Turkish historian, socialist Taner Akcam said the genocide needs new definition that will “resemble art”.

Speaking at an international conference on Genocide, particularly on the Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Empire, he stressed that many aspects of the Armenian Genocide such as assimilation, forced change of religion and forced marriage of the Armenian girls with Muslims are not taken into account.

“Two aspects - mass killings and forced resettlement - were taken into account so far. Now we should seek for a new definition of “genocide” that will include not only elements of mass killings and forced resettlement, but also assimilation and forced change of religion,” he added.

Taner Akcam is one of the first Turkish academics to acknowledge the Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Empire. He has been living in Germany since 1978 and got a refugee status.