— Charges Against A Dozen of Erdogan Security Detail Imminent, Reports The New York Times
WASHINGTON, DC – According to The New York Times, U.S. law enforcement are set to charge a dozen of Turkish President Erdogan’s
security detail on Thursday in connection with the May 16th brutal attack on peaceful protesters in front of the Turkish Ambassador’s residence in Washington, DC. Two arrests of Turkish Americans Eyup Yildirim, an owner of a construction company in New Jersey, and Sinan Narin, a Virginia resident have already been made by law enforcement. Two Canadians of Turkish origin were also charged in the incident.
“American law enforcement is doing its job,” said Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) Executive Director Aram Hamparian. “Now it’s time for the Trump Administration to demand that Turkey lift all claims to diplomatic immunity for those involved in this crime so that justice can be served.”
According to Nick Fandos of The New York Times who broke the story, “The Washington police have been investigating the May 16 incident along with the State Department and the Secret Service. The police planned to announce the charges at a news conference on Thursday morning, according to the two officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the charges before they were made public.”
The ANCA’s Hamparian was videotaping live at the scene of the May 16th attack, which took place in front of the Turkish Ambassador’s residence where President Erdogan was scheduled to have a closed-door meeting with representatives of The Atlantic Council, a leading think tank in Washington, DC which receives funding from Turkey. Hamparian’s video showed pro-Erdogan forces crossing a police line and beating peaceful protesters – elderly men and several women – who were on the ground bleeding during most of the attack.
Hamparian testified before a May 25th Foreign Affairs Subcommittee hearing on this matter. Joining him at the hearing were Ms. Lusik Usoyan, Founder and President of the Ezidi Relief Fund; Mr. Murat Yusa, a local businessman and protest organizer; and Ms. Ruth Wedgwood, Edward B. Burling Professor of International Law and Diplomacy, at Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies. Usoyan and Yusa were victims of the brutal assault on May 16th by President Erdogan’s bodyguards.
On June 6th, with a vote of 397 to 0, the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously condemned Turkey in response to the attacks, taking a powerful stand against Ankara’s attempts to export its violence and intolerance to America’s shores. H.Res.354, spearheaded by House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce (R-CA), Ranking Democrat Eliot Engel (D-NY), House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer (D-MD), has received the public backing of House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI). A companion measure has been introduced in the Senate by Senator Ed Markey (D-MA).
The House vote follows broad-based Congressional outrage expressed by over 100 Senate and House members through public statements, social media, and a series of Congressional letters.
Senate and House members have also raised concerns about the recently announced $1.2 million sale of semi-automatic guns slated for use byTurkish President Erdognan’s security detail, many of whom participated in the May 16th attacks. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Democrat Ben Cardin (D-MD) and House Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Ed Royce have already objected to the sale.
Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chairs Dave Trott (R-MI) and Frank Pallone (D-NJ) are urging colleagues to co-sign a letter to Secretary Tillerson to block the gun sale to Turkey. To contact legislators to cosign the letter, visit: anca.org/NoGunsForTurkey
ANCA live footage of the attack served as source video for CNN, AP, The Washington Post, The Daily Caller and other major media, transforming the violent incident into a global spotlight on Erdogan’s attempt to export his intolerance and aggression to American shores.
The Sunday, June 4th edition of The New York Times featured a two-page center-spread investigative report on the May 16th attack, with online version of the coverage translated to Turkish and shared widely on social media. The report identified Yildirim and Narin as having participated in the attacks. The ANCA is cited by The New York Times as a source for this report.
The May 16th protest in front of the Turkish Ambassador’s residence was a continuation of a demonstration held earlier in the day in front of the White House, co-hosted by the ANCA. As President Trump met with President Erdogan. human rights and religious rights groups were joined by representatives of the Kurdish, Yezidi and Armenian communities to call attention to the Erdogan regime’s escalating repression against free press, the Kurdish and other ethnic communities, as well as Turkey’s ongoing obstruction of justice for the Armenian Genocide.
Photo: Virginia resident Sinan Narin (left) and Turkish American businessman Eyup Yildirim (right) were arrested by Metropolitan Washington DC Police in conjunction with the May 16th Erdogan-ordered beating of peaceful protesters. The New York Times had identified Narin and Yildirim among the attackers in a June 4th expose.
