U.S. Congress discusses fate of Armenian churches in Turkey (video)
Congressman David Trott (R-MI) has raised the issue of Armenian churches in Turkey in the U.S. Congress. “I am still concerned about the seizure of Armenian churches in Turkey, including the fate of Surp Giragos Church.These are the consequences of the Armenian Genocide that took place 100 years ago,” he said. Addressing the participants of hearings on the deteriorating situation of human rights in Turkey, Congressman Trott said when the United States criticizes Turkey for acts against democracy, people in Ankara remind that they are an ally of the United States and a member of NATO. Yet, it does not relieve Turkey of the responsibility,” he stressed. According to experts participating in the hearings, the decline in democracy in Turkey has several reasons. Alan Makovsky, a Senior Fellow at American Progress, says one of the reasons is that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is eager to concentrate power in his hands. “As a result, democracy in Turkey, which has never been perfect, is rapidly deteriorating. In almost all areas, including media, judicial system and political system of governance, the rights of Kurds, private companies or universities, freedom is decreasing and the power is becoming more concentrated in the hands of Erdogan,” he said. Dr. Henri J. Barkey, Director of the Middle East Program at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, says Erdogan is trying to repeat the example of [Vladimir] Putin by building an authoritarian system and imprisoning citizens for criticizing him. “Over 1845 people have been convicted of insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan ,” he said. Summing up the results of the hearings influential Republican Congressman Dana Rohrabacher said ‘it is clear that Turkey is moving in the wrong direction.’ “The people of the United States are grateful to Turkey for friendship which played an important role during the last decades. But, it is obvious now that Turkey has entered into a phase of dictatorship and radicalization. Only the thought of it is already appalling,” Rohrabacher said.
