Sevak Nazarian: Turkey must be brought to its knees to recognize the Armenian Genocide

This year, the torchlight procession will kick off from Republic Square at 7:15 p.m., Sevak Nazarian, Representative of the ARF-D Central Committee, told Alpha News.

“For the last 2–3 years, the torchlight procession has been starting from Republic Square. In the past, it started from Freedom Square for many years, but considering the importance and scale of the event, it is starting from Republic Square for the third consecutive year. This year, it will be on April 23 at 7:15 p.m. The route will be along Amiryan-Mashtots-Baghramyan-Kievyan streets to Tsitsernakaberd hill. I call on everyone to join the march,” Nazarian said.

He emphasized that Turkey must be held accountable for the genocidal policy that it continues to pursue even today.

“The torchlight procession took place for the first time in 1999. At that time, taking into account that after the long years of silence in the Soviet Union, we had achieved independence, there was a need to reevaluate the Armenian Genocide and the Armenian Cause. If April 24 had already been marked as a day of remembrance, respect, and mourning, then there was a need to clearly define our political demand. April 23 is exactly the day when Armenians should raise the torch of demand in Tsitsernakaberd. It can be said that this is a tribute to the memory of our 1.5 million martyrs because the Genocide is actually a political act. It was a political act by Turkey to exterminate the Armenian people and implement the ideology of Turkism. Therefore, the retribution and responsibility for this should also be political.

This is exactly our demand. Today’s Turkey must be held accountable for its policy of denial and genocidal policy that it continues to pursue with its fraternal Azerbaijan. There is a way to stop all this: Turkey must be brought to its knees to recognize the Armenian Genocide and pay for all its sins. April 23 is the day of this demand,” Nazarian concluded.