Turkish student punished over Armenian Genocide denial in France

PanARMENIAN.Net - Mustafa Dogan, a 13-year-old Turk, was suspended from a school in Nancy for two days for denial of the Armenian Genocide, Today's Zaman reported.



Dogan's history teacher asked a question about the Armenian Genocide in a written exam. Having previously argued with the teacher over the issue, the Turkish student wrote, "Even if it did happen, they deserved it."



Following the quarrel, the school's disciplinary committee suspended Mustafa Dogan for two days and gave him an assignment in which he was to recognize the validity of the genocide within two days. The principal of the Jacques Marquette secondary school, Francis Vignola said he supported the sanctions placed on Mustafa Dogan.



Mustafa's father Mehmet Dogan said he does not recognize the Genocide either and supports his son. Anyway he noted, "I wish he hadn't written 'Even if [the genocide] did happen, they deserved it.' This made them angry."



Officials from COJEP, a Strasbourg-based civil society organization established by Turks, and Mehmet Dogan will meet with school authorities on Friday to discuss Mustafa Dogan's case.



The French Parliament recognized the Armenian Genocide in 2001, which resulted in short-lived tension between France and Turkey. In 2006 the French National Assembly adopted a bill proposing a punishment for Armenian Genocide deniers. However, it has been three years, and the bill has yet been passed by the Senate.