Civilnet
Jahn Otto Johansen
A new book on the Armenian Genocide was launched in Oslo by Norwegian journalist and author Jahn Otto Johansen on January 22. The PEN Association of Norway hosted the presentation of the book at the Fritt Ord in Oslo.
Johansen said that his book is dedicated to the Centenary of the Armenian Genocide, which will be marked on April 24, and isn’t meant to be directed against Turks, “although President Erdogan aggressively denies the Armenian Genocide.”
William Nygaard, the president of the Norwegian PEN Club hosted the event that was attended by Armenia’s Ambassador to Norway, well known public figures, politicians, journalists and members of Norway’s Armenian community.
Nygaard is not one to shy away from controversy. In October, 1993 he was shot outside his home in Oslo following death threats against him for publishing the Norwegian edition of Salmon Rushdie’s novel “The Satanic Verses.”
According to Horizon Weekly, all book publishers in Norway refused to publish Johansen’s book for fear of irritating the international diplomatic community. The PEN Club, supported by Fritt Ord financed the project in full.
Several distinguished guests including, lawyer Hanne Sophie Greve, historian Bard Larsen and writer and expert on Turkey Eugene Shulgin addressed those in attendance. Greve, who is also a former judge at the European Court of Human Rights said, “The Armenian Genocide must not be denied. That was a Genocide in its most severe expression.” Larsen for his part said that the Armenian experience is undeniably Genocide, a legal category ensuring legal consequences and said, “The Armenian Genocide was primarily a psychological reaction against the Turkish identity crisis after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire.”
Jahn Otto Johansen, 81 is a journalist, newspaper editor, foreign correspondent and author. He has worked for the Norwegian publication Morgenposten, for the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation and was chief editor of Dagbladet. He was a foreign correspondent in Moscow, Washington and Berlin. He has written close to sixty books, including a number of bestsellers over his prolific career.
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