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The "Trial of Soghomon Tehlirian" was a sensationalized trial of Soghomon Tehlirian for the assassination of the former Grand Vizier Talat Pasha. The assassination was carried out in the Charlottenburg District of Berlin, Germany in broad daylight and in the presence of many witnesses on March 15, 1921.

Defense

Tehlirian was defended by three defence attorneys, including Dr. Kurt Niemeyer, professor of Law at Cologne University.

The defense attorneys made no attempt to deny the fact that Tehlirian had killed a man. They focused on the influence of the Armenian Genocide on Tehlirian's mental state. It took the jury slightly over an hour to render a verdict of "not guilty" on grounds of temporary insanity. Tehlirian was tried and acquitted of all charges by the German court.

The trial examined not only Tehlirian’s actions but also Tehlirian's conviction that Talat Pasha was the main author of the Armenian Genocide, based on the "Talat Pasha telegrams." The Memoirs of Naim Bey (also known as Talat Pasha telegrams) were read by the defense lawyer to the jury; although not introduced as evidence in court (the defense lawyer canceled his motion) they helped acquit Tehlirian.

Significance

The trial was an important influence on Polish lawyer Raphael Lemkin, who found it interesting that while Tehlirian was being tried for killing one man, someone who killed more than a million men could not be brought to justice under the international law of the time.

Art

The Turkish film Blood on the Wall is a highly fictional depiction of the Tehlirian's trial. Near the end of the movie, prior to moment the jury is sent to deliberate the case, Tehlirian is shown confessing before the court that he had killed an innocent man, that is, Talat. After he breaks down in tears, the film shows his mother, who is shown to have survived the Genocide, walking across the courtroom and comforting him; the jury, however, does find him not guilty.

The French film "Mayrig" (1992, dir. Henri Verneuil) depicts Tehlirian (actor Denis Podalydès) and some events related to his trial.

Notes

1. "Trial of Soghomon Tehlirian—First Afternoon". Armeniapedia. Retrieved 2007-02-04. VON GORDON — In view of the position taken by the District Attorney and the effect it has had on the jurors, I would like to cancel my motion to have these telegrams read into the record. PRESIDING JUSTICE — I believe that takes care of this point.
2. Peter, Balakian (2004). The Burning Tigris: The Armenian Genocide and America's Response. New York: Perennial. pp. 344–345. Albeit on grounds of temporary insanity due to the traumatic experience he had gone through during the Genocide
3. Power, Samantha (2003). A Problem from Hell: America and the Age of Genocide. Harper Perennial. p. 17. While Tehlirian awaited trial in Berlin, Raphael Lemkin, a twenty-one- year-old Polish Jew studying linguistics at the University of Lvov, came upon a short news item on Talaat's assassination in the local paper. Lemkin was intrigued and brought the case to the attention of one of his professors. Lemkin asked why the Armenians did not have Talaat arrested for the massacre. The professor said there was no law under which he could be arrested... "It is a crime for Tehlirian to kill a man, but it is not a crime for his oppressor to kill more than a million men?" Lemkin asked. "This is most inconsistent."

References

• Soghomon Tʻēhlirean, 2006, "The Case of Soghomon Tehlirian", by Center for Armenian Remembrance ISBN 0977715310

External links

• Trial of Soghomon Tehlirian
• Killings of the Genocide Criminals - Soghomon Tehleryan

• Armenian Genocide