Mayor Zohran Mamdani, New York City Hall July 20, 2026
Dear Mayor Mamdani,
I write to express my strong protest regarding the amended New York City Immigrant Map, which fails to recognize the longstanding presence of the Turkish American community in Sunnyside, Brooklyn, and Staten Island. This omission is deeply disappointing and does not reflect the historical and cultural reality of New York City.
For decades, Turkish Americans have built businesses, raised families, contributed to the economy, served in public service, supported local schools, and enriched the cultural fabric of our city. Thousands of Turkish Americans have made these neighborhoods their home, helping strengthen the diverse character that New York proudly celebrates. Excluding our community sends the wrong message that our contributions are somehow less worthy of acknowledgment than those of other immigrant communities.
An immigrant map should be based on documented community presence and historical accuracy, not selective recognition. The absence of Turkish Americans from Sunnyside, Brooklyn, and Staten Island undermines the credibility of a project intended to celebrate New York’s diversity. Every community that has made meaningful contributions deserves fair and equal representation.
I respectfully urge your administration to review this omission, consult with Turkish American community organizations and local leaders, and amend the map to include the Turkish American communities of Sunnyside, Brooklyn, and Staten Island. Recognition is not a privilege it is a matter of fairness, accuracy, and respect for the generations of Turkish Americans who have helped build this great city.
I look forward to your prompt attention and to a correction that ensures the amended NYC Immigrant Map truly reflects the diversity of all New Yorkers.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani a Hypocrite : Muslim Lives Does Matter.
Mr. Mamdani, Let me remind you that on July 11, 2026 the world paused to remember one of the clearest and most thoroughly documented genocides in modern history. Mayor Zohran Mamdani, your silence on this solemn day speaks volumes and warrants serious reflection.
On July 11, as thousands gather at the Bosnia and Herzegovina , Srebrenica-Potočari Memorial Centre, ten more victims of the 1995 Srebrenica genocide are finally laid to rest. Many were young men whose mothers waited in vain for their sons, wives for their husbands, and children for fathers who would never return.
More than 8,372 Bosnian Muslim men and boys were systematically murdered solely because they were Muslim and identity. This was not merely the opinion of activists or self described scholars. The genocide at Srebrenica was formally recognized by both the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) after extensive judicial proceedings, evidence, witness testimony, and legal scrutiny.
Yet you have chosen to remain silent on this proven genocide while publicly promoting recognition of the so-called Armenian genocide a historical claim that has never been adjudicated and established as genocide by an international court through a comparable judicial process.
That inconsistency raises legitimate questions. If your commitment to human rights is genuine, why acknowledge one historical so call claim while failing to recognize another that has been conclusively established by international courts as a proven Genocide? Human rights cannot be selective, and the memory of innocent victims should never depend on political convenience.
July 11th we remember the victims of Srebrenica, stand with our Muslim brother and people of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and reaffirm that justice requires consistency. The world honors the truth established by law, not political expediency. Victims of genocide deserve equal remembrance, equal dignity, and equal moral courage from those who seek public office.
Letter to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s Closest Ally – Mr. Ali Najmi
Mr. Ali Najmi The Law Office of Ali Najmi 32 Broadway Suite 1310 New York, NY 10004
April 4, 2026
Dear Mr. Najmi,
At the outset let me ask: Are Christian Armenian lives more precious than the 2. 5 million Muslim lives to you and Mr. Mamdani that were killed / lost in World War 1 ?
I acknowledge your recent remarks concerning my position on the characterization of the events of 1915- World War 1, as well as the references made to my professional background. I respond to clarify the issues raised and to ensure the discussion remains grounded in principle, law, and evidentiary standards rather than insinuation.
During our text messaging Sunday April 26, 2026 , rather than engaging with the facts, Mr. Najmi, you have chosen to rely on personal diversions that have no bearing on the historical and legal questions at hand. This approach prioritizes personal antagonism over evidence-based debate. I maintain that this discussion should be guided by judicially tested evidence and documentation, rather than irrelevant personal attacks.
The central issue is not whether history can be studied or discussed by scholars, but whether the legal classification of grave international crimes such as genocide can be definitively established outside a competent judicial process. In my view, such determinations properly fall within the jurisdiction of established legal bodies, including international courts and tribunals or competent human rights mechanisms. Scholarly interpretation, particularly when selective or ideologically driven, should not substitute for formal legal adjudication where such serious legal characterizations are concerned. A determination of genocide requires rigorous evidentiary review, adversarial testing, and cross examination within an appropriate judicial framework.
Sir, it is important to separate historical inquiry from legal adjudication. While historians may contribute to contextual understanding, legal determinations of this magnitude are ultimately the responsibility of impartial tribunals. This distinction is fundamental to the integrity of international law.
Sir, no one disputes that the early 20th century was marked by immense human suffering across multiple communities during the collapse of the Ottoman Empire and the First World War. This includes significant losses experienced by 2.5 million Muslims as well as Armenians and others. A balanced historical understanding must acknowledge all such suffering without selective omission. The legal argument advanced here is often misunderstood. The absence of the 1948 Genocide Convention at the time of the events in question does not preclude accountability under international law.
Indeed, precedents such as the Nuremberg Trials demonstrate that mass atrocities were prosecuted as crimes against humanity under existing principles of international law. Furthermore, later international tribunals, including those for Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia, confirm that judicial mechanisms are routinely established after the fact to determine responsibility based on evidence and due process.
Armenian Prime Minister Pashinyan January 24, 2025, during a meeting with members of the Armenian diaspora in Zurich, Switzerland. said ” How is it that there was no agenda for the Armenian Genocide in 1939, and how is it that the agenda for the Armenian Genocide appeared in 1950? How did it happen?”
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon April 16, 2015 said “Armenian deaths during World War I were not genocide”
U.S. Supreme Court Rejects Armenian Allegations.
European Court of Human Rights, ECHR on December 17, 2013 (Perincek vs Switzerland) that the events of 1915 cannot be proven to be genocide or compared to Jewish Holocaust.
The continued efforts by segments of the Armenian diaspora to advance interpretations of history that Türkiye considers inaccurate have long been a matter of concern. In this context, Türkiye’s 2005 proposal to establish a joint historical commission with Armenia remains unfulfilled. If the evidentiary basis is as clear as asserted, engagement with such an initiative would seem constructive.
Perhaps, Mr. Najmi and Mr. Mamdani, might consider taking a leading role in pursuing a legal avenue to definitively clarify the matter at the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), International Criminal Court (ICC), International Court of Justice (ICJ) an effort that could, in your view, bring resolution and recognition to the Armenian position. You or Mr. Mamdani can Mr. Najmi become a hero to the Armenians.
Mr Najmi, Are Christian Armenian lives more precious than the 2.5 million Muslim lives to you and
Mr. Mamdani that were killed in World War 1
Mr. Najmi, I am quite curious as to why you think that I, and many others in my position, do not deserve a right you so readily claim for yourself ?
Finally, attempts to resolve or prejudge such deeply contested historical and legal issues outside of proper judicial forums risk undermining both legal standards and constructive dialogue. For that reason only competent international judicial bodies not selectively curated scholarly consensus or politically motivated narratives are appropriate forums for definitive legal determinations of genocide.
Also, Using of the outdated term “Turkey” in official communication is a insult to a honorable people and Nation. The nation has formally adopted the name “Republic of Türkiye,” which has been recognized by the United Nations and numerous international bodies. Addressing countries by their chosen names is a basic element of diplomatic respect and cultural decency. Mr. Mamdani should, get it right !
Accordingly, I respectfully decline to accept the characterization set forth in your statement and that of Mr. Mamdani.
Until a verdict of genocide can be reached by a “competent tribunal ” after “due process” where both sides of the conflict are properly represented and evidence cross examined, the term genocide should be preceded by the qualifier “alleged”.
WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS NOW IS TRUTH AND HONESTY, NOT SELECTIVE MORALITY.
Respectfully,
Ibrahim Kurtulus
Community Activist
From: EMI P Date: Thu, May 7, 2026 at 3:43 AM
Back page of the French daily Le Petit Journal, dated 24 November1896 (Armenians attacking a mosque):
