ID :
229525
Fri, 02/24/2012 - 10:00
Auther :

U.S. federal appeals court rules out a verdict making Armenians angry

WASHINGTON (A.A) - The U.S. Federal Court of Appeals has ruled that the descendants of Armenians who died during 1915 incidents could not file lawsuits against insurance companies to receive compensation. The San Francisco Court of Appeals annulled the law adopted in the State of California 11 years ago that authorized descendants of the mentioned Armenians to file lawsuits against insurance companies. The court delegation unanimously reached the verdict, and dropped the case filed by Armenians against German insurance company Munich Re AG. In its reasoned verdict, the court said only the federal government had the right to bring foreign institutions before U.S. courts. The law adopted in 2000 granted the right to descendants of Armenians, who died in the incidents of 1915 after taking out a life insurance, to file lawsuits against insurance companies to get the insurance.  San Francisco Court of Appeals annulled the law in 2009, but in December 2010 it again ruled that the descendants could file lawsuits. Last November, the court decided to re-handle this provision. This recent decision of the Court of Appeals is its third decision on the same case. American media says that unless the High Tribunal refuses to handle this issue, this decision of the Court of Appeals can be the last stage regarding this matter and most probably, descendants of Armenians who died in the incidents of 1915 can end their efforts to force German insurance companies to pay them compensation.  This verdict is important for Turkey, even if not directly, as it can affect other cases regarding incidents of 1915 and be showed as an example. (Reporting by Mehmet Toroglu)

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