GLENDALE, CA-Representatives of the Armenian Genocide Committee have learned that in the early morning hours of March 31, 2023, flyers containing very disturbing language exclaiming that Israel fully supports Azeris and Turks to complete the Armenian Genocide were posted in various locations throughout the City of Glendale, California. The Armenian Genocide Committee, an assembly of the largest religious, political, professional and cultural organizations of the Armenian community, emphatically condemns the hate speech incident and calls for local, state and federal officials to fully investigate and bring to justice those that have done this act of terror against the Armenian community.
The Armenian Genocide Committee wishes to remind the public that merely two months ago, similar anti-Armenian hateful flyers were posted throughout the City of Beverly Hills. Unfortunately, the City of Beverly Hills determined that the flyers were protected speech and could not be prosecuted as hate speech. Mehran Khatchadorian, chairperson of the Armenian Genocide Committee stated “The Armenian Genocide Committee expresses deep concern and the utmost regret that the omission to act on the part of law enforcement authorities with regard to the Beverly Hills hate speech incident only emboldened those who spew hate and try to stoke fear among the Armenian community. Today, we saw in Glendale the terrible consequences of the above inaction.”
The flyer shamefully refers to a “RABBI” as the author of the hateful speech. We call on Jewish organizations to join us in condemning this disgusting call to violence and despicable attribution of it to a faith leader of the Jewish religion.
Mr. Khatchadorian continued, “The Armenian Community will not be intimidated in any manner whatsoever by anyone who is the source of such inhumane pronouncements. We have stood up to the terror of those who have sought the elimination of the Armenian people for centuries. We have survived! We will continue our struggle against Armenophobia at every turn.”
The Armenian Genocide Committee wishes to make clear that in order to stop the escalation of these anti-Armenian hateful acts it is imperative that those who are the source of these civil rights violations be found and brought to justice. The United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Genocide, which is adopted by the United States of America, makes it punishable as a crime for a private individual to “direct and public incitement to commit genocide.” (Article III (c) of the Convention). Clearly, the content of the speech contained in the flyers by calling for the completion of the Armenian Genocide crosses the line and must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
Armenian Genocide Committee
Friday, March 31, 2023
