Genocide
Last updated: June 11, 2026
The Armenian Genocide of 1915 represents one of history’s first systematic mass killings of a civilian population, in which Ottoman Turkish forces and local militias killed approximately 1.5 million Armenians and displaced hundreds of thousands more from their ancestral homelands in Anatolia. Perpetrators used massacres, deportations into desert conditions, and starvation as deliberate instruments of elimination. Survivors scattered across the globe, establishing diaspora communities in the Middle East, Europe, North America, and beyond. Turkey has denied the genocide for over a century, refusing to acknowledge the Ottoman state’s intent to destroy the Armenian people, a position that shapes contemporary Turkish-Armenian relations and regional politics. Genocide denial remains an official Turkish state policy backed by legal penalties in Turkey itself for those who acknowledge the historical record, complicating efforts toward Turkish-Armenian normalization and historical justice.
The ethnic cleansing of Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh) in September 2023 displaced more than 150,000 Armenian inhabitants from the enclave in a matter of hours, following Azerbaijan’s 24-hour military offensive on September 19–20, 2023. Unlike the 44-Day War of 2020, which ended in a ceasefire with Russian peacekeepers deployed, the 2023 operation resulted in complete displacement of the Armenian population and the effective erasure of Armenian self-governance in a territory that had been ethnically Armenian for centuries. Azerbaijan’s destruction of Christian heritage sites, including damage to the Stepanakert Cathedral documented in early 2026, compounds the physical and cultural dimension of the cleansing. The international community, including Western governments and human rights organizations, provided minimal diplomatic pressure or consequences for the displacement, contrasting sharply with rhetoric regarding other contemporary conflicts. Through works like photographer Erhan Arik’s Horovel project and the documentary Ojakh: On the Other Side of Silence, artists and documentarians have recorded the personal stakes of Armenian memory and continuity—capturing testimony from elderly Armenians whose families originated from historic Armenian regions and reflecting on how identity and community persist despite rupture and loss.
The concept of genocide denial has become inseparable from Armenian political consciousness. Turkey’s refusal to acknowledge the 1915 genocide shapes the terms on which Armenia negotiates peace with Azerbaijan and Turkey, as recognition remains a precondition for many Armenians and diaspora organizations seeking justice and historical truth. The speed and completeness of the 2023 displacement from Artsakh has prompted scholars and Armenian analysts to assess whether the term genocide applies to the 2023 events, a question with legal, moral, and political dimensions. Arthur Martirosyan examined in January 2026 the long-term consequences of the Baku pogroms, connecting historical violence to ongoing patterns of threat and displacement. Whether international law will address either the 1915 genocide or the 2023 cleansing through accountability mechanisms remains uncertain, leaving Armenia in a position where historical memory and contemporary survival are bound to geopolitical outcomes beyond Armenian control.
Groong episodes that include this tag
Below are all Groong episodes tagged with Genocide.
Live from Aghavno with Alison Tahmizian Meuse | Ep #151 - Aug 7, 2022 [EP151]
Posted on Sunday, Aug 7, 2022 | Category: Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Armenia, Politics, Russia, Iran, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Georgia, Israel, Genocide, NATO | Series: cog
This is a live recording of our Twitter Spaces discussion from August 7, 2022 with Alison Tahmizian Meuse who joined us from Aghavno.
The situation in Berdzor/Aghavno is quite concerning as residents were told to vacate their homes, their town and their homeland by August 25.
Guest: Alison Tahmizian Meuse
Guest(s):
Hosts:
- Hovik Manucharyan TW/@HovikYerevan
- Asbed Bedrossian TW/@qubriq
Episode 151 | Recorded on August 7, 2022
Live from Aghavno with Alison Tahmizian Meuse | Ep #151 - Aug 7, 2022 [EP151]
Posted on Sunday, Aug 7, 2022 | Category: Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Armenia, Politics, Russia, Iran, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Georgia, Israel, Genocide, NATOThis is a live recording of our Twitter Spaces discussion from August 7, 2022 with Alison Tahmizian Meuse who joined us from Aghavno.
The situation in Berdzor/Aghavno is quite concerning as residents were told to vacate their homes, their town and their homeland by August 25.
Guest: Alison Tahmizian Meuse
Guest(s):
Hosts:
- Hovik Manucharyan TW/@HovikYerevan
- Asbed Bedrossian TW/@qubriq
Episode 151 | Recorded on August 7, 2022
Tehran 2022 | Normalization | EU-Azerbaijan Gas Deal | Personae Non Grata | Ep #149 - July 31, 2022 [EP149]
Posted on Tuesday, Aug 2, 2022 | Category: Armenia, Russia, Iran, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Syria, Genocide, China, India, Israel, Lebanon, Economy, Human Rights | Series: wir
Guest(s):
ANN/Groong Week in Review - July 31, 2022
Topics:
- Tehran 2022 Trilateral Summit
- âNormalizationâ or Pax Turkiana?
- EU - Azerbaijan gas deal
- Diaspora Personae Non-Grata
Guests:
- Yeghia Tashjian - TW/@yeghig
Host:
- Asbed Bedrossian TW/@qubriq
Episode 149 | Recorded: Monday, July 31, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220731.html
Tehran 2022 | Normalization | EU-Azerbaijan Gas Deal | Personae Non Grata | Ep #149 - July 31, 2022 [EP149]
Posted on Tuesday, Aug 2, 2022 | Category: Armenia, Russia, Iran, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Syria, Genocide, China, India, Israel, Lebanon, Economy, Human RightsGuest(s):
ANN/Groong Week in Review - July 31, 2022
Topics:
- Tehran 2022 Trilateral Summit
- âNormalizationâ or Pax Turkiana?
