Swiss case in Perinçek appeal rests on protecting public peace

Switzerland has defended the grounds for its anti-racism laws in the appeal of the case regarding Doğu Perinçek, a Turkish politician convicted for denying the 1915 Armenian massacre was genocide. During the a hearing on Wednesday at the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), the Swiss delegation maintained that the argument used to convict Perinçek under anti-racism laws was intended to protect the public peace and was not a reflection on specific definitions of historic events. For his part, the 72-year-old defendant and president of the Turkish Workers’ Party, argued before the Strasbourg-based court that his right to free speech was violated when Swiss tribunals convicted him in 2007. The panel of judges is set to deliberate the case behind closed doors over the next few weeks. A ruling is expected “at a later stage,” according to a court press release. Court history In his 2005 speech, Perinçek called the genocide an “international lie”. The Armenians, ...