Excerpt from the ANCA’s letter to U.S. Ambassador to Turkey John Bass regarding recent attacks against Turkish Parliamentarian of Armenian descent Garo Paylan.
Cites Shameful Record of Official U.S. Silence on Threats to Hrant Dink
WASHINGTON—The Armenian National Committee of America has called upon U.S. Ambassador to Turkey John Bass to publicly voice official U.S. concern regarding the safety of Garo Paylan, an Armenian elected to the Turkish Parliament, who has faced growing threats and acts of violence in response to his expression of views on democracy, human rights, and genocide.
In recent days, Paylan has been threatened and physically assaulted within the Turkish Parliament and the Constitution Commission. Videos of these attacks have gone viral.
Paylan called the most recent attacks which took place during the May 2nd Turkish Parliament Constitution Commission hearing a “pre-meditated lynch attempt.â€
