Month: December 2008

EXHIBITION/SALE OF SYRIAN GOODS TO LAUNCH IN ARMENIA IN JUNE 2009

ARKA
Dec 12, 2008

YEREVAN, December 12. /ARKA/. An exhibition/sale of Syrian goods
will be organized in Armenia in June 2009, said Martin Sargsyan,
chairman of the RA Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI), summing up
the results of the December 4-7 expo fair of Armenian goods in Aleppo.

"The summer exhibition will be the Syrian businessmen’s return visit
to our country," Sargsyan said, adding preparations of the expo are
going at full speed.

Organized by Armenia’s CCI, the expo fair in Syria was an attempt
to showcase Armenia’s achievements in light industry, agriculture,
advanced technologies, food industry, medicine, pharmaceutics,
crafts and visual arts. Around 40 local organizations and companies
participated in the event.

DEFENCE GROUP ON "CASE OF THE SEVEN" SENDS LETTER TO CE COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS

Noyan Tapan

Dec 12, 2008

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 12, NOYAN TAPAN. The defence group on the "case
of the seven" has sent a letter-reference to the Council of Europe
Commissioner for Human Rights Thomas Hammarberg. The letter "mainly
indicates those shortcomings and violations, which which the indictment
was prepared", Radio Liberty was informed by Arman Khachatrian,
coordinator of the Service for Legal Assistance to Political Prisoners.

"The letter-reference also addresses the fact that Judge Martirosian
has fixed a 9-day period for the trial," he added. In the words of
A. Khachatrian, the indictment was signed by the chief prosecutor of
the prosecutor general’s office Koryun Piloyan, whereas, according
to the defence group, the criminal case does not have "any document
which would allow K. Piloyan to approve the indictment". The authors
of the letter point out that the indictment contains no evidence that
would form a basis for the case to be sent to court.

To recap, the seven persons accused of organizing mass disorder
accompanied by killings are the National Assembly deputies Sasun
Mikaelian, Hakob Hakobian, Myasnik Malkhasian, the former foreign
minister of Armenia Alexander Arzumanian, as well as Suren Sirunian,
Shant Harutyunian and Grigor Voskerchian.

DURING MARCH 1-2 EVENTS, SNIPER SHOT ONCE BY ORDER OF FORMER COMMANDER OF POLICE TROOPS

Noyan Tapan

Dec 12, 2008

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 12, NOYAN TAPAN. The chairman of the RA National
Assembly Ad Hoc Committee on Inquiry into March 1-2 Events
in Yerevan and their Causes, secretary of "RPA" faction Samvel
Nikoyan has returned some of the documents given to the Committee
by the prosecutor’s office to the investigation group on the March 1
case. These documents establish the identity of the sniper included in
the police troops during the March 1-2 events. The chief investigator
for especially important cases of the RA Special Investigation Service,
head of the investigation group on the March 1 case Vahagn Harutyunian
applied to the Committee with the request to limit information on the
identity of that sniper and prevent further publication, S. Nikoyan
said at the December 12 sitting of the Committee.

According to S. Nikoyan, he again requested the U.S. embassy in
Armenia to help make an expert examination (at some international
expert examination center) of the discovered "Cheryomukha 7" capsules
which caused deaths and 4 KS-23 guns, from which these capsules were
shot. The purpose is to solve the problem of individual identification
of Cheryomukha’s use. This issue is important because out of the 8
civilians who died during the March 1 events, 3 died from Cheryomukha,
one person died from a blow by a blunt object, and another 4 persons
died from gunshot wounds.

The Committee’s chairman also said that the day before some members of
the Committee had had a working meeting with the former commander of
the police troops, Lieutenent General Grigor Grigorian, as a result of
which it was decided to ensure a closed-door hearing of G. Grigorian’s
explanations about the actions of the police troops – at the December
12 sitting. It was mentioned that by inviting a closed sitting,
the Committee complied with the request of G. Grigorian. S. Nikoyan
noted that G. Grigorian is the first former official who respected
the Committee’s request and came to its sitting.

During a press conference following the sitting, the members of the
Committee informed journalists about the explanations that G. Grigorian
had given at the sitting. It was mentioned that the weapons used by
police on March 1 were immediately seized and subjected to ballistic
examination, and so far there has been no fact that a person died
from these weapons. It was stated that the police troops used such
special anti-riot weapons as "Zarya" with a sound and light effect and
"Cheryomukha 7" gas, as well as fire-arms.

In the words of G. Grigorian, he had an impression that the attacks of
demonstrators on police troops had an organized rather than spontaneous
character, despite the attemps to present the attacks in this way.

