Statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia on the 107th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide
Every year on April 24, Armenians around the world commemorate the Holy Martyrs of the Armenian Genocide – the first Genocide of the 20th century.
In 1915-1923, Armenians living in the Ottoman Empire were subjected to unprecedented mass atrocities – brutal killings, violence and forcible displacement, which were pre-planned and implemented by the Government of Young Turks. Around 1.5 million men and women, elderly and children were murdered just because they were Armenians, and hundreds of thousands were deprived of their economic, educational and spiritual property.
Despite all the deprivations and hardships, the Armenian people survived and overcame the horror of genocide due to the national unification, the humanitarian support of different peoples, societies and individuals, managed to form communities in different countries of the world, preserve and strengthen their national identity, and most importantly, to rebuild its independent statehood.
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A century after the Armenian Genocide, it is important to emphasize that the international community demonstrates significant solidarity on international recognition and condemnation of genocide, the manifestation of which is the state-level recognition of the Armenian Genocide by around 30 countries, as well as the adoption of relevant declarations and resolutions by a number of international organizations and institutions.
It is also important to emphasize that the agenda of international recognition of the Armenian Genocide serves to the strengthening of the system of security guarantees in the region, including the suppression of aspirations for new ethnic cleansing, and prevention of recurrence of such crimes against humanity in any other part of the world.
The crime committed against the Armenians by the Government of Young Turks later became the foundation for the development of the International Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.
The “crime of crimes” – the genocide still happens, depriving the lives of hundreds of thousands of innocent people. The Republic of Armenia is resolutely fighting for the restoration of justice and the rights of the victims, having its significant contribution and leadership in the prevention of crimes against humanity.
Today we bow in memory of the Holy Martyrs of the Armenian Genocide and reaffirm our commitment to the recognition of truth, the restoration of justice, and the prevention of new genocides and crimes against humanity.