Boris Navasardyan refused to cross the border
Chairman of the Yerevan Press Club Boris Navasardyan, who was among the 11 Armenian citizens detained at the Istanbul airport, has issued a statement from Istanbul.
The Immigration Service officers checked and questioned the 11 Armenian citizens who had arrived in Istanbul to take part in a regional conference, as well as 20 other Armenians who were on the same plane. The officers wondered if the Armenians had return tickets and sufficient funds to stay in Turkey. Interestingly, only the Armenian passengers received this treatment," Navasardyan said.
Four journalists who arrived in Istanbul at the invitation of the Hrant Dink Fund were among the Armenian citizens that received a "special" treatment on the part of Turkish officers. Although a Fund representative produced the necessary documents, the officers demanded that the journalists show their money and hotel registration.
"I refused to cross the border as long as the Armenian journalists were detained. However, my words had an opposite effect on the Turkish officers, who threatened to deport me. The problem was settled with the interference of Dink's daughter Delal Dink and Turkish colleagues. The journalists were allowed to cross the border two hours later. I followed them."
Navasardyan is going to make a statement on the incident on Sept. 13 during the opening ceremony of the conference.