Demonstrators used combat grenades, fire-arms which were, however,
used to frighten rather than kill policemen as they would fire into
the air, also "hedgehogs", and "Zarya" special weapon.

According to G. Grigorian, the police had 10 special weapons,
6 of which were used in Grigor Lusavorich Avenue, while 4
weapons at Monument to A. Myasnikian that had not been used were
returned. However, by G. Grigorian’s estimates, over 20 such special
weapons were used in the given area which makes one conclude that
demonstrators also had special weapons in their arsenal. He also
assured the Committee that the sniper fired only one shot, and all
the time he was standing beside him. The only shot of the sniper
was fired by order of G. Grigorian with the aim of neutralizing the
demonstrator who had fired at serviceman Tigran Abgarian.

RA OMBUDSMAN CALLS MEDIA FOR EXERCISING CONTROL OVER "CASE OF SEVEN"

Noyan Tapan

Dec 12, 2008

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 12, NOYAN TAPAN. The monitoring of the March 1 cases
legal procedures held by RA Ombudsman’s Office shows that the proving
base of the prosecutor party is not convincing, as a rule, the courts
almost always defend prosecutor party’s approaches. RA Ombudsman Armen
Haroutiunian reported at the December 12 press conference. "My inner
conviction rather coincides with defence party’s approaches," the
Ombudsman said emphasizing that he welcomes the mercy and amnesty
institutions and considers that use of the two institutions is
expedient for coming out of the formed situation.

Nevertheless, the Ombudsman gives preference to amnesty.

According to Ombudsman’s estimation, the "case of seven" can become
a touchstone for country’s further development way, therefore
A. Haroutiunian has decided to constantly keep under monitoring
the process to start on December 19 and to make a statement in
the future only on basis of collision of defence and prosecutor
parties’ arguments and of judge’s position. He called the civil
society institution and media for constantly keeping the case under
control. "It is the case when all human rights structures, media with
their everyday consistent, professional activity, without shows can
achieve serious results in the respect of human rights protection,"
Armen Haroutiunian stated. Ombudsman’s representative will be present
at all court sittings on the case and the Ombudsman himself will be
present in some cases.

OSCE SECRETARY GENERAL TO ARRIVE IN ARMENIA ON DECEMBER 14

Noyan Tapan

Dec 12, 2008

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 12, NOYAN TAPAN. A delegation led by OSCE Secretary
General Marc Perrin de Brichambaut will be in Yerevan on December
14-17.

According to the RA Foreign Ministry Press and Information Department,
during the visit OSCE Secretary General will meet with RA President
Serzh Sargsyan, Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II, Prime Minister
Tigran Sargsian, Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian, National Security
Council Secretary Artur Baghdasarian, as well as RA NA factions’ heads.

RA PRESIDENT’S VISIT TO BULGARIA FINISHES

Noyan Tapan

Dec 12, 2008

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 12, NOYAN TAPAN. Within the framework of RA President
Serzh Sargsyan’s official visit to Bulgaria, in the evening of December
10, with President of Bulgaria Georgi Parvanov he took part in the
concert of renowned Armenian and Bulgarian artists at the Bulgaria
concert hall of Sofia. Late in the evening an official dinner was
organized in honor of S.

Sargsyan at Bulgarian President’s residence.

In the morning of December 11 the opening ceremony of the
Armenian-Bulgarian business forum took place with S. Sargsyan’s and
G. Parvanov’s participation, where the two Presidents expressing
satisfaction with the high level of political dialogue betwen the
two states reiterated the necessity to promote business partnership
in various directions and expressed readiness to provide all-round
assistance to all initiatives.

Bilateral documents were signed within the framework of the
Armenian-Bulgarian business forum.

The two countries’ Presidents took part in the exhibition of Sergey
Parajanov’s collages at the National Gallery of Foreign Art of
Bulgaria.

According to the report provided to Noyan Tapan by the RA President’s
Press Office, S. Sargsyan’s official visit to Bulgaria was concluded
with a visit to the Embassy of Armenia in Bulgaria, after which he
returned to Yerevan.

TRIAL ON "CASE OF THE SEVEN" TO BEGIN ON DECEMBER 19

Noyan Tapan

Dec 12, 2008

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 12, NOYAN TAPAN. The Yerevan Criminal Court presided
over by Judge Mnatsakan Martirosian will start examining the "case
of the seven" on December 19, at 12 a.m, NT was informed by the RA
Cassation Court.

To recap, the National Assembly deputies Hakob Hakobian, Myasnik
Malkhasian, Sasun Mikaelian, the former foreign minister of Armenia
Alexander Arzumanian, as well as Shant Harutyunian, Suren Sirunian and
Grigor Voskerchian are accused of organizing mass disorder in Yerevan.

