Turkish apology petition signatories mostly students

PanARMENIAN.Net - 27 516 people have already signed the Turkish apology petition which reads, "My conscience does not accept the insensitivity showed to and the denial of the Great Calamity that befell the Ottoman Armenians in 1915. I reject this injustice and for my share, I empathize with the feelings and pain of my Armenian brothers. I apologize to them."



As freelance French journalist Jean Eckian told PanARMENIAN.Net over 6 300 signatories are students, over 1 700 are professors, over 1 200 are engineers, over 1 000 are workers and retired people, less than 700 are attorneys and housewives, less than 600 are journalists, less than 500 are physicians, less than 400 are craftsmen, accountants, authors and educators, less than 300 are unemployed persons, less than 200 are architects, researchers, computer specialists, less than 150 are bankers and foremen.



The geography of signatories varies. In Turkey, Istanbul is the first (9 937) followed by Ankara (2 129), Izmir (1 823) and Diyarbakir (1 423). Then follow Mersin (482), Bursa (415), Adana (394), Antalya (382), Van (375) and Mardin (334).



As to foreign countries, 3 793 signatures were registered from 63 states. 1 729 signatures came from Germany, 343 from the U.S., 324 from the United Kingdom, 310 from France, 231 from Switzerland. Then Poland, Austria, Sweden, Canada, Belgium, Australia, Denmark and Holland come.



5 signatories are from Japan and Saudi Arabia, 4 from Azerbaijan (2 politicians & 2 journalists), 2 from UAE, 1 from Armenia, 1 from Karabakh, 1 from China, 1 from Qatar, 1 from Colombia, 1 from Greenland, 1 from Kosovo, 1 from Ecuador, 1 from Kenya and 1 from Singapore. Two dozens of cities or countries were not identified.