Garo Paylan: Turkey Returns to Its Old State Regarding Armenian Issue

ISTANBUL — Garo Paylan, Istanbul Armenian MP of the opposition pro-Kurdish People’s Democratic Party (HDP) reflected on the Turkish authorities’ policy toward the Armenian and Kurdish issues.

Paylan stated that in recent times, Turkish authorities are making the curtailing of freedom of speech enter also the country’s parliament, as he recalled that sincere discussions on Armenian and Kurdish issues will from now on be banned in parliament, according to Cumhuriyet (Republic) daily of Turkey.

“Just as the average citizens are forbidden to talk freely, the same is going to be done to the Parliament members. Turkey is returning to the former state in the Armenian and Kurdish issue, when these issues were a taboo [in the country],” said the Armenian member of the Turkish parliament. “All this is done by the hands of the ruling Justice and Development Party [(AKP)].”

Pursuant to recent amendments to internal regulations of the parliament of Turkey, the MPs of the country will from now on be penalized for saying “Armenian Genocide” and “Kurdistan.”