The California Armenian Legislative Caucus last week urged Elon Musk and his SpaceX corporation to cancel the launch of a Turkish satellite that the company has agreed to undertake.

“It is with great humanitarian concern that we ask SpaceX, a California based company not to launch a Turkish satellite. The proposed Turkish Turksat 5A satellite will be used for violence and destruction against innocent Armenians and we strongly urge you to cancel the launch of this communications satellite,” said the legislative caucus in a letter addressed to Musk.

“On September 27, 2020 Azerbaijan launched an unprovoked attack against the peaceful Republic of Artsakh (also known as Nagorno-Karabakh) by shelling military positions and innocent civilian populations. Turkey played an active role in supporting Azerbaijan’s aggression toward Artsakh by providing arms, logistical and communications support, and even transporting paid Jihadist mercenaries to Azerbaijan from Libya and the Turkish Syrian border. For more than a century, Turkey has maintained a violent history toward the Armenian people. Descendants of the Armenian Genocide continue to mourn the loss of 1.5 million ancestors murdered by the Turks and over 5,0000 civilians and military personnel were killed in this conflict. The war has reached an agreement status with Armenia making large concessions. Turkey’s violence against Armenia and Artsakh will only escalate with the launch of the satellite,” the California lawmakers explained.

“By launching the satellite for Turkey, you are providing a technological tool to Turkey, and subsequently Azerbaijan, that could lead to reigniting the war and providing Turkey and Azerbaijan tools needed to conduct countless human rights violations and cause many more deaths of innocent Armenian lives,” added the letter.

“The California Armenian Legislative Caucus asks that you stand with us against terrorism and genocide and cease doing business with Turkey and cancel the launch of Turksat 5A,” urged the lawmakers.

The letter was signed by California State Senators Andreas Borgeas, Anthony Portantino and Scott Wilk, as well as Assemblymembers Adrin Nazarian, Ian Calderon, Jesse Gabriel and Laura Friedman.