ANCA Troubled Erdogan’s Bodyguards Not Among Those Charged Over Embassy Attack
— Calls Out Weak Administration Response to Foreign Attack on American Freedoms
WASHINGTON, DC – Metropolitan Washington DC police made two arrests in the case of the May 16th Erdogan-ordered
beatings of peaceful protesters, but stopped short of leveling charges against the Turkish President’s security detail that led the brutal attack, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).
According to The Daily Caller’s Chuck Ross, Turkish Americans Eyup Yildirim, an owner of a construction company in New Jersey, is charged with assault with significant bodily injury and aggravated assault while Sinan Narin, a Virginia resident faces an aggravated assault charge.
“We remain deeply troubled – nearly a month after this unprovoked assault by a foreign government on peaceful U.S. protesters – over the lack of criminal charges against Erdogan’s security detail and the failure of the Trump Administration to demand that Ankara waive its claims to immunity for all those involved in this assault on our American freedoms,” said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian.
“These two arrests are a good start, but this is about far more than crime enforcement. It’s about our U.S. government standing up against foreign attempts to silence dissent by American citizens. In light of the major media attention devoted to this outrage and given the intense Congressional concern about its consequences – it is unacceptable that the White House and State Department have demonstrated such weakness, adopting, basically, a business-as-usual approach in the face of a brazen, angry, and arrogant foreign attack on peaceful protesters on American soil,” concluded Hamparian.
Hamparian was videotaping live at the scene of the May 16th attack, which took place in front of the Turkish Ambassador’s residence where President Erdogan was scheduled to have a closed-door meeting with representatives of The Atlantic Council, a leading think tank in Washington, DC which receives funding from Turkey. Hamparian’s video showed pro-Erdogan forces crossing a police line and beating peaceful protesters – elderly men and several women – who were on the ground bleeding during most of the attack.
Hamparian testified before a May 25th Foreign Affairs Subcommittee hearing on this matter. Joining him at the hearing were Ms. Lusik Usoyan, Founder and President of the Ezidi Relief Fund; Mr. Murat Yusa, a local businessman and protest organizer; and Ms. Ruth Wedgwood, Edward B. Burling Professor of International Law and Diplomacy, at Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies. Usoyan and Yusa were victims of the brutal assault on May 16th by President Erdogan’s bodyguards.
On June 6th, with a vote of 397 to 0, the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously condemned Turkey in response to the attacks, taking a powerful stand against Ankara’s attempts to export its violence and intolerance to America’s shores. H.Res.354, spearheaded by House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce (R-CA), Ranking Democrat Eliot Engel (D-NY), House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer (D-MD), has received the public backing of House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI). A companion measure has been introduced in the Senate by Senator Ed Markey (D-MA).
The House vote follows broad-based Congressional outrage expressed by over 100 Senate and House members through public statements, social media, and a series of Congressional letters.
Senate and House members have also raised concerns about the recently announced $1.2 million sale of semi-automatic guns slated for use byTurkish President Erdognan’s security detail, many of whom participated in the May 16th attacks. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Democrat Ben Cardin (D-MD) and House Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Ed Royce have already objected to the sale.
Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chairs Dave Trott (R-MI) and Frank Pallone (D-NJ) are urging colleagues to co-sign a letter to Secretary Tillerson to block the gun sale to Turkey. To contact legislators to cosign the letter, visit: anca.org/NoGunsForTurkey
ANCA live footage of the attack served as source video for CNN, AP, The Washington Post, The Daily Caller and other major media, transforming the violent incident into a global spotlight on Erdogan’s attempt to export his intolerance and aggression to American shores.
The Sunday, June 4th edition of The New York Times featured a two-page center-spread investigative report on the May 16th attack, with online version of the coverage translated to Turkish and shared widely on social media. The report identified Yildirim and Narin as having participated in the attacks.
The New York Times coverage is available here:
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/05/26/us/turkey-protesters-attack-video-analysis.html?_r=0
The ANCA is cited by The New York Times as a source for this report.
