Turkish nationalist committee barred from entering Athens

The Talat Paşa Committee, a Turkish nationalist organization aiming to counter recognition of the 1915 events as the "Armenian genocide," has been refused entry to Athens, where it had gone to issue a statement in protest at a recently approved Greek bill.

The members of the committee left for Athens on Jan. 9 with the aim of making a statement in front of the Greek Parliament, but returned by the Greek authorities.

The committee wanted to protest and demand the withdrawal of a controversial bill approved by Greece’s parliament in September that stiffens penalties for racially motivated crime and criminalizes the denial of genocide and war crimes.

The delegation of 13 people was intercepted by police at the airport and prevented from entering the city for “security reasons.” They were sent back to Turkey on the next flight.

Speaking to reporters in a news conference, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said anyone must be able to hold peaceful demonstrations, while refuting allegations that Ankara had tried to block the committee’s visit to Greece.........................http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkish-nationalist-committee-barred-from-entering-athens.aspx?pageID=238&nID=76742&NewsCatID=351
9/1/15
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