sections of society,
prejudice. This must also involve a revision of
schoolbooks, particularly in the field of history.
6. Turkish politicians and high-level
representatives of the authorities must also
recognize their own responsibility for the
protection of minorities and be called to
answer for public statements hostile to
minorities.
7. Those Armenians still remaining in Turkey as
well as the members of others non-Muslim
minorities should no longer have to feel
threatened. Among the confidence-building
measures to be implemented, the Turkish
State must guarantee unrestricted access to
all levels of the civil service to members of
non-Muslim minorities. Members of minorities
must furthermore actively and forcefully be
encouraged to apply for positions in the civil
service, as they have de facto been excluded
from such opportunities for decades.
8. The practice of prosecuting those Turkish
citizens who publicly express the opinion in
words or in writing that the Armenian genocide
is a historical fact must be stopped
immediately. The European Community, in line
with previous European Parliament
resolutions, should for its part take appropriate
measures to encourage Turkish academics,
publishers and journalists to contribute to the
inter-ethnic reconciliation through a critical
reassessment of history.
9. The Turkish government is called upon to
comply with its obligation under numerous
international agreement and treaties to protect
and maintain Armenian cultural assets. In
particular, it should prevent any further
manipulation or destruction of Armenian
cultural monuments under the pretext of their
protection, of their restoration or of
archaeological research. It would be desirable
for that matter to set up international teams of
researchers and experts in the field of
conservation and restoration, in which experts
from Armenia should also take part.
Comment