YEREVAN, APRIL 24, ARMENPRESS. Istanbul police have banned a commemoration event dedicated to the 103rd anniversary of the Armenian Genocide in the city’s Sultanahmet Square, Özgürüz news agency reported.

Upon seeing people with posters saying “genocide”, police detained three people. Istanbul law enforcement said they will be released shortly.

Lawyer and human rights activist Erin Keskin commented on the incident to local news media. Keskin was also in attendance of the commemoration event.

“Today, we will not make a statement here because our statement contains words which are banned, but without these words the statement has no sense. Officials and lawmakers from France are here today, but they will not speak either,” Keskin said, stressing that no one is speaking in Turkey because of the severe restrictions on freedom of speech.

English –translator/editor: Stepan Kocharyan