2012 Istanbul rally to commemorate the Khojaly massacre explained

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Participants:350,000 including Interior Minister İdris Naim Şahin and Istanbul Governor Huseyin Avni Mutlu[1]

A rally commemorating the twentieth anniversary of the 1992 massacre of Azerbaijani civilians and armed troops by local irregular Armenian forces and the 366th Commonwealth of Independent States Guards Motor Rifle Regiment took place in Istanbul on 26 February 2012. It was the largest campaign within "Justice for Khojaly" framework.[2] The demonstration with slogan "We are all from Khojaly" (Azerbaijani: "Hamımız Xocalılıyıq", Turkish: "Hepimiz Hocalılıyız")[3] started in front of Galatasaray High School[4] and lasted several hours in Taksim Square (Istanbul, Turkey) with around 200,000 participants.[5]

The rally however took a very racist tone as many members of the crowd displayed anti-Armenian slogans containing hate speech and chanted violent threats towards Armenians.

"Justice for Khojaly" campaign

"Justice for Khojaly", or "JFK" for short, is an International Awareness Campaign, initiated on 8 May 2008 under the motto of "Justice for Khojaly, Freedom for Karabakh"[6] The website of the JFK campaign allows internet users to sign a petition to world leaders "to recognize the Khojaly Massacre as a crime against humanity and to fight injustice in the world".[7] The petition has been signed by more than 143,500 users online as of 27 December 2012. In total, around 1 million people joined this campaign[8]

Demonstration

Around 200,000 participants[5] for the 20th anniversary remembrance of the Khojaly Massacre victims,[9] dozens of youth and student organizations, public unions, Turkish organizations and movements participated in the rally. The number of participants was expected to be in the tens of thousands[10] including Azerbaijanis and Turks,[11] while more than 200 000 people of other ethnic backgrounds also joined the rally. The resolution of the rally was read during the protest urging the organizers of the Khojaly Massacre to be punished according to international law.[12] The Istanbul police dispatched heavy security to the French Cultural Center on İstiklal Avenue, where demonstrators were marching, fearing possible attacks on the building.[13]

The rally was attended by nationalist organizations and political parties such as the MHP, Grey Wolves, Atsız Youth, and the Alperen Hearths. Security was increased around the Greek and French consulates whilst the road leading towards the Agos newspaper office was blocked off.[14] Attendance estimates ranged from 20,000[15] to 100,000 by the organizers.[16]

Istanbul governor Hüseyin Avni Mutlu attended the rally, and it was addressed by the Turkish Interior Minister İdris Naim Şahin who said: "There has never been a stage for such a courageous, honoured, determined, peaceful and brotherly meeting. I salute you! Welcome, shall your unity be everlasting!".[17] [18] [19] [20] Various slogans included, "We are all from Khojaly", "Stop Armenian aggression",[21] "Do not forget Turkic people genocide by Armenian gangs in southern Azerbaijan",[22] "One nation, two countries, Justice for Khojaly!",[23] and "Stop Armenian lies".[23]

Racist slogans

Some elements of the crowd displayed anti-Armenian slogans containing hate speech and chanted violent threats towards Armenians.[24] [25] [26] [27] [28] [29] [30] The anti-Armenian chants and slogans used by elements of the crowd included: "You are all Armenian, you are all bastards", "Bastards of Hrant cannot scare us", "Today Taksim, Tomorrow Yerevan, we can come suddenly at night", and "Let Armenia be gone". Some chants supported Ogün Samast, the convicted assassin of ethnic Armenian journalist Hrant Dink.[31] [32] [33] [34] [35] Students at the Süleyman Demirel University in Isparta reportedly chanted "Mount Ağrı will become your grave".[36]

Related events

Reactions

The Armenian National Committee of America condemned the rally and urged the United States Ambassador to Turkey, Francis Ricciardone, to immediately condemn the demonstration.[40] [41] The Agos bilingual Turkish Armenian newspaper similarly condemned the demonstrations and organized a demonstration on 4 March calling for 'an end to racism' and 'brotherhood for all peoples'.[42]

