YEREVAN. – All of Armenia’s requirements in the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) case of Perinçek v Switzerland are fully met.

Deputy Minister of Justice of Armenia Arman Tatoyan, who is the candidate for the office of Human Rights Defender of Armenia, on Monday stated the aforesaid in the National Assembly.  

He recalled that Armenia was a third party in this ECtHR case.

In October 2015, the ECtHR rejected Switzerland’s lawsuit against Doğu Perinçek, and whose court had found him guilty for denial of the Armenian Genocide. Nonetheless, the assessments questioning the fact of this genocide were removed from the court’s previous verdict that was reached in 2008.

In 2008, a Swiss court had convicted Turkish ultranationalist politician Doğu Perinçek for denying the Armenian Genocide. In December 2013, the ECtHR had ruled in favor of Perinçek’s lawsuit that was filed against Switzerland. Subsequently, the Government of Switzerland petitioned that the Doğu Perinçek case be referred for a review by the ECtHR Grand Chamber.

Separately, Armenia had petitioned to the ECtHR and acted as a third party in this case, whose ECtHR Grand Chamber hearing was held on January 28. Armenia was represented at this hearing by renowned attorneys Geoffrey Robertson and Amal Clooney.

Doğu Perinçek is chairman of the left-wing Patriotic—formerly Workers’—Party of Turkey. In addition, he heads the Turkish ultranationalist Talaat Pasha organization, which actively fights against the Armenian Genocide’s recognition in Europe.