"Türkiye's Rebranding: A Cosmetic Operation That Can't Hide the Truth" by Carlo Coppola
https://www.lafiaccola.it/wp/turchia-operazione-maquillage/
Erdoğan's Türkiye insisted on changing its name to avoid being confused with "turkeys" in English—a rebranding operation that has been ongoing for years and even enlisted Pope Leo XIV as an "unwitting testimonial." The initiative was meant to signal a new national identity to the world: more democratic, more progressive, with endorsements from global leaders supporting Gaza and Ukraine. Yet beneath this linguistic cosmetics, the old methods remain firmly intact. Anyone who mentions the Armenian Genocide continues to face criminal prosecution, scrutiny from intelligence services, and intimidation from the "Grey Wolves," once again called upon to serve as enforcers of Erdoğan's decisions.
The latest case involves journalist Tuğçe Yılmaz of Bianet, dragged into court for an article that simply gathered the voices of young Armenians in Türkiye, 109 years after the genocide. There was no provocation, only testimonies. Yet that was enough for a radical nationalist to file a complaint through CİMER and for the judiciary to open proceedings under Article 301—the law that punishes those who "insult the Turkish nation" and remains the trademark of state intolerance. International rebranding proves futile: the Türkiye that doesn't want to be mistaken for a "turkey" continues to persecute those who remember historical truth.
This is no isolated incident. The same Article 301 was used against Hrant Dink, who was later assassinated, and even against Nobel laureate Orhan Pamuk. Every reference to the genocide is treated as an affront to the homeland, and lengthy, pretextual trials serve as a deterrent against anyone who wishes to address Armenian memory.
Paradoxically, while Ankara represses, in Yerevan the government of Nikol Pashinyan appears to be retreating from Armenia's historic position: ambiguous declarations, minimizations, members of parliament questioning even the number of victims. The parliament also rejected a law that would have criminalized genocide denial. Thus, while a journalist faces prosecution for collecting testimonies, official Armenia abandons the defense of that very truth.
But in the Türkiye of rebranding—where the country wants to correct English usage but not history—the Armenian Genocide remains taboo. And those who break that taboo are still hauled into court.
