The Armenian National Committee of Canada (ANCC) met with Swiss Ambassador to Canada, Ulrich Lehner, Asbarez reports.

The meeting, by request of the ANCC, was to convey to the Swiss ambassador the importance that the Swiss government exercise its right to appeal the European Court of Human Rights’ (ECtHR) verdict on genocide denial in Europe, stemming from a case involving a Turkish politician, Dogu Perincek.

ANCC voiced the serious concerns of Armenian-Canadians, and Armenians worldwide, regarding the ECtHR’s decision.

In an open and frank discussion with the Swiss Ambassador, the ANCC highlighted the gravity of some of the key factual and legal errors in the reasoning of the ECtHR decision.

The Canadian-Armenia organization urged Switzerland, a nation that has been at the forefront of prohibiting denial of genocide and crimes against humanity in Europe, to keep its principled stance on the matter.

On December 17, 2013, the European Court of Human Rights ruled in favor of Armenian Genocide-denying Turkish politician Dogu Perincek’s lawsuit that was filed against Switzerland. The said judgment by the ECtHR was made on the grounds of freedom of speech. In 2008, a Swiss court had convicted Perincek for denying the Armenian Genocide. Dogu Perincek is Chairman of the socialist Workers’ Party of Turkey. In addition, he heads the Talat Pasha organization, which actively fights against the Armenian Genocide’s recognition in Europe.