Genocide Recognition Needs Justice, Says Spanish MP

Genocide Recognition Insufficient Without Justice Mechanisms, Says Spanish MP Jon Iñarritu – 2025

Jon Iñarritu, a Member of the Spanish Parliament, has shared his perspective on the significance of recognizing the Armenian Genocide and the responsibilities that should accompany it. In an interview with an Armenpress correspondent, MP Iñarritu conveyed his conviction that merely acknowledging the historical fact of the Genocide is not enough to fully address the legacy of the crime and prevent future atrocities.

Recognition Must Be Coupled with Effective Mechanisms

According to Jon Iñarritu, for the recognition of the Armenian Genocide to have its true and necessary impact, it must be coupled with concrete and effective actions. He specifically stated his conviction that recognition “must be accompanied by effective mechanisms for prevention, accountability, and restorative justice.” This emphasizes a multi-faceted approach that goes beyond symbolic acknowledgment. “Prevention” mechanisms would aim to identify and counter the warning signs of potential future genocides and mass atrocities. “Accountability” would focus on ensuring that perpetrators of genocide are held responsible for their crimes, establishing legal consequences for such actions. “Restorative justice” would seek to address the harm caused to the victims and their descendants, potentially involving measures aimed at rehabilitation, restitution, or other forms of redress. MP Iñarritu’s view is that implementing these mechanisms is essential if the phrase “never again,” often associated with the commitment to prevent future genocides after learning from past ones, is to gain “real meaning.” He suggests that without these accompanying measures, the words “never again” risk remaining a mere slogan, lacking tangible effect in preventing the recurrence of such crimes.

Assessment of International Recognition Progress

Evaluating the international process of recognizing and condemning the Armenian Genocide, the Spanish Member of Parliament noted that significant progress has been made over the past few decades. He observed that the world has witnessed recognition by numerous states and international organizations. Despite this progress, he described the process as having been “slow.” However, he also characterized it as a “decisive, important step toward historical truth” that has occurred “after a very long silence.” This assessment acknowledges the gradual nature of international recognition while highlighting its crucial role in establishing historical accuracy and breaking a prolonged period where the truth of the Genocide was not universally accepted or openly discussed. The “very long silence” could refer to the decades following the Genocide when many nations did not officially acknowledge it, allowing denial to persist.

MP Iñarritu’s comments suggest that while the increase in recognition is positive, the slowness of the process indicates the challenges faced in achieving universal acknowledgment of historical truths, particularly when confronting denial campaigns. Nevertheless, he views each act of recognition as a vital step in the broader journey toward ensuring that the historical reality of the Armenian Genocide is fully accepted globally, serving as a foundation for prevention efforts.

The Term “Genocide” and the Possibility of Prevention

In his remarks, Jon Iñarritu also drew a connection between the Armenian Genocide and the very coinage of the term “genocide.” He noted that it was in response to this specific “atrocity” that Raphael Lemkin created the term “genocide,” thereby “giving a name to that atrocity.” This historical context is crucial, as Lemkin, a Polish-Jewish jurist, coined the term in the 1940s precisely to describe the systematic destruction of a nation or ethnic group, inspired in part by the Armenian experience and the Holocaust. Iñarritu highlighted the significance of this act, stating that by naming the crime, “humanity thus gained the possibility to prevent further atrocities in the legal sphere.” This points to the legal and preventative power of defining such crimes. Establishing a legal term for genocide provided a framework for international law to address and potentially prevent similar acts in the future, creating a basis for accountability and intervention that did not exist in the same way before the term was coined and the subsequent legal frameworks were developed.

