Unacknowledged Atrocities: The Armenian Genocide

The first genocide of the twentieth century is ironically the most overlooked in modern history. During World War I and the years following, an estimated 1.5 million Armenians were killed at the hands of the Ottoman Empire. Many scholars and historians, to the dismay of the Turkish government, have categorized the deportations and annihilation of the minority Christian Armenians as genocide. 95 years since it transpire, the issue regarding the recognition of the Armenian Genocide remains a very contentious situation. The Turkish government to this day goes through great lengths to deny such an event even took place, thereby leaving the Armenian communities in grievance. This piece examines the historical background behind the Armenian case and ascertains that genocide did in fact occur. In order to do this, the work analyzes the development of a working definition for the concept of genocide by looking at explanations deriving from scholars, international instruments, and ad hoc courts. Finally, the article then expresses the necessity behind recognizing the genocide, not just for the Armenians but for international law in general.

Autorentext

Alex Nejadian has completed his MA in International Law and Human Rights at the United Nations University for Peace. He has worked for multiple years on human rights and development projects in Latin America. Alex is currently working for a think-tank in Armenia researching human rights cases.