The Turkish Armenian community is in the spotlight because of the approaching anniversary of the 1915 mass killings that Turkey does not recognize as a genocide. Melih Gokcek, the controversial mayor of Ankara, made headlines when he sued a Turkish Armenian journalist for insult after he jokingly called Gokcek "Armenian." Recently, a senior adviser of the prime minister, Turkish Armenian journalist Etyen Mahcupyan, claimed that he "feels Ottoman rather than Armenian." He got a prompt reaction by arguably the most popular Turk of Armenian ancestry.
Referring to the way the president excused himself when uttering the word “Armenian,” rock musician Hayko Cepkin tweeted: “RTE [Erdogan's initials]: ‘I beg your pardon, Armenians,’ having Etyen Mahcupyan as an example. If this was the case, I take no offense.” He later explained that he usually keeps his distance from controversies, but this time he felt compelled to say something.
Cepkin is an accomplished artist, incredibly popular in Turkey but also in Germany, Britain, the Netherlands and even in Japan. Before a recent concert in Ankara, Al-Monitor interviewed him.
The full text of the interview follows:
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