Yerevan/Mediamax/. During the hearings of “Perincek v. Switzerland” case on Armenian Genocide denial at the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), barrister Amal Clooney representing Armenia accused Turkey of hypocrisy on freedom of speech.

The hearings of “Perincek v. Switzerland” case took place at the ECHR on January 28. Armenia is involved in it as a third party.

Speaking at the ECHR, Amal Clooney said that Turkey's stance was hypocritical "because of its disgraceful record on freedom of expression”, including prosecutions of Turkish-Armenians who campaign for the1915 massacres to be called a genocide.

Amal Clooney noted that being involved in the case as a third party Armenia in no way aims to limit free speech or historical debate.

“Armenia is not here to argue against freedom of expression anymore than Turkey is here to defend it. This court knows very well how disgraceful Turkey’s record on freedom of expression is. You have found against the Turkish government in 224 separate cases on freedom of expression grounds”, said the barrister.

Amal Clooney submitted undeniable evidence of the Armenian Genocide to the ECHR judges, including Ottoman Empire admissions of war crimes. In her speech, she also recalled Editor-in-Chief of “Agos” Dink who was assassinated in Istanbul in 2007.

“Armenia has every interest in ensuring that its own citizens do not get caught in a net that criminalizes speech too broadly. As the family of Hrant Dink knows about all too well,” she said.

In March 2007, Turkish nationalist Dogu Perincek was the first to be found guilty of Armenian Genocide denial in Switzerland. He used to describe Armenian Genocide an “international lie” and the Switzerland-Armenia Association filed a criminal complaint against him accusing of racial discrimination.

“Perincek v. Switzerland” case has been in court for nine years,

Armenia's Prosecutor General Gevorg Kostanyan, who also represents Armenia at the ECHR, petitioned the ECHR in 2014, requesting that Armenia act as a third party in the case.

Turkey also acts as third party in “Perincek v. Switzerland” case.

In March 2014, Mediamax gave a detailed account of “Perincek v. Switzerland” case and its possible implications for Armenia. The article is available here.