Turkish Politician Expelled from Belgium Party for Refusing to Recognize Armenian Genocide

BRUSSELS — A Turkish member of the Belgian parliament was expelled from her political party on Friday for not recognizing the Armenian Genocide.

Mahinur Ozdemir, who is the first woman with a headscarf to become member of the Belgian parliament, told Anadolu Agency that she refused to recognize the 1915 events as genocide and was later expelled by a committee from her party, the Humanist Democratic Centre (CHD).

President of the CHD, Benoit Lutgen, said last week that any member of the CHD who denied the Armenian genocide would be expelled from the party. “Should there be any genocide denier in our party, then he or she will be immediately discarded.” Lutgen stated.

Ozdemir boycotted a moment of silence in the parliament to commemorate the 1915 Genocide, she said, “there is no court order that enforces one to recognize the events concerning Armenians and that the European Parliament’s resolution in April for recognition of the 1915 events is not binding”.

Ozdemir told Anadolu Agency that CHD President Lutgen wanted her to sign a communique recognizing the 1915 events and told her she would be expelled from the party if she refused.