YEREVAN, MAY 5, ARMENPRESS.The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) has called upon US Ambassador to Turkey John Bass to publicly voice official US concern regarding the safety of Garo Paylan, an ethnic Armenian elected to the Turkish Parliament, who has faced growing threats and acts of violence in response to his expression of views on democracy, human rights, and genocide, ANCA told “Armenpress”.

In recent days, Paylan has been threatened and physically assaulted within the Turkish Parliament and the Constitution Commission. 

Paylan called the most recent attacks which took place during the May 2nd Turkish Parliament Constitution Commission hearing a “pre-meditated lynch attempt.” In the May 3rd letter to Ambassador Bass, Executive Director Aram Hamparian recalled that, despite ANCA appeals, the US government failed to voice any public concern for the safety of Hrant Dink, who was assassinated in early 2007 following a campaign of political prosecution and official state persecution.

“In light of this tragic experience, now is clearly the time for our government to urgently and publicly voice concern for the safety of Garo Paylan, and to also condemn those - both inside and outside of the Turkish government - who are inciting hatred against this courageous civic leader for simply speaking honestly and openly about issues of human rights, tolerance, diversity, and genocide” the ANCA letter says.