During the Armenian Genocide, when 1.5 million Armenians were killed between 1915 and 1917, many Turkish civilians, politicians and military leaders refused to participate in the massacres and looting and tried to stop the deportation and massacre of Armenians. Many of these people lost their positions as a result of their actions, and some were killed.
Notable opponents
Ahmet Rıza
Ahmet Rıza, one of the leading founders of the Committee of Union and Progress, was one of the few Ottoman politicians who condemned the Armenian Genocide in 1915. Ahmet Rıza was also opposed to the Temporary Law of Deportation, saying that it was unconstitutional since the law was never voted on by the Ottoman Parliament. He then introduced a bill demanding the suspension of deportations until after the war and proposing to ensure the safety of the deportees. However, the bill was not accepted. The controversy caused by Rıza and the problems he brought out showed that no deputies were informed about the Relocation Law. On November 30, 1915, regarding the law on the confiscation of Armenian property, Ahmet Rıza said "It is also illegal to classify the properties specified in the law as abandoned property, because the Armenians who were the owners of these properties did not leave them voluntarily, they were exiled, they were forcibly expelled." in the parliament. Noting that such a confiscation is against the constitution, he added: "Expel me from my village at gunpoint, then sell my property: This is never lawful. Neither Ottoman conscience nor law can accept this."
Faik Ali Ozansoy
Faik Ali Ozansoy was serving as the governor of Kütahya when the Temporary Law of Deportation was enacted. When the Deportation Law was first enacted, his brother Süleyman Nazif, in a letter to Ali Faik, tried to persuade him not to participate in the deportations "for the honor of their families". When he was ordered to be deported from Istanbul, Faik Ali refused to implement it, despite the pressures of Talaat Pasha; on the contrary, he said that the Armenians who were deported to other places via Kütahya should be kept there when they come to Kütahya and that they should be treated well during this time. Shortly after, he was summoned to Istanbul to explain his behavior. The memoirist Stepan Stepanian describes Faik Ali's encounter with Talaat Pasha as follows:Seeing the invitation of Faik Ali to Istanbul as an opportunity, Kütahya police chief Kemal Bey threatened the Armenians in the city that they would be deported if they did not convert to Islam. The Armenians decided to change their religion. When Faik Ali returned and found out about this, he met the situation with anger. He dismissed the chief of police and asked the Armenians if they still wanted to convert to Islam. All the Armenians, except one, decided to remain Christian. Faik Ali's brother, Süleyman Nazif, was instrumental in persuading Faik Ali to protect the Armenians. Despite his resignation applications, Faik Ali was not removed from his position and continued to serve as the governor of Kütahya. During this period, he protected the entire Armenian population of Kütahya.
After the Armenian Genocide, Faik Ali refused a gift of 500 gold pieces to be given to him by the Armenians and instead spent the gold on improving the living conditions of the Armenian refugees. The gold was used to build a soup kitchen and a school. Faik Ali appointed Stepan Stepanian as the first principal of the opened school. After the Armenian Genocide, the Armenian community of Kütahya put an inscription of gratitude for Faik Ali in the Kütahya Armenian Church. Today, every year on April 24, members of the Armenian community of Kütahya come to his grave and pay their respects to his memory.
Hasan Mahzar Bey
Hasan Mahzar Bey, who was appointed as the governor of Ankara on 18 June 1914, was one of the Ottoman governors who refused to implement the deportation orders. Therefore, in August 1915, he was dismissed as the governor of Ankara and Atıf Bey, a prominent member of the Special Organization, was appointed in his place. Later, Mazhar described this event as follows:Mazhar reported that after his dismissal, "the looting of Armenian property in the region, both by the officials and the people, reached incredible proportions."