Impunity Leads to More Crimes Against Humanity, Spanish Lawmaker Says

“The international community should have a strong and principled stance in line with international law and human rights. The recognition of the Armenian Genocide isn’t just a matter of historical justice, but a moral imperative. Furthermore, comprehensive pressure must be exerted on Turkiye to open its archives, assume responsibility and head towards full and unequivocal recognition. Sustainable peace can be built only through truth,” Inarritu added.

The Spanish legislator said it would take a deep transformation of culture and identity for Turkiye to acknowledge the Armenian Genocide. He pointed out Germany facing its own past in terms of the Holocaust.

“Recognition would require a deep cultural transformation, a transformation of identity. Germany facing its own past after the Holocaust is a strong example: Only when the society sincerely faces its history can it begin a true democratic evolution. In case of Turkiye this would mean dismantling the fundamental nationalism based on denial. It requires the Turkish civil society, especially the younger generation, to reconcile with the fact that in the final years of the Ottoman Empire more than 1,5 million Armenians, as well as other Christian minorities like the Assyrians and Pontic Greeks, were systematically exterminated. This is not about reopening the wounds, but recognizing these wounds in order to heal them,” he said.

Nonetheless, according to the Spanish legislator, such a recognition by present-day Turkiye, which in his words has a political environment formed as a result of “authoritarianism, political Islam and neo-Ottoman” histories, is unlikely in short-term.

“Nevertheless, I hope that with time another Turkiye will emerge, more democratic, more pluralistic and more ready, to face its history without fear,” Inarritu said.

He also spoke about the Armenia-Turkiye normalization process and the possible impact of the Armenian Genocide on the dialogue.