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COMMON APPEAL LAUNCHED AT THE BELGIAN SENATE BY
- The Association of Armenian Democrats in Belgium (A.A.D.B.)
- The Kurdish Institute of Brussels
- The European Armenian Federation for Justice and Democracy (E.A.F.J.D.)
- The Info-Turk Foundation
- The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH)
- The LDH Human Rights Organisation (LDH – Belgium)
- The Movement against Racism, Anti-Semitism and Xenophobia (MRAX)
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THE DENIAL OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE MUST ALSO BE SANCTIONED AS CRIME
Brussels, Belgium (May 25, 2005) – In the next few days, the Belgian Senate
will examine and vote upon the draft law #51/1284 which would expand the
offence of genocide denial. The draft law approved earlier by the House of
Representative is based upon a judicial definition of the crime of genocide,
which would not specifically sanction the denial of the Armenian Genocide. The
House version was enacted prior to the establishment of the relevant
international jurisdiction. The issue has come to prominence recently due to
the numerous instances of Armenian Genocide denials taking place in Belgium.
Responding to those instances of Armenian Genocide denial, nearly half of the
members of the Senate are seeking to consider this law and examine amendments
aimed at extending penalties to the denial of genocides recognized by the
Belgian federal legislative bodies and by the European legislative
institutions.
However, the Senate is subjected to strong pressures from denialist lobbyists
asking for the rejection of those amendments.
In this context, we call upon the Senators to show firmness and discernment by
adopting an unambiguous wording that clearly criminalizes the denial of the
Armenian Genocide. We recall that genocide denial is not the expression of an
opinion but the continuation of the crime of genocide. We also recall that
other genocides, notably that of Jews, also happened before the juridical
definition of this crime that they unequivocally relate to.
Beyond their specificities and particularities, we object to all forms of
grading of genocides and therefore to all competition between victims, and we
reaffirm that the denial of the Armenian Genocide – like the denial of other
genocides – repulses in equal measure all groups of victims as well as
supporters of humanism.
We also object to all forms of trivialisation by which all mass crimes would be
qualified as genocide. However, we also observe that scholarly works have shown
beyond all reasonable doubt the political and concerted nature of the Armenian
Genocide.
We also consider that the crime of the Armenian genocide denial does not aim
any definite group of the population on ethnic or religious criteria – and not
particularly Turkish or Turkish origin populations – but all persons who would
become guilty of the offence of genocide denial.
Finally, we refuse intolerant structures that artificially set communities
against each other. We believe that this conception harms any reconciliation
between Armenians and Turks. We remind ourselves that this conception is also
precisely the one that could lead to a worsening of socio-political
circumstances.
On the other hand, we consider that civil peace and reconciliation can only be
based on justice, whose one vocation is to say the truth. This is why it is
urgent to recognize the Armenian Genocide, like it is now also urgent to
criminalized its denial.
####
E.A.F.J.D.
Avenue de la Renaissance 10 – 1000 BRUXELLES
Tel. : +32 (0) 2 732 70 26 - Tel. / Fax. : +32 (0) 2 732 70 27
E-mail : [email protected] - Site Internet : http://www.eafjd.org
- The Association of Armenian Democrats in Belgium (A.A.D.B.)
- The Kurdish Institute of Brussels
- The European Armenian Federation for Justice and Democracy (E.A.F.J.D.)
- The Info-Turk Foundation
- The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH)
- The LDH Human Rights Organisation (LDH – Belgium)
- The Movement against Racism, Anti-Semitism and Xenophobia (MRAX)
-----
THE DENIAL OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE MUST ALSO BE SANCTIONED AS CRIME
Brussels, Belgium (May 25, 2005) – In the next few days, the Belgian Senate
will examine and vote upon the draft law #51/1284 which would expand the
offence of genocide denial. The draft law approved earlier by the House of
Representative is based upon a judicial definition of the crime of genocide,
which would not specifically sanction the denial of the Armenian Genocide. The
House version was enacted prior to the establishment of the relevant
international jurisdiction. The issue has come to prominence recently due to
the numerous instances of Armenian Genocide denials taking place in Belgium.
Responding to those instances of Armenian Genocide denial, nearly half of the
members of the Senate are seeking to consider this law and examine amendments
aimed at extending penalties to the denial of genocides recognized by the
Belgian federal legislative bodies and by the European legislative
institutions.
However, the Senate is subjected to strong pressures from denialist lobbyists
asking for the rejection of those amendments.
In this context, we call upon the Senators to show firmness and discernment by
adopting an unambiguous wording that clearly criminalizes the denial of the
Armenian Genocide. We recall that genocide denial is not the expression of an
opinion but the continuation of the crime of genocide. We also recall that
other genocides, notably that of Jews, also happened before the juridical
definition of this crime that they unequivocally relate to.
Beyond their specificities and particularities, we object to all forms of
grading of genocides and therefore to all competition between victims, and we
reaffirm that the denial of the Armenian Genocide – like the denial of other
genocides – repulses in equal measure all groups of victims as well as
supporters of humanism.
We also object to all forms of trivialisation by which all mass crimes would be
qualified as genocide. However, we also observe that scholarly works have shown
beyond all reasonable doubt the political and concerted nature of the Armenian
Genocide.
We also consider that the crime of the Armenian genocide denial does not aim
any definite group of the population on ethnic or religious criteria – and not
particularly Turkish or Turkish origin populations – but all persons who would
become guilty of the offence of genocide denial.
Finally, we refuse intolerant structures that artificially set communities
against each other. We believe that this conception harms any reconciliation
between Armenians and Turks. We remind ourselves that this conception is also
precisely the one that could lead to a worsening of socio-political
circumstances.
On the other hand, we consider that civil peace and reconciliation can only be
based on justice, whose one vocation is to say the truth. This is why it is
urgent to recognize the Armenian Genocide, like it is now also urgent to
criminalized its denial.
####
E.A.F.J.D.
Avenue de la Renaissance 10 – 1000 BRUXELLES
Tel. : +32 (0) 2 732 70 26 - Tel. / Fax. : +32 (0) 2 732 70 27
E-mail : [email protected] - Site Internet : http://www.eafjd.org