The Istanbul Office of the Human Rights Association of Turkey has released a statement noting that PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s message of condolences to the Armenians was an ordinary text of denial.

The Office’s Commission against Racism and Discrimination stated that, ahead of the centennial of the Armenian Genocide, it has launched the “End to Denialism” campaign, Bianet.org website of Turkey reported.

Making a statement on behalf of the commission, attorney and human rights activist Eren Keskin reflected on Erdogan’s message and noted that even though the wording of the Turkish PM’s statement was a precedent in Turkey’s history, its text was yet another denial of the Armenian Genocide.  

“The Ottoman Empire committed genocide against the Armenian people in 1915. Genocide is a crime against humanity, and the denial of genocide is the gravest violation of human rights,” Keskin stated.  

For the first time in Turkey’s history, and ahead of the anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan condoled with the relatives of the victims of the Genocide. His respective statement, however, did not deviate from Turkey’s official policy of Genocide denial.