- EU - Azerbaijan gas deal
- Diaspora Personae Non-Grata
Guests:
- Yeghia Tashjian - TW/@yeghig
Host:
- Asbed Bedrossian TW/@qubriq
Episode 149 | Recorded: Monday, July 31, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220731.html
Tevan Poghosyan: CIA in EVN | Armen Grigoryan | Papazian Banned | FMs Meet | Ep #148 - July 17, 2022 [EP148]
Posted on Wednesday, Jul 20, 2022 | Category: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Iran, Turkey, Human Rights, Syria, Genocide, Middle East, Ukraine, Nagorno Karabakh, NATO, European Union | Series: wir
Guest(s):
Armenian News Network/Groong Week in Review - July 17, 2022
Topics:
- 00:00:00 Introduction
- 00:02:30 CIA Chief in Armenia
- 00:18:26 Army Chief Appointed
- 00:30:41 Armen Grigoryan Dies in Court
- 00:45:14 Mourad Papazian is Denied Entry in Armenia
- 00:57:04 Bayramov and Mirzoyan in Tbilisi
- 01:06:11 Rants
Guests:
- Tevan Poghosyan - TW/@TevanPoghosyan
Host:
- Hovik Manucharyan TW/@HovikYerevan
- Asbed Bedrossian TW/@qubriq
Episode 148 | Recorded: Monday, July 19, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220717.html
Tevan Poghosyan: CIA in EVN | Armen Grigoryan | Papazian Banned | FMs Meet | Ep #148 - July 17, 2022 [EP148]
Posted on Wednesday, Jul 20, 2022 | Category: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Iran, Turkey, Human Rights, Syria, Genocide, Middle East, Ukraine, Nagorno Karabakh, NATO, European UnionGuest(s):
Armenian News Network/Groong Week in Review - July 17, 2022
Topics:
- 00:00:00 Introduction
- 00:02:30 CIA Chief in Armenia
- 00:18:26 Army Chief Appointed
- 00:30:41 Armen Grigoryan Dies in Court
- 00:45:14 Mourad Papazian is Denied Entry in Armenia
- 00:57:04 Bayramov and Mirzoyan in Tbilisi
- 01:06:11 Rants
Guests:
- Tevan Poghosyan - TW/@TevanPoghosyan
Host:
- Hovik Manucharyan TW/@HovikYerevan
- Asbed Bedrossian TW/@qubriq
Episode 148 | Recorded: Monday, July 19, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220717.html
A Conversation with Ardy Kassakhian, Mayor of Glendale, California | Ep #147 - July 14, 2022 [EP147]
Posted on Thursday, Jul 14, 2022 | Category: Armenia, Turkey, Ukraine, Artsakh, Iran, Genocide, Azerbaijan, Israel, Lebanon, Middle East, Syria, Economy, Russia, Nagorno Karabakh | Series: cog
Armenian News Network/Groong: Current Topics with the Mayor of Glendale - July 14, 2022 A Conversation with Ardy Kassakhian
Topics:
- 00:00 Introduction
- 01:33 Mayor and Councilman of Glendale
- 21:45 June 2022 Elections
- 29:03 US National Politics
- 37:43 Armenian-American Political Advocacy
- 53:55 Turkish-Armenian âNormalizationâ
- 58:00 Relations between Glendale and Armenia
Guest:
- Ardashes ‘Ardy’ Kassakhian is a Glendale City Councilman and the current mayor of Glendale.
Guest(s):
Hosts:
- Asbed Bedrossian TW/@qubriq
- Hovik Manucharyan TW/@hovikyerevan
Episode
Read MoreA Conversation with Ardy Kassakhian, Mayor of Glendale, California | Ep #147 - July 14, 2022 [EP147]
Posted on Thursday, Jul 14, 2022 | Category: Armenia, Turkey, Ukraine, Artsakh, Iran, Genocide, Azerbaijan, Israel, Lebanon, Middle East, Syria, Economy, Russia, Nagorno KarabakhArmenian News Network/Groong: Current Topics with the Mayor of Glendale - July 14, 2022 A Conversation with Ardy Kassakhian
Topics:
- 00:00 Introduction
- 01:33 Mayor and Councilman of Glendale
- 21:45 June 2022 Elections
- 29:03 US National Politics
- 37:43 Armenian-American Political Advocacy
- 53:55 Turkish-Armenian âNormalizationâ
- 58:00 Relations between Glendale and Armenia
Guest:
- Ardashes ‘Ardy’ Kassakhian is a Glendale City Councilman and the current mayor of Glendale.
Guest(s):
Hosts:
- Asbed Bedrossian TW/@qubriq
- Hovik Manucharyan TW/@hovikyerevan
Episode
Read More
Guest(s):
The Armenian Diaspora Survey - July 9, 2022
Topics:
- What is the ArmenianDiasporaSurvey.com?
- Survey Resources
- Survey Objectives and Benefits
- Why Diaspora Armenians should take the Survey
Guests:
- Sedda Antekelian is a Learning and Development Specialist at the USC Shoah Foundation Institute and a doctoral student in USC Rossier’s Global Executive Doctor of Education program.
- Gegham Mughnetsyan is the Chitjian Researcher Archivist at the USC Dornsife Institute of Armenian Studies, and a specialist in International Affairs, focusing on