Deep Concern Over Ongoing Atrocities and International Passivity

Despite the historical development of the term genocide and progress in recognition, Jon Iñarritu expressed profound concern about the current global situation. He lamented that “more than a century later, crimes against humanity, forced displacement, and ethnic cleansing continue in different parts of the world.” His concern is heightened by his observation that these atrocities “often occur before the eyes of the international community.” Furthermore, he offered a critical assessment of the international community’s response, stating that it “very often remains passive.” This highlights a perceived gap between the lessons learned from past genocides and the contemporary reality of ongoing mass violence and displacement, coupled with a perceived lack of adequate response from global actors. “Crimes against humanity,” “forced displacement,” and “ethnic cleansing” are terms used to describe severe violations of human rights and international law, indicating the serious nature of the ongoing situations that concern the Spanish MP.

Tragic Manifestation: Ethnic Cleansing of Artsakh Armenians in 2023

MP Iñarritu brought his concern into specific focus by addressing the situation of the Armenian population from Artsakh. He referred to the “ethnic cleansing” and “forcible removal” of the Armenian population from their “homeland” as a result of Azerbaijan’s actions in September 2023. He explicitly described this event as a “tragic manifestation” of the ongoing crimes he had just mentioned. This direct reference links his broader concern about continued atrocities and international passivity to a specific, recent event affecting the Armenian people. He underscored the vulnerability faced by Armenians, stating that the Armenian people “continue to remain targets of persecution and displacement in their historical homeland.” This highlights his view that the challenges faced by the Armenian people regarding their safety and right to live in their ancestral territories are ongoing issues, tragically exemplified by the events in Artsakh in 2023. By using terms like “ethnic cleansing” and “forced displacement,” he categorizes these actions within the framework of serious international crimes.

Reaffirming the Necessity of Effective Mechanisms for “Never Again”

Drawing a connection between the historical Armenian Genocide, the coining of the term, the progress in recognition, and the tragic events such as the ethnic cleansing in Artsakh, Jon Iñarritu reiterated his core conviction. He emphasized once again that “only recognition is not enough.” He stressed that recognition “must be accompanied by effective mechanisms for prevention, accountability, and restorative justice, if we want the words ‘never again’ to acquire real meaning.” This reiteration serves to reinforce his central argument: that historical acknowledgment is a necessary but insufficient condition for truly preventing future genocides. The continued occurrence of atrocities, including the recent events in Artsakh, according to Iñarritu, starkly demonstrates the urgent need for robust international mechanisms to ensure accountability and provide justice, thereby giving concrete substance to the global commitment encapsulated in the phrase “never again.”

Context of the Interview

These significant remarks from Jon Iñarritu were made during his interview with a correspondent from Armenpress. The interview provided a platform for the Spanish Parliamentarian to publicly share his views on these critical issues related to historical justice, genocide prevention, and contemporary human rights challenges, highlighting the interconnectedness of past events and present-day realities.

Significance of the Spanish MP’s Perspective

The perspective offered by Jon Iñarritu, a Member of the Spanish Parliament, carries weight within the European political context. His clear call for recognition to be coupled with concrete mechanisms for prevention, accountability, and restorative justice adds to the voices advocating for a more robust international response to genocide and related crimes. His willingness to directly link the historical Armenian Genocide to contemporary events, such as the ethnic cleansing in Artsakh, and to critique the international community’s passivity on ongoing atrocities underscores the importance of political will and action in addressing these complex issues. His stance contributes to the broader international dialogue on historical truth, human rights, and the imperative to learn from the past to protect vulnerable populations in the present and future.

A Call for Action to Realize “Never Again”

In conclusion, Spanish MP Jon Iñarritu’s statements, as reported by Armenpress, delivered a powerful message emphasizing that the recognition of the Armenian Genocide, while important, is merely a starting point. He articulated a clear vision where recognition must be supported by effective mechanisms for prevention, accountability, and restorative justice to give real meaning to the promise of “never again.” His critique of the international community’s passivity in the face of ongoing atrocities, including the tragic ethnic cleansing of Artsakh Armenians in 2023, highlights the urgency of implementing such mechanisms. Iñarritu’s remarks underscore the enduring relevance of the lessons of the Armenian Genocide and serve as a call to action for the international community to move beyond words and commit to tangible measures that ensure historical truth leads to accountability and effective prevention of future crimes against humanity.