{"id":17187,"date":"2019-11-13T14:50:51","date_gmt":"2019-11-13T14:50:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ancnews.info\/?p=17187"},"modified":"2019-11-13T14:50:51","modified_gmt":"2019-11-13T14:50:51","slug":"senate-and-house-leaders-slam-turkeys-abuses-at-home-aggression-abroad-on-eve-of-erdogan-trump-white-house-meeting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ancnews.info\/?p=17187","title":{"rendered":"Senate and House Leaders Slam Turkey\u2019s Abuses At Home, Aggression Abroad on Eve of Erdogan-Trump White House Meeting"},"content":{"rendered":"

WASHINGTON, DC \u2013<\/strong> On the eve of a meeting between President Trump and Turkey\u2019s President Erdogan, key Senate and House leaders slammed the White House for welcoming the authoritarian leader, citing Turkey\u2019s repressive policies at home and recent invasion of northern Syria among the long list of Erdogan\u2019s rights abuses, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).<\/p>\n

A consistent theme in Congressional remarks was the Erdogan-ordered beating of peaceful protesters in Washington, DC during his visit in May 2017, with leaders rallying to defend the First Amendment rights of demonstrators who planned to protest at the White House.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a right that has to be protected — that\u2019s the right of Americans to speak freely here in America and not ever feel as though they should be quiet or silenced because of threats and intimidation from a foreign government,\u201d ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian told Washington, DC-National Public Radio affiliate WAMU reporter Daniella Cheslow earlier today. \u201cThe law enforcement authorities are on notice and the world is watching.\u201d<\/p>\n

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The ANCA is teaming up with the Hellenic American Leadership Council (HALC), American Hellenic Educational and Progressive Association (AHEPA), American Hellenic Institute, In Defense of Christians, Armenian Youth Federation and American Rojava Center for Democracy for the White House protest timed with the Erdogan-Trump meeting. The protest will begin at 11:30 am and will continue through approximately 4:00pm, after which it will proceed to Sheridan Circle, the site of May 2017, attacks by Erdogan\u2019s security detail and supporters. The Trump-Erdogan meeting schedule, released earlier this evening, is available here:<\/p>\n

Sen. Robert Menendez: 10 Critical Questions that Turkey has Yet to Address<\/strong><\/span>
\nSenate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Democrat Robert Menendez (D-NJ) \u2013 for the second time in two weeks \u2013 took to the Senate Floor highlighting 10 issues that should be prominent in the Erdogan-Trump meeting, including Turkey\u2019s purchase of the Russian-made S-400 Air Defense System, the commission of war crimes in Syria by Turkish backed forces, Turkey\u2019s occupation of Cyprus, violation of Greek airspace, and efforts to turn the Hagia Sophia Greek church into a mosque. Sen. Menendez also called special attention to the 2017 Erdogan-ordered attack on peaceful protesters, calling for the extradition of Erdogan\u2019s security guards responsible for the attack. \u201cWhile Erdogan may not believe in the right of peaceful protests in his home country, but I hope that Erdogan learns his lesson that here in the United States, the right to peaceful assembly is enshrined in our constitution and core to our democracy, and I hope that President Trump clearly reminds them of this fact,\u201d said Sen. Menendez.<\/p>\n

Video of Sen. Menendez\u2019s remarks is available here:
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