Armenian-Americans Sue Turkey Over Century-Old Slaughter

The Turkish government and two big Turkish banks are being sued by the American descendants of Armenians who were killed or forced out of Turkey between 1915 and 1919. The class action lawsuit filed in federal court in California charges that Turkish officials are responsible for the deaths of more than 1 million Armenians in massacres, concentration camps, and forced marches.

The suit seeks billions in compensation for property seized from Armenians as they were forced out of the Ottoman Empire, although attorney Mark Geragos says the main issue is forcing Turkey to recognize its role in the slaughter. "All of the lawyers involved have relatives who perished or fled the Armenian genocide, which gives it a special poignancy for us," he tells the AP.
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