YEREVAN. – The primary consequence of the Turkish leadership’s politicide (political killing) at the time of the Armenian Genocide was the depolitization of the Turkish citizen Armenians, historian Meline Anumyan noted.    

Anumyan stated the aforementioned at the international conference, titled “The Caucasian Frontline of the First World War: Genocide, Refugees and Humanitarian Assistance,” which got underway Monday at the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute in capital city Yerevan.

“In the case of the Armenian Genocide, the start of the politicide was given on April 24, 1915, when the Armenian political, public, and cultural figures’ mass annihilation had begun.

“Before their dearth, many of the influential figures who died during the Armenian Genocide expressed regret for having served the Turks.

“Armenian scholars and cultural figures have greatly contributed to science and culture in Turkey,” the historian said.

She also stressed that the politicide toward the Istanbul Armenians is noticeable in modern-day Turkey, too.

“The murder of [Hrant Dink,] the [founder and] chief editor of Agos [Armenian weekly of Istanbul, who was killed] on January 19, 2007 [in front of the weekly’s office] as well as Armenian linguist Sevan Nisanyan’s arrest [and current imprisonment] should be observed as particular cases of political killing,” Meline Anumyan concluded.