The May 16th protest in front of the Turkish Ambassador’s residence was a continuation of a demonstration held earlier in the day in front of the White House, co-hosted by the ANCA. As President Trump met with President Erdogan. human rights and religious rights groups were joined by representatives of the Kurdish, Yezidi and Armenian communities to call attention to the Erdogan regime’s escalating repression against free press, the Kurdish and other ethnic communities, as well as Turkey’s ongoing obstruction of justice for the Armenian Genocide.
Photo: Virginia resident Sinan Narin (left) and Turkish American businessman Eyup Yildirim (right) were arrested by Metropolitan Washington DC Police in conjunction with the May 16th Erdogan-ordered beating of peaceful protesters. The New York Times had identified Narin and Yildirim among the attackers in a June 4th expose.
Breaking: Two Men Reportedly Arrested Over D.C. Attack on Peaceful Protesters
ANCA’s Hamparian: ‘Two Arrests Are a Good Start, but this is About Far More Than Crime Enforcement. It’s About Our U.S. Government Standing Up Against Foreign Attempts to Silence Dissent by American Citizens’
(ARMENIAN WEEKLY) WASHINGTON — United States Marshals have arrested two Turkish men living in the U.S., for their role in beating peaceful protesters outside of the Turkish Ambassador’s residence in Washington, D.C. on May 16, according to a report by The Daily Caller.
The source who provided the Daily Caller this information did not provide the names of the men arrested for their role in the attack. However, the Washington-based Turkish news outlet Washington Hatti reported that one man involved in the attack was detained in New Jersey.
According to the report, Eyup Yıldırım was arrested on the morning of on June 14.
The U.S. Marshal Service referred The Daily Caller to the Washington, D.C. Metro police department, which is currently investigating the case along with the State Department and Secret Service. The department did not respond to a request for comment about the arrests, according to The Daily Caller.
Yıldırım was identified as the man in the videos kicking a female protester Lucy Usoyan, while she was on the ground. Usoyan, a Kurdish activist, was kicked and stomped by Yıldırım and other Erdogan supporters. She was rushed to the hospital following the incident, where she was diagnosed with a head trauma.
“We remain deeply troubled—nearly a month after this unprovoked assault by a foreign government on peaceful U.S. protesters—over the lack of criminal charges against Erdogan’s security detail and the failure of the Trump Administration to demand that Ankara waive its claims to immunity for all those involved in this assault on our American freedoms,” said Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) Executive Director Aram Hamparian in a brief statement.
“These two arrests are a good start, but this is about far more than crime enforcement. It’s about our U.S. government standing up against foreign attempts to silence dissent by American citizens. In light of the major media attention devoted to this outrage and given the intense Congressional concern about its consequences – it is unacceptable that the White House and State Department have demonstrated such weakness, adopting, basically, a business-as-usual approach in the face of a brazen, angry, and arrogant foreign attack on peaceful protesters on American soil,’ Hamparian added.
Yıldırım, who is reported to be the owner of a construction company, was part of a group of supporters of Turkish President Recap Tayyip Erdogan, who showed up at the Turkish Embassy and attacked the peaceful demonstrators across the street. The attackers, including men from Erdogan’s security detail who were armed, were seen punching, kicking, and stomping the protesters.
At least 11 were injured while Erdogan watched the attack take place from his chauffeured vehicle, which was parked outside the embassy. Video recordings show that he may have ordered his bodyguards to initiate the assault.
The incident generated outrage from lawmakers both from the Republican and Democratic parties, while the Turkish government blamed the U.S. government and the Washington, D.C. police. Last week, the House unanimously passed a bill condemning the Turkish government over the incident.
Despite the arrest of Yıldırım and second individual, it will be difficult to arrest and punish some of the men from Erdogan’s security detail who are likely protected by diplomatic immunity.
Certain lawmakers have already called for the removal of the Turkish Ambassador and have called on the State Department to halt a planned sale of $1.6 million worth of firearms to Turkish security detail.
