YEREVAN, JULY 23, ARMENPRESS. Ali Kemal, the great grandfather of Boris Johnson who just assumed the post of the Prime Minister of Great Britain, was a Turkish journalist who was accused of protecting Armenians in the Ottoman Empire, expert in Turkish studies Ruben Melkonyan presented details from the life of Johnson’s great grandfather in an interview with ARMENPRESS.
According to him, the grandfather of Boris Johnson’s mother, Ali Kemal was a famous journalist and political figure during the Ottoman Empire who at the end of Young Turks’ governance criticized the policy of the Young Turks. Ruben Melkonyan also told that Ali Kemal became more active and touched upon the Armenian issue after 1918, when the Young Turks were already out of power.
After Young Turks left power Kemal was included in the new government which at that time was fully subordinated to the UK.
“At that time Ali Kemal was the Minister of Interior for a short period. Later, when Kemalist movement started backed by the Young Turks, the Republic of Turkey was established and the Kemalists set the Independence Tribunal, which were to sue people with a position against the Young Turks. Ali Kemal was arrested and on the way to Ankara where he had to stand trial one of the governors was giving a speech presenting Kemal as a famous fan of Armenians. The governor handed Ali Kemal to the crowd gathered in front of the governorate, who killed him and hung his body”, Melkonyan said.
Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan
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