As we approach April 24th, International Lawyer Karnig Kerkonian, a seasoned expert, vehemently opposes the proposed verification lists of Armenian Genocide victims suggested by a parliamentarian in Pashinyan’s government. Kerkonian describes this concept as ‘degrading’ and ‘denialist,’ noting that compiling lists mimics tactics used historically by genocide deniers, which only serves to desecrate the unmarked graves of our ancestors. Such measures, he warns, threaten to divide our people on a day meant for unified remembrance and resilience. Kerkonian proposes instead expanding the list of those who undermine the truth of the Armenian Genocide and our dignity.
This government initiative is seen by genocide experts as ‘very dangerous,’ recalling Turkey’s long-standing advocacy for such lists to downplay the Genocide, falsely claiming only about 300,000 ethnic Armenians died. Despite this, over three dozen countries, including the United States, France, and Russia, officially recognize the Armenian Genocide, with the U.S. President annually reaffirming this stance. Experts argue that the full accounting of victims is impossible, given the Ottoman Empire’s record-keeping practices, and emphasize that genocide fundamentally seeks the destruction of a group, regardless of the exact numbers.
Watch the full commentary by Karnig Kerkonian, an international lawyer educated at Harvard, Cambridge and the University of Chicago, as he discusses the implications of this proposal on the eve of our national commemoration.
