Minorities

It is revealed that Greece imposes different visa requirements to Greek Orthodox community in Hatay and Istanbul.

Emre Can Dağlıoğlu made a presentation titled as “September 12th Regime and the Re-Shaped Identity of Armenians in Turkey” in “Critical Approaches to Armenian Identity in 21st Century: Vulnerability, Resilience, and Transformation” conference. We talked to him about his presentation and coup’s effects on the Armenian identity.

Prof. Dr. Taner Akçam, in his recent book, published the memoirs of Naim Bey, who played an important part in the historiography of the Armenian Genocide and whose existence had been denied. With this book, Prof. Akçam responded the claims and broke a new ground in the historiography of the Armenian Genocide.

The murderer of Priest Andrea Santoro, who was murdered in the Santa Maria Church in Trabzon where he served, is released.

Yerevan University History Department graduate Armenian citizen Siranuş has managed to leave her dust cloth aside in Istanbul and found at least a desk-job in Yerevan. She is not mad at Istanbul or dust cloth or fate. We talked to Siranuş, who has “learned loving life with all its rationality and irrationality”, in Yerevan.

Speaking to the police during the ID check in Istanbul Atatürk Airport, Richard Demirci said that he is an Armenian from France and he ended up being deported. Police officers asked, “You speak Turkish. How come you are not Turkish?” He is prohibited from entering Turkey with an exclusion order.

Founded and directed by surgeon Aret Kamar, Istanbul Fertility Center is closed down as part of state of emergency on the ground that the center is connected to Gulenist terrorist organization.

The number of people migrating to Istanbul from Greece increases day by day. It is estimated that around 800 Greek immigrants live in Istanbul. There is a platform called “Hava Baba”, which is founded by those immigrants. We spoke to Marina Drymalitou, the chair of Association for the Support of Greek Community Foundations in Turkey (RUMVADER) about the problems with Greek immigrants and their expectations.

A group of people from different circles of Armenian society gathered in front of the Patriarchate and demand a patriarchal election, which couldn’t have been done for 8 years. The group placed a black wreath on the door.

The trial of two groups that brought black wreaths to Agos on April 24, 2015 was started. The case was opened upon the complaint of Agos. The suspects stood trial on the ground that they threatened the newspaper.

Population of Greeks in Turkey decreased to 2500 and the lowest number of graduates in recent years has seen in Greek community's schools. 19 students are graduated from 3 schools; while this causes concerns, RUMVADER chair Andonis Parizyanos, Zoğrafyan High School Principal Yannis Demircioğlu and the former representative of Minority Foundations Laki Vingas stated that positive discrimination is needed.

Garo Paylan had filed a lawsuit against Tolga Adıgüzel, who is the chair of Kars branch of a Turkish nationalist organization, because of his racist statements about pianist Tigran Hamasyan who performed at Ani last year. Adıgüzel is sentenced to 7 months and 15 days of imprisonment and imposed a 11.240 TL fine. The judgment is suspended.