A brief but powerful Q&A with Fethiye Cetin, lawyer for Hrant Dink and Agos, who was recently in Yerevan for the presentation of her second book My Grandchildren.
Recently, Fethiye Cetin, renowned Turkish writer and lawyer of Armenian origin has arrived in Yerevan. This time she had her second book, titled “My Grandchildren” to present to the Armenian readers. Her first book titled “My Grandmother” tells the story of her Grandma. For years, Seher grandma, whose real name was Heranush Kataryan, had been keeping her origin secret and only at the ebb of her life she told her granddaughter she was Armenian and used to be a Christian until 1915.
In Yerevan, Fethiye Cetin has had an exclusive interview with “Ermenihaber.am”.
- What were your feelings when you heard you’re a granddaughter of Moslem Armenian?
- The first thing I could feel was “inner rebellion.” Rebellion against the lie we were taught to hide the reality. I felt furious. I wanted to run and scream “we were cheated, kept far from the truth.” My pain was inexplicable. At the same time I could feel shame. I could feel shame for my changed identity.