The Friends of Hrant Dink are please to present the 2025 lecturer
Garo Paylan
Leading opposition voice and a prominent human rights defender in Turkey
Watch video of this event on Youtube.
Garo Paylan is a leading opposition voice and a prominent human rights defender in Turkey.
He served in the Turkish Parliament for eight years, from 2015 to June 2023, and is internationally recognized for his dedication to democracy and minority rights in Turkey, as well as his advocacy for peace in the South Caucasus.
Paylan was one of the very few Armenians ever elected to the Turkish Parliament and the first lawmaker to propose an amendment for the recognition of the Armenian Genocide in Turkey. Throughout his tenure, he consistently emphasized the need for Turkey to confront this historic tragedy, despite facing legal prosecution for his proposals and statements.
As a vocal critic of discrimination, Paylan has drawn attention to abuses against Turkey’s Christian and Jewish minorities, using his platform to advocate for the rights of all minority communities.
Before entering Parliament, Paylan served as a coordinator for Armenian schools in Turkey. He was a founding member of the "Friends of Hrant Dink," a group dedicated to seeking justice for the 2007 murder of the Armenian journalist. He was also among the organizers of the commemorations for the Armenian Genocide.
Widely regarded as one of Turkey’s foremost advocates for democracy, Paylan has received several international awards for his work in promoting democratic values.
He is currently a visiting scholar with the Europe Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington, DC, where his research focuses on the South Caucasus and Turkey.
Sponsor: Hrant Dink Memorial CMES Fund
Contact: Liz Flanagan