“Islamized Armenians as element of Genocide” conference to be held in Stepanakert

STEPANAKERT, APRIL 13, ARMENPRESS: “Islamized Armenians as element of Genocide” conference will be held in Stepanakert April 20 on the occasion of the 95th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.

Member of the organization committee, head of the history chair of the Artsakh State University Lernik Hovhannissyan told Armenpress that for committing its Armenian-killing program the Ottoman Turkey applied to the change of religion of Armenians which is an experienced method of elimination of national self-consciousness. Certain parts of Artsakh Armenians also underwent this fate, which L. Hovhannissyan said, became the reason of conduction of the conference. Currently, according to Hovhannissyan, there is no exact information how many Armenians were subjected to it as during different periods of time not all the forcibly Islamized Armenians preserved the consciousness of their ethnic belonging.

During the April 20 conference 11 reports will be presented. From Armenia specialized historians, political analysts, sociologists will take part.

Besides forcing the people to change the religion the leadership of the Ottoman Empire and their followers turned the Armenian churches in their territories and in Eastern Trans Caucasus to mosques.

Within the framework of the conference a photo exhibition will also be held.