Turkish Foreign Ministry demands explanation
Swiss Ambassador Raimund Kunz was summoned by the Turkish foreign ministry in Ankara after a Swiss prosecutor launched a probe into Turkey's EU Minister Egemen Bağış for saying "the Armenian genocide doesn't exist."
"There was no Armenian Genocide. Let them arrest me," Bağış said last week following a French reporter's question on the 1915 killings.
Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Feridun Sinirlioğlu summoned Kunz to his office, asking for an explanation. Sinirlioğlu reportedly told Kunz that the incident was "unacceptable," Hurriyet daily reported.
Zurich public prosecutor Christine Braunschweig confirmed the probe and told Doğan news agency that they were looking into whether or not Bağış had said the words.
"We will look into Minister Egemen Bağış' immunity," Braunschweig further said. "If there is anything illegal and if he does not have the diplomatic immunity, then we will file the lawsuit."
Bağış has refused to speak on the matter until the initial probe ends," Hürriyet daily reported.
"Last week we received a petition about this issue, informing us that Mr. Bağış violated the anti-racism Article 261 of the Swiss Penal Code. Our prosecutor's office has taken this allegation seriously and launched an investigation. We will investigate whether Egemen Bağış uttered words denying the Armenian genocide as asserted in the petition," Prosecutor Christine Braunschweig was quoted as saying.
In 2007, Doğu Perinçek, leader of the Workers' Party of Turkey, was found of breaching Swiss anti-racism laws by saying that the early 20th century killing of Armenians could not be described as genocide. He was imposed a fine of 20 000 euros and 90-day suspended sentence.
