Defend Garo Paylan: The Armenian National Committee of America Issues a Call

The Armenian National Committee of America has made a post on its Facebook page with the hashtag #ProtectPaylan, calling for the protection of Garo Paylan, a member of the Turkish Parliament of Armenian descent, who is under threat of losing parliamentary immunity.

“Inform Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and the State Department that the Turkish government intends to (once again) strip parliamentarians, including @GaroPaylan (who belongs to the #ArmenianHeritage), of their immunity. Write on Twitter to:

• Amnesty International @amnesty
• Human Rights Watch @hrw
• The U.S. State Department – Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor @StateDRL

,” the ANCA statement reads.

Previously, Turkish media reported that the Turkish Ministry of Interior has submitted a request to revoke the parliamentary immunity of nine opposition members, including Garo Paylan, on charges related to the 2014 street protests. If the procedure ends with the revocation of immunity, Paylan could face a judicial investigation.