ZURICH. – Switzerland’s Zurich Center’s Prosecutor’s Office has completed the preliminary investigation against Egemen Bagis, Turkish Minister on EU Issues, for denying the Armenian Genocide. To process farther, the Prosecutor’s Office has applied to the Swiss MFA.

The General Prosecutor of Zurich Christine Braunschweig told the Turkish Dogan News Agency that Bagis is being prosecuted according to the 261st article of the Swiss Criminal Code. She mentioned that the preliminary investigation has been completed and the results were sent to the MFA, after the MFA’s answer it will be clear whether to launch a criminal case or not.

The Swiss MFA confirmed that the prosecutor’s office has conducted an inquiry in regard to the inviolability of the Turkish minister.

“Such inquiries and discussions between the MFA and the prosecutor’s office are normal. According to international law, all the foreign officials who have come to participate in the World Economic Forum in Davos are inviolable. However, inviolability can be cancelled if the circumstances require. Not the MFA but the judicial forces will decide whether to launch a criminal case against Bagis or not,” the answer of the Swiss MFA reads.

It is stated that the Turkish MFA inputs all efforts so the Swiss MFA will declare Bagis to have diplomatic inviolability. The prosecutor’s office of Zurich will announce its decision in the beginning of April, 2012.

To note, Bagis had announced that even in a country criminalizing denial of genocides he can declare that the Armenian Genocide did not happen.

“Today in Switzerland I announce that the events of 1915 are not to be considered as genocide. Let them come and arrest me. Those laws are nothing more than a piece of paper,” Bagis had stated.

Afterwards the General Prosecutor of Zurich Christine Braunschweig started a preliminary investigation against Bagis stressing that the investigation is being conducted according to the 261st article of the Swiss Criminal Code.