Istanbul authorities have once again moved to suppress the memory of the Armenian Genocide, banning a planned April 24 commemoration and reinforcing a pattern of systematic denial and restriction.
According to the Istanbul-based Armenian newspaper Agos, the “April 24 Memory Platform” submitted a request to hold a memorial event in the Kadıköy district, but the application was rejected by municipal authorities. In response, the organization stressed that holding such commemorations is a fundamental democratic right and called for the decision to be reconsidered.
This is not an isolated case. In recent years, similar applications have routinely been denied, despite the fact that memorial events were held regularly in Istanbul in the past.
The development comes as Armenia’s current leadership has been widely criticized for deprioritizing international recognition of the Armenian Genocide, raising concerns about the broader direction of state policy on historical memory and advocacy.
At the same time, these are the very authorities and political environment with which Nikol Pashinyan is pursuing a policy of “peace,” even as they continue to prohibit public remembrance of the Armenian Genocide and restrict basic civil liberties tied to historical memory.