According to the press service of the Cassation Court, the trial will
be held in the building of the general jurisdiction court of Yerevan’s
Shengavit community for reasons of ensuring publicity of the trial.

MUSHEGH SAGHATELIAN TO SERVE 5 YEARS’ IMPRISONMENT SENTENCE BY COURT DECISION

Noyan Tapan

Dec 12, 2008

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 12, NOYAN TAPAN. The RA Criminal Appeal Court
on December 10 left unchanged the October 23 sentence passed by
the Yerevan Criminal Court on the case of Mushegh Saghatelian, the
former head of the Criminal Punishment Execution Department of the
RA Ministry of Internal Affairs, NT was informed by the press service
of the RA Cassation Court.

To recap, the Yerevan Criminal Court presided over by Judge Mnatsakan
Martirosian sentenced M. Saghatelian to 5 years’ imprisonment and
a fine of 900 thousand drams for commiting violence, dangerous and
not dangerous for life, against a representative of authorities and
for carrying illegally a knife considered as a cold steel weapon
(Article 235 Part 4 of the RA Criminal Code).

COMMITTEE OF SECRETARIES OF SECURITY COUNCILS OF CSTO MEMBER STATES SUPPORTS RUSSIAN INITIATIVE OF SIGNING AGREEMENT ON EUROPEAN SECURITY

Noyan Tapan

Dec 12, 2008

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 12, NOYAN TAPAN. The participants of the December
10 sitting of the Committee of Secretaries of the Security Councils
of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) Member States
adopted a statement, in which they confirmed thier support of Russian
President Dmitry Medvedev’s initiative of signing the legally binding
Agreement on European Security. The Secretary of the Security Council
of Russia Nikolay Patrushev said following the Committee’s sitting
held in Yerevan that the Agreement will enable to create a collective
security system in the Euro-Atlantic.

"Based on the necessity to develop this document with the equal
participation of all countries and international organizations
operating in the Euro-Atlantic area, the CSTO member states welcome
the Russian-French initiative on holding a Pan-European summit within
the framework of the OSCE with the involvement of CIS, CSTO, EU and
NATO for discussion of future architecture of security," is said in
the statement adopted at the suggestion of N. Patrushev.

The Secretary-General of CSTO Nikolay Bordyuzha underlined
that it is envisaged extendig the functional tasks of the
organization. "Especially after the August events, we speak about the
consolidation of the organization and the extending of its tasks,"
he said, noting that a lot of sensible, concrete and constructive
proposals on making the organization’s work more active were made
at the sitting, and these proposals will be taken into account and
discussed to be submitted to the presidents for approval.

The Chairman of the Committee of Secretaries of the Security
Councils of CSTO Member States Artur Baghdasarian considered the
results of the sitting as "quite effective". According to him,
the sitting participants took several decisions and examined the
possibility of creating a Center for Coordination of Counteraction
to New Challenges and Threats, first of all, counteraction to drug
trafficking, fight against terrorism, extremism, illegal migration,
as well as issues of information security, border security and customs
control, emergency situations, and the issue of creation of collective
regional anti-terrorist forces and collective rapid response forces.

IN ARMENIA, IT IS STATE THAT VIOLATES HUMAN RIGHTS, LARISA ALAVERDIAN SAYS

Noyan Tapan

Dec 12, 2008

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 12, NOYAN TAPAN. "In Armenia, human rights violations
have a mass and regular character," the former ombudsperson of
Armenia, member of the National Assembly "Heritage" action Larisa
Alaverdian stated at the December 10 press conference. In her words,
in a normal country, the state protects the rights of its citizens,
whereas in Armenia, it is the state that violates the fundamental
human rights – partly through its connivance, partly by unnlawful
actions. L. Aleverdian noted that the unalwful actions of the state
reached their culmination during the March 1 events.

Besides, according to her, the authorities are trying to hinder
the work of the Ombudsman, thus opposing the protection of human
rights. As regards the statement of the former Armenian president
Robert Kocharian to the effect that the RA Ombudsman Armen Harutyunian
is the most unsuccessful employee appointed by him, L. Alaverdian
said that such a statement about an ombudsman has been unprecedented
in international practice. "There is no country where the authorities
reproach the ombudsman in such an unfounded way," she underlined.

Speaking about women’s rights, she said that the field of opportunities
for men and women is not equal in Armenia today. She condemned the
fact that jobs are not given intentionally even to women with higher
education. "On the one hand the Armenian society gives geniuses,
on the other hand it has some manifestations of backwardness," she
said. In her opinion, to prevent a woman from making herself a career
is a treacherous phenomenon.