The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) decision on Perinçek’s case was not uniformly interpreted in terms of whether it is beneficial to Armenia or not. The decision said that the Swiss legislation is not properly applied to Perinçek, while the RA Prosecutor General Gevorg Kostanyan, minutes later after the announcement of the decision, stated that Armenia’s claims as a third party are upheld. In an interview with Aravot.am, a member of the Armenian Genocide Recognition Committee in Germany, associate professor of the Free University of Berlin, Armenologist Zhirayr Kocharyan considered the ECHR decision a disgrace and explained, “I think the Swiss Government should have done more, because even though Armenia was a third party, but the case was first of all against them. Perinçek should be pointed out to his place.”
To our question of whether the matter was actually the dereliction of duties of the Swiss Government or the biased approach by the ECHR, Mr. Kocharyan responses, “First of all, the Swiss government should have made some moves against it. Certainly, the European Parliament also has its own share of sin, then the third level is already Armenia”. To our observation that this decision would become a cause and will prevent other states to refrain from passing resolutions on criminalizing the Armenian Genocide in the future, Mr. Kocharyan replied, “flow and the wave of the Armenian Genocide are so huge that I do not think so. But it will hamper a little. Of course, Perinçek’s action was more for the Turkish and Azerbaijani market, the Europeans do not give particular importance to it, but indeed this decision will have its impact. Surprisingly that the ECHR made such a decision, in fact, on the one hand, it condemns the Armenian Genocide, on the other hand, it justifies the denier”.
To our question of whether it was right to immediately present Armenia’s posture that we have come out victorious, Mr. Kocharyan answered, “I’m already tired of moral victories. I do not justify this approach, but on the other hand, what our government could do. They lack in power, acquaintance, lobby and money.”
Tatev HARUTYUNYAN