The Union of Socialist Azerbaijanis of Turkey issued a statement noting that the events surrounding the Khojali demonstrations should not be used "as a tool to deny the Armenian genocide". A union member claimed in the Taraf newspaper "that the government of Azerbaijan had subsidized the travel costs for some of the participants in the demonstration at a cost of about US$ 2 million".[43] [44] [45]

On February 27, the head of Parliament's Human Rights Commission, Ayhan Sefer Ustun, called on Turkey's prosecutors to take action against protesters who held up racist signs at the rally. He told journalists that the hateful messages "completely devalued" the commemorative nature of the event.

The European Union raised concerns regarding the anti-Armenian slogans. A statement by the European Commission urged Turkey and its media to adopt a code of ethics on respect to religious minorities and the necessity to adopt new legislation to prosecute the incitement of hatred.[46]

Arrests

On 18 April 2012 the police in Istanbul arrested nine people in connection with the protests. They were released after stating that just before the demonstrations they were handed the offending banners by people unknown to them.[47]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. http://www.indirvideo.net/taksimde-350-bin-turk-hepimiz-hocaliyiz-dedi-526481.html Indirvideo.net: Taksimde 350 Bin TÜRK Hepimiz Hocalıyız! dedi
  2. http://www.turkishclass.com/forumTitle_53043 TurkishClass.com: Tens of thousands remember victims of Khojaly Massacre in İstanbul
  3. Web site: Стамбул: Ходжалинская трагедия - 20 лет спустя. 26.02.2012, фоторепортаж с площади Таксим . 2013-01-08 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120501132949/http://www.alexcheban.com/khojaly2012.htm . 2012-05-01 . dead .
  4. http://www.vestikavkaza.ru/news/52853.html Vestikavkaza.ru: В Стамбуле на стотысячном митинге почтили память трагедии в Ходжалы
  5. Web site: News.az: 'We are all from Khojaly' rally in Istanbul draws nearly 200,000 - PHOTOS . 2013-01-08 . 2016-03-04 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304052625/http://news.az/articles/politics/55460 . dead .
  6. Web site: ABOUT THE CAMPAIGN. https://web.archive.org/web/20150405095745/http://justiceforkhojaly.org/site/?p=acampaign. 5 April 2015. JusticeForKhojaly.org.
  7. Web site: JusticeForKhojaly.org: Petition to world leaders . 2013-01-08 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120903005237/http://justiceforkhojaly.org/site/?p=petition . 2012-09-03 . dead .
  8. http://www.aze.az/news_kampaniya_spravedlivost_k_69188.html Aze.az: Кампания «Справедливость к Ходжалы» соберет в следующем году около миллиона подписей
  9. Web site: Demotix.com: Thousands protest Khojaly Massacre - Istanbul . 2013-01-08 . https://archive.today/20130121170514/http://www.demotix.com/news/1076630/thousands-protest-khojaly-massacre-istanbul/all-media . 2013-01-21 . dead .
  10. http://www.turkishnews.com/en/content/2012/02/25/we-expect-ten-thousands-of-people-to-join-khojaly-rally-in-istanbul/ Turkishnews.com: ‘We expect ten thousands of people to join Khojaly rally in Istanbul’
  11. https://archive.today/20130204181926/http://www.todayszaman.com/newsDetail_getNewsById.action?newsId=271825 Todayszaman.com: Thousands to stage rally in İstanbul commemorating Khojaly Massacre
  12. Web site: Кавказский узел: В Стамбуле состоялась акция памяти Ходжалинской трагедии . 2013-01-08 . https://archive.today/20130416234107/http://dagestan.kavkaz-uzel.ru/articles/201888/ . 2013-04-16 . dead .
