Turkish court acquits 3 who danced atop Armenian church gateMarch 10, 2022 - 14:07 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - A Turkish court has acquitted three people who in July danced on the gate of an Armenian church in Istanbul, according to the Duvar news website. The incident, which took place at the Surp Takavor Church in Kadikoy, sparked outrage at the time among Turkey’s Armenian community and Armenian activists. An Istanbul prosecutor in an indictment demanded a sentence of up to one year for them, but the court ruling said the three people did not act with criminal intent, the Stockholm Center for Freedom said on Wednesday, March 9. Three people were temporarily detained on July 12 after videos circulating on social media showed them dancing on the church’s gate. The Istanbul Governor’s Office in a statement condemned the incident, saying an investigation had been launched. The incident was also slammed by members of the Armenian and Christian communities in Turkey. In July Peoples’ Democratic Party’s (HDP) lawmaker Garo Paylan, who is of Armenian origin, had called on the Interior Ministry to take action. “I condemn the people who acted irreverently at our church in Kadıköy and those who allowed this to happen. The Interior Ministry must immediately launch an investigation into the police officers who were stationed there,” Paylan tweeted. Top stories Six total incidents have burned 19 old-growth trees. Friday night 8 trees were torched along the beautiful main entrance. The EU does not intend to conduct military exercises with Armenia, Lead Spokesperson for EU Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Peter Stano says. Hikmet Hajiyev has said that there is no place for USAID operation in Azerbaijan any longer. A telephone conversation between Putin and Pashinyan before the CSTO summit is not planned, Peskov says. Partner news | Russia provides info about arrested Armenian ex-MP Russian law enforcement agencies have provided information about the arrest of Tigran Urikhanyan. 41 detained as antigovernment protests continue in Yerevan 41 people were detained in Yerevan as people demanding Pashinian’s resignation stage campaigns of civil disobedience. Armenia votes for UN resolution granting Palestine new rights The U.N. General Assembly voted by a wide margin on May 10 to grant new “rights and privileges” to Palestine. EU still discussing funding Armenia through European Peace Facility Discussions continue in the EU on providing Armenia with funds from the European Peace Facility, Vassilis Maragos says. |