– April 2nd remembrance caps nationwide ANCA advocacy campaign to hold Turkey and Azerbaijan accountable for genocidal crimes
WASHINGTON, DC – Members of Congress will join with Armenian Americans and allies from across the United States in demanding accountability for Turkey and Azerbaijan’s crimes in 1915 and 2023 at the April 2nd Capitol Hill remembrance of the Armenian Genocide and Artsakh Genocide.
The event, hosted by the Congressional Armenian Caucus and organized by the Armenian American organizations, including the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) and Armenian Assembly, will take place from 6:00 to 8:00 pm in the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center (HVC-215) and feature bipartisan remarks and calls to action.
Bus transportation from Soorp Khatch Armenian Apostolic Church to the U.S. Capitol is available. For more information, contact [email protected] or call (202) 775-1918.
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The commemoration caps two days of intensive advocacy—April 1-2—during which grassroots leaders from across the country will take part in hundreds of meetings with U.S. Senators and Representatives as part of ANCA Advocacy Days. The ANCA Eastern and Western Regions are spearheading the effort, with participation from Armenian American communities representing every region of the country.
The two-day advocacy effort will mobilize bipartisan Congressional support for a broad range of pro-Armenian policy priorities. Chief among them is holding Azerbaijan accountable for its genocide of Artsakh’s indigenous Armenian population through the imposition of targeted U.S. sanctions under the Global Magnitsky Act, a full cut-off of military assistance, and investigations into war crimes, including the torture and extrajudicial killing of Armenian prisoners of war. Advocates will also press for renewed U.S. leadership in supporting the safe, dignified, and internationally protected right of return for displaced Artsakh Armenians, a necessary step toward long-term regional stability and justice.
In parallel, participants will urge Members of Congress to strengthen U.S. recognition and condemnation of the Armenian Genocide of 1915-1923 and to combat Turkey’s ongoing denial through expanded public education and accountability measures.
“ANCA Advocacy Days have become a cornerstone of our efforts, uniting hundreds of activists across the Eastern Region to showcase the impact of grassroots advocacy,” stated ANCA Eastern Region Legislative Affairs and Community Relations Director Nairi Diratsouian. “At this pivotal moment for our community and homeland, we are encouraged by the growing participation and the increasing recognition of the importance of engaging with lawmakers to influence policies that directly affect the Armenian nation.”
“With a new administration and a new Congress in place, this year’s Advocacy Days come at a crucial moment for Armenian-Americans across the country,” said Ruben Karapetian, Government Affairs Director of the ANCA Western Region. “The issues at hand for our community, nationwide, remain urgent, including the end of U.S. aid to Azerbaijan, the guaranteed and secure right of return for the Armenians of Artsakh, the unconditional release of Armenian prisoners and hostages still illegally held by the Aliyev regime, and the nationwide expansion of Armenian Genocide education.”
“Armenian youth and community leaders are mobilizing nationwide to demand justice for Artsakh and the Armenian Genocide,” stated Gev Iskajyan, ANCA National Grassroots Director. “This new chapter in our advocacy is rooted in accountability—calling on the U.S. to confront ongoing Azerbaijani aggression and end decades of denial by holding Turkey and Azerbaijan to account.”
For more information or to participate in ANCA Advocacy Days, email the ANCA Western Region at [email protected] or the ANCA Eastern Region at [email protected].
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Photo Caption: Attendees at the annual Capitol Hill Armenian genocide commemoration will demand that Turkey and Azerbaijan be held accountable for their crimes against the Armenian nation.