  13. http://www.worldbulletin.net/?aType=haber&ArticleID=86379 WorldBulletin.net: Tens of thousands in İstanbul remember Khojaly Massacre victims / PHOTO
  14. Web site: Akyol. Mustafa. Insulting Armenianness. Hurriyet. 26 December 2012. March 3, 2012.
  15. News: 20,000 protestors mark Karabakh in Istanbul. 22 December 2012. AFP. Emirates 24/7. February 26, 2012.
  16. News: Investigation launched into racist slogans in İstanbul's Khojaly rally. 22 December 2012. Zaman. 29 February 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120621042734/http://www.todayszaman.com/news-272933-investigation-launched-into-racist-slogans-in-istanbuls-khojaly-rally.html. 21 June 2012. dead. dmy-all.
  17. News: NGO files complaint against minister. 22 December 2012. Hurriyet. February 29, 2012.
  18. News: You are all Armenians, you are all Bastards!. 22 December 2012. haberruzgari. https://web.archive.org/web/20150217121450/http://www.haberruzgari.com/guncel/39702-HEPINIZ-ERMENISINIZ-HEPINIZ-PICSINIZ.html. 17 February 2015. dead. dmy-all.
  19. News: The Interior Minister enticed the crowd. 22 December 2012. Demokratik Haber. 22 April 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120422042210/http://www.demokrathaber.net/guncel/icisleri-bakani-taksimde-irkcilari-costurdu-h7230.html. dead.
  20. News: Turkey Special: The Government Supports a Hyper-Nationalist --- and Threatening --- Protest. 22 December 2012. enduringamerica.
  21. http://www.emirates247.com/news/world/20-000-protestors-mark-karabakh-in-istanbul-2012-02-26-1.445223 Emirates247.com: protestors mark Karabakh in Istanbul
  22. http://gulftoday.ae/portal/bcdddb74-fb9d-47cd-a159-72fa282fd783.aspx GulfToday.ae: Thousands of Turks mark Karabakh war deaths
  23. http://www.kanalb.com.tr/haber.php?HaberNo=39818#.UO1KCayTEkg Kanalb.com.tr: Taksim'de Hocalı Katliamı Protesto Edildi
  24. News: Azeris mark 20th anniversary of Khojaly Massacre in Istanbul. 22 December 2012. Hurriyet. February 26, 2012. One banner carried by dozens of protestors said, "You are all Armenians, you are all bastards..
  25. News: Khojaly Massacre Protests gone wrong in Istanbul: ' You are all Armenian, you are all bastards '. 22 December 2012. National Turk. 28 February 2012.
  26. Web site: Racism at Taksim: You are all Armenian, you are all Bastards!. Radikal. 22 December 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120419040418/http://www.mersinyasam.com/news/28854.html. 19 April 2012. dead. dmy-all.
  27. News: Ayazoglu. Serkan. Hepiniz Ermenisiniz hepiniz piçsiniz'. 27 December 2012. Taraf. 2012-02-27. Turkish. Translated from Turkish: The rally whose original intent was a commemorative event for Khojaly victims turned into a racist rally (ırkçı gösteriye dönüştü).. https://web.archive.org/web/20120621105617/http://www.taraf.com.tr/haber/hepiniz-ermenisiniz-hepiniz-picsiniz.htm. 21 June 2012. dead. dmy-all.
  28. News: Racism mars Khojaly protest in Taksim. 27 December 2012. Zaman. 4 March 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120421050648/http://www.todayszaman.com/newsDetail_getNewsById.action?load=detay&newsId=273193&link=273193. 21 April 2012. dead. dmy-all.