Ուաշիկթընի Մէջ Խաղաղ Ցուցարարներու Վրայ Յարձակողներէն Երկուքը Կը Ձերբակալուին
(ԱՍՊԱՐԷԶ) ՈՒԱՇԻՆԿԹԸՆ.- Միացեալ Նահանգներու ոստիկանութիւնը ձերբակալած է Մայիս 16ին թրքական դեսպանատան դիմաց խաղաղ ցոյց կատարողներու վրայ յարձակող երկու թուրք տղամարդ, որոնք ամերիկայի բնակիչներ են:
«Տը Տէյլի Քոլըր»ի վերոնշեալ տեղեկութիւնը փոխանցող աղբիւրը ձերբակալեալներուն ինքնութիւնը չէ բացայայտած:
Մինչ այդ, Ուաշինկթընի մէջ գրասենեակ ունեցող թրքական «Ուաշինկթըն Հաթթի» լրատուական ծառայութիւնը կը յայտնէ, որ ձերբակալեալներէն մէկը՝ շինարարական ընկերութեան մը սեփալականտէր Էյուպ Եըլտիրիմ, Յունիս 14ին կալանուած էր Նիւ Ճըրզիի մէջ:
Ձերբակալուած երկրորդ անձը Վըրճինիայի բնակիչ Սինան Նարինն է:
Եըլտիրիմ տեսերիզով նկարուած է Լուսի Ուսոյեանը ծեծելու ընթացքին: Ծագումով քիւրտ Լուսին հիւանդանոց փոխադրուած էր՝ գլուխէն ստացած հարուածներուն պատճառով:
Ամերիկայի Հայ Դատի յանձնախումբի գործադիր տնօրէն Արամ Համբարեան այս առթիւ յայտնեց. «Մենք անհանգիստ ենք, որովհետեւ ահա մէկ ամիս անցած օտար կառավարութեան գործակալներու կողմէ այս դատապարտելի յարձակումէն եւ տակաւին Էրտողանի թիկնապահները իրենց յանցագործութեան համար չեն մեղադրուած եւ նախագահ Թրամփի վարչակարգը չէ պահանջած Անգարայէն, որ այս յարձակման մասնակիցները զրկէ անձեռնմխելիութենէ»:
Համբարեան շարունակեց՝ ըսելով. «Այս ձերբակալութիւնները լաւ սկիզբ են: Սակայն, այս դէպքը սոսկ յանցագործներ պատժելով կարելի չէ աւարտած նկատել: Ամերիկայի կառավարութիւնը պարտաւոր է կեցուածք ճշդելու, երբ օտար պետութեան մը գործակալները կը փորձեն բիրտ միջոցներով ճնշել ամերիկացի քաղաքացիներու բողոքը: Սպիտակ տան եւ արտաքին գործոց նախարարութեան անգործութիւնը չափազանց անհասկնալի է՝ բացմաթիւ քոնկրեսականներու կողմէ արձանագրուած բողոքի լոյսին տակ»:
ԱՄՆ կոնգրեսականները կոչ են արել արգելել Թուրքիային ատրճանակների վաճառքը
(news.am) ԱՄՆ Կոնգրեսի հայկական հարցերի հանձնաժողովի համանախագահներ Դեյվ Թրոթն ու Ֆրենկ Փալոնեն նամակով դիմել են պետքարտուղարությանը՝ կոչ անելով արգելափակել Թուրքիային ամերիկյան ատրճանակների վաճառքը:
Ամերիկայի Հայ դատի հանձնախումբն էլ ԱՄՆ քաղաքացիներին կոչ է արել դիմել կոնգրեսականներին՝ խնդրելով միանալ նամակին:
Կոնգրեսը գործարքի մասին տեղեկացվել է մայիսի 16-ին Վաշինգտոնում Թուրքիայի դեսպանի նստավայրի մոտ տեղի ունեցած միջադեպի նախօրեին, երբ Թուրքիայի նախագահ Էրդողանի թիկնապահները ծեծի ենթարկեցին խաղաղ ցույցի դուրս եկած մարդկանց: Գործարքի համաձայն՝ ծրագրվում է Թուրքիայի նախագահի անվտանգության դեպարտամենտին 1.2 մլն դոլարի 1.600 ատրճանակ վաճառել:
Հիշեցնենք, որ հունիսի 6-ին ԱՄՆ Կոնգրեսը բանաձեւ է ընդունել՝ դատապարտելով Էրդողանի թիկնապահների գործողությունները: