TURKEY

Before the trial of the public officials starts, Friends of Hrant made a statement to the press. It is stated that “The ones who killed him blatantly, the ones who instigated the murder and the ones who connived at this murder should be called to account, tried and punished regardless of their relations and groups.”

Chancellor Merkel made a statement about her planned meeting with Erdoğan and said that the lifting of immunity of the members of Turkish Parliament might have grave consequences. It is expected that the migration deal, lifting of parliamentary immunity and Bundestag's bill for the Armenian Genocide will be discussed at the meeting.

The objection against the urgent expropriation in Sur filed by Diyarbakir Bar Association Deputy Chair Ahmet Özmen is taken in the scope of urgent trial procedure by Chamber 6 of the Council of State. The Council of State demanded a plea and the documents about expropriation from Prime Minister's Office and Ministry of Environment and Urban Planning within 15 days.

Today, the constitutional amendment bill prepared for lifting the parliamentary immunity of the lawmakers who have outstanding dossiers against them, which caused quarrels during the committee meeting, will be brought to the agenda of the general assembly of the parliament.

In the open letter published in Die Zeit, 43 academics, artist and intellectuals demanded the Armenian Genocide draft is accepted.

Held captive by Ottoman army, Anzac soldiers reveal rather unknown aspects of the Armenian Genocide through their journals. In the stories that came to light thanks to the studies of New Zealander historian and journalist James Robins, experiences of Anzac soldiers who witnessed the genocide are told. This interview of Robins is about his studies that reach from 1915 to the present.

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al-Hussein made a call to Turkish government for allowing independent investigation on the grave human rights violations happened in the regions under curfew. Hussein stated that “the most worrisome” reports are the ones claiming that 100 people were burned to death in the basements in Cizre.

Twice-postponed Armenian Genocide draft will be brought to Bundestag's agenda on June 2. Green Party member and Vice President of the Bundestag Claudia Roth spoke to Agos. Reminding that Ambassador of Turkey to Germany Hüseyin Avni Karslıoğlu warned Bundestag about the draft, Roth said, “We don't accept it. I hope the groups in the parliament won't obey Turkey once again and the draft will be accepted as planned.”

Europa Nostra Award ceremony was held in Istanbul because of the ongoing curfew in Diyarbakir. Speaking at the ceremony, Diyarbakir Surp Giragos Armenian Church Foundation Chair Ergun Ayık said, “We wish we held this ceremony in our church. We miss the good old days.”

The expert report about Diyarbakir Bar Association Chair Tahir Elçi, who was shot dead, is prepared 5 months after the murder. In the report, it is stated that it cannot be “medically or physically” known who shot Elçi.