ABM Press release – imprisoned Arameans 2020-0109

Press Release 9 January 2020

Three Aramean men falsely imprisoned by
Turkish Government

Enschede, 9 January 2020 – Today three Aramean men from different villages in Tur
Abdin (South East Turkey) were arrested by the military government of Turkey. They
are most probably falsely accused of aiding the Kurdish terrorist organization PKK.
The men are Monk Raban Aho Belican from the monastery Mor Yacoub d’Karné,
Yusef Yar the mayor of Arkach and Musa Tastekin from Sederi all living in the area of
Turo d’Izlo. They have been taken into custody in the police station of Arkach and later
today they were transferred to the provincial capital of Mardin where they are still in
prison. We ask the international community to demand from the authorities of Turkey
the direct release of these three innocent man.

For decades Aramean Christians are persecuted and discriminated for they ethnicity and
religion. Most of them have left their homeland despite the enormous historical value of this
region to Arameans. Nowadays only three thousand Arameans are living in Tur Abdin
whereas in the seventies there were hundreds of thousands of them.

In recent years the Aramaic inhabitants of Tur Abdin have been victims of harassments,
threats and persecution by the Turkish government, Kurdish nationalists and Islamic
fundamentalists.

Note for the press:
For questions you can contact xxx
Aziz Beth Aho – chairman ABM