Cyprus became the fourth European country after Switzerland, Slovakia and Greece to criminalize the denial of the Armenian Genocide by the Turks in 1915. The move came after the Cyprus’ House of Representatives amended a 2011 bill on genocide denial and crimes against humanity on Thursday. House President Yiannakis Omirou called it a historic day as the vote restored a “historical truth”. There had been lobbying against the bill by some diplomatic circles.

Meanwhile, in the United States, Prime Minister Barack Obama is being called to reaffirm the Armenian Genocide this April. A letter sent to the White House last week underscored the urgent need to properly honor victims of the genocide. The letter notes:  “While the United States Congress has a long history of support for the victims and the memory of the Armenian Genocide, the Administration has not formally recognized the atrocities that were perpetrated against the Armenians as ‘genocide’”.