April 24, 2009 - 11:37 AMT
Armenians mark 94th anniversary of Genocide
Today, on April 24, Armenians throughout the globe mark the 94th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Empire. Mass arrests of the Armenian intellectual, religious, economic and political elite started in Constantinople on that very day in 1915 what resulted in entire annihilation of a whole pleiad of outstanding Armenian cultural workers. Writers, actors, musicians, teachers, doctors, lawyers, journalists, businessmen, political and religious leaders were detained till the end of May 1915 without being incriminated anything. In the course of several weeks some 800 celebrated Armenians were arrested in Constantinople. By the end of summer there had been few of them left alive. During the period of 1915-1923, 1.5 million of Armenians were killed.

The Armenian Genocide was recognized by Russia, France, Lebanon, Uruguay, Cyprus, Argentina, Greece, Belgium, Sweden, Slovakia, Vatican, Germany, Lithuania, House of Commons of Canada, the House of Representatives of the Netherlands, National Council of Switzerland, Lower House of the parliament of Italy and Sejm of Poland as well as many states of the U.S.