  29. News: Hocalı protestoları devlet desteğiyle ırkçı gövde gösterisine dönüştü. 27 December 2012. Hristyan Gazete. 2012-02-27. Title translated from Turkish: The Khojaly protestors turned the protest into a racist show of force with the support of the government.. https://web.archive.org/web/20120306154447/http://www.hristiyangazete.com/2012/02/hocali-protestolari-devlet-destegiyle-irkci-govde-gosterisine-donustu/#.UNzd-ln4Lbk. 6 March 2012. dead.
  30. News: Protests in Istanbul: "You are all Armenian, you are all bastards". 22 December 2012. LBC International. 2012-02-26.
  31. News: Evening out one misery with another. 14 January 2013. Hurriyet. February 28, 2012. "We are all Ogün Samast.
  32. News: Hocalı protestolarında Samast ve Çatlı sloganları. 14 January 2013. Evrensel. 2012-02-26. Turkish. https://archive.today/20130221115945/http://www.evrensel.net/news.php?id=23880. 21 February 2013. dead. dmy-all.
  33. News: "Hepiniz ermənisiniz, hepiniz piçsiniz" deyənləri 3 il həbs gözləyir. 26 December 2012. Qafqaz Info. 2012-04-20. Azerbaijani. https://web.archive.org/web/20131014235721/http://qafqazinfo.az/news.php?id=16528. 14 October 2013. dead. dmy-all.
  34. News: Ince. Elif. In Taksim just hating was not enough. 22 December 2012. Radikal. 2012-02-27. Turkish.
  35. News: Ayazoglu. Serkan. Hepiniz Ermenisiniz Hepiniz Piçsiniz. 26 December 2012. Haksoz Haber. Feb 27, 2012. Turkish.
  36. News: Translated from Turkish: And if a University Student Could Do This!. 26 December 2012. Radikal. 2012-02-27. Turkish.
  37. Web site: Todayszaman.com: International exhibition 'Justice for Khojaly' staged in central İstanbul . 2013-01-08 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120219022613/http://www.todayszaman.com/news-271770-international-exhibition-justice-for-khojaly-staged-in-central-istanbul.html . 2012-02-19 . dead .
  38. http://www.thefreelibrary.com/%22Justice+for+Khojaly%22+exhibition+opens+in+Istanbul+subway+station.-a0280339535 TheFreeLibrary.com: "Justice for Khojaly" exhibition opens in Istanbul subway station
  39. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-17179904 BBC.co.uk - Nagorno-Karabakh: Remembering the victims of Khojaly
  40. Web site: ANCA CONDEMNS ANTI-ARMENIAN PROTESTS IN TURKEY. ANCA. 26 December 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120904125739/http://www.anca.org/press_releases/press_releases.php?prid=2105. 4 September 2012. dead. dmy-all.
  41. News: ANCA Condemns Anti-Armenian Protests in Turkey. 26 December 2012. Armenian Weekly.
  42. News: Nefret Sizin Insanlik Bizim. 26 December 2012. Bianet. Turkish.
  43. News: Azerbaijan spends $2 million for anti-Armenian protest in Istanbul. 26 December 2012. February 29, 2012.
  44. News: Sosyalist Azeriler'den eylem. 8 January 2013. Etkin Haber Ajansi. Turkish. https://web.archive.org/web/20120720103019/http://www.etha.com.tr/Haber/2012/02/26/guncel/sosyalist-azerilerden-eylem/. 20 July 2012. dead.
  45. News: ERMENÝYE KÜFÜR ÝÇÝN 2 MÝLYON DOLAR. https://archive.today/20130216043649/http://www.haberruzgari.com/haber_yazdir.php?id=39721. dead. 16 February 2013. 8 January 2013. HaberRuzgari.
  46. News: Gultasli. Selcuk. EU concerned about racist slogans against Armenians at İstanbul rally. 27 December 2012. Zaman. 2 March 2012. Brussels. https://web.archive.org/web/20120314012458/http://www.todayszaman.com/news-273069-eu-concerned-about-racist-slogans-against-armenians-at-istanbul-rally.html. 14 March 2012. dead. dmy-all.
  47. News: Nine anti-Armenian protesters detained in Turkey. 26 December 2012. hurriyetdailynews. April 18, 2012.

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