Handful of Ukrainian MPs support Armenian Genocide recognition bill

April 26, 2016 - 14:13 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - A group of Ukrainian MPs support the resolution, authored by Vitaly Barvinenko, recognizing the Armenian Genocide, Genocide.org.ua.

MPs from Ukraine's Opposition Bloc, Revival, Petro Poroshenko Bloc, People's Front parties joined the initiative.

Commenting on the MPs' decision was the leader of the Armenian Union of Ukraine, Vilen Shatvoryan, who said: “We are grateful to the deputies for their commitment to justice.”

The Armenian Genocide

The Armenian Genocide (1915-23) was the deliberate and systematic destruction of the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire during and just after World War I. It was characterized by massacres and deportations, involving forced marches under conditions designed to lead to the death of the deportees, with the total number of deaths reaching 1.5 million.

The majority of Armenian Diaspora communities were formed by the Genocide survivors.

Present-day Turkey denies the fact of the Armenian Genocide, justifying the atrocities as “deportation to secure Armenians”. Only a few Turkish intellectuals, including Nobel Prize winner Orhan Pamuk and scholar Taner Akcam, speak openly about the necessity to recognize this crime against humanity.

The Armenian Genocide was recognized by Uruguay, Russia, France, Lithuania, Italy, 45 U.S. states, Greece, Cyprus, Lebanon, Argentina, Belgium, Austria, Wales, Switzerland, Canada, Poland, Venezuela, Chile, Bolivia, the Vatican, Luxembourg, Brazil, Germany, the Netherlands, Paraguay, Sweden, Venezuela, Slovakia, Syria, Vatican, as well as the European Parliament and the World Council of Churches.