Month: February 2012

POLICE ARGUMENTS FOR HAYK GEVORGYAN’S ARREST AREN’T CONVINCING, SAY MEDIA, HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS

epress.am
02.06.2012

The Yerevan-based Committee to Protect Freedom of Expression and
the Yerevan Press Club are indignant at the Feb. 3 arrest of Hayk
Gevorgyan, a prominent journalist and correspondent for local daily
Haykakan Jamanak (“Armenian Times”).

“Surveying the information disseminated by Haykakan Jamanak and
the Armenian police regarding the incident that became cause for
the arrest provides grounds to conclude that choosing arrest as the
precautionary measure is devoid of sufficient legal justification,”
reads the joint statement.

The authors of the statement don’t consider police arguments on
the need for arrest to be convincing: Gevorgyan was wanted by law
enforcement officials for more than 10 days, a period in which he
continued his professional activities and entered various state
structures, including the government building.

“Moreover, during this time, he had contact with the police
investigator – demanding that which is legally required, he [called] to
check why he is being asked to come in for questioning. The journalist
never received a clarification. Meanwhile, police insist that they
supposedly duly notified Hayk Gevorgyan. There’s the impression that
conditions were intentionally created with the aim of using arrest
as the precautionary measure against the journalist.

“We demand that the precautionary measure chosen for Hayk Gevorgyan
be changed immediately, that he be released and that an impartial and
transparent investigation into the incident that occurred be ensured.

We call on the country’s political leadership to take effective steps
with the purpose of excluding groundless persecution, accusations
and pressure on journalists and news outlets,” reads the statement.

THE ISSUE OF NEXT PROSECUTOR
HAKOB BADALYAN

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 13:57:15 – 06/02/2012

It has become known that Prosecutor General Aghvan Hovsepyan’s brother,
the head of the administrative district of Ajapniak, Yerevan, will
run for parliament from single-member district N6. The press has
reported that the Republican Party will support him.

Ruben Hovsepyan became head of Ajapniak community in 2006. At that
time, the elective position of the head of the community attracted
Republican Galust Sahakyan’s son, now the head of the State Procurement
Agency.

Arman Sahakyan had even resigned from the post of deputy mayor to
run in the local elections with the support of the ex-prime minister
Andranik Margaryan. However, Arman Sahakyan was stopped halfway. He
resigned from the position of deputy mayor but was not even nominated
for the position of mayor of the community because he did not get
Serzh Sargsyan’s approval.

It was on this occasion that Sargsyan announced that the party is
not a pack of wolves. Arman Sahakyan was not allowed to be head
of community, and in the result of a backstage agreement Aghvan
Hovsepyan’s brother, Ruben Hovsepyan, became the head of Ajapniak
community. Arman Sahakyan was comforted with a parliamentary seat
received through the Republican ticket.

Now that the position of the head of community is not elective and
has lost its former charm together with some powers, the prosecutor
general’s brother wants to be a member of parliament.

Along with several tacit failures to do politics, Prosecutor General
Aghvan Hovsepyan announces regularly that he will not do politics. His
brother Ruben Hovsepyan will do it who will be Aghvan Hovsepyan’s
most reliable representative in the parliament indeed.

The prosecutor general has some more other representatives as well but
most probably the prosecutor general thinks that Armenia is stepping
into a crucial period which may result in a government reshuffle,
and he needs highly reliable people in parliament, especially that
one of the first possible issues to be brought up will be the issue
of the next prosecutor general.

Certainly, a brother is hardly enough to influence the issue but Aghvan
Hovsepyan needs a person who will enter into effective and reliable
contact with the members of parliament and who will be trusted by
them when the issue of the prosecutor general comes next on the agenda.

From: Baghdasarian

VOVA DIDN’T UNDERSTAND HIS MISSION
HAKOB BADALYAN

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 10:44:05 – 06/02/2012

When Vova Gasparyan was appointed Chief of Police of Armenia, Serzh
Sargsyan stated that he is the “type” of man needed for this position.

Vova Gasparyan started with a speech on the need to translate words
on reforms to actions and initiated a reshuffle. Alongside this,
the press reported private talks in which Gasparyan mocked at the
current situation in the police.

The hidden context is that the Chief of Police admits that the current
image of the police is ridiculous and the necessity to change it to
be more serious and solid and publicly respectable.

But Vova Gasparyan seems to have failed. Moreover, he appeared in an
awkward situation because of Haik Gasparyan’s case.

Haik’s case would be too funny were it not a case of sending an
innocent person to the holdover cell away from his family and home.

The police and the Chief of Police appeared in an awkward situation
while spelling out their “arguments” against Haik.

It is not ruled out that those officers and police departments which
Vova Gasparyan used to make fun of are not making fun of him looking
at how he found himself in an awkward situation, trying desperately
to prove Haik’s guilt.

Vova Gasparyan did not imagine, did not realize or has forgotten his
“mission” which had two main targets – police and domestic intrigues.

Serzh Sargsyan needed his “type” to handle these issues in order
to keep the election period under control and to run the risk of a
new kind of relations with the society, enjoying the support of the
police and not worrying that anyone will exercise their power.

Meanwhile it seems that Gasparyan himself has gone out of control.

Anyway, there is no logical explanation why Serzh Sargsyan should ever
need Haik Gevorgyan’s arrest. This incident jeopardizes Sargsyan’s
election positions both in Armenia and in an international context.

In other words, Vova Gasparyan harmed Serzh Sargsyan with his actions.

It is thus presumed that Sargsyan needs to demand explanations from
the Chief of Police, otherwise Serzh Sargsyan will look unable to keep
the situation under control, including the Chief of Police himself.

But it is less likely that the Police Chief will account for his
actions publicly. The main issue is this because only the public
mechanism of accountability will ensure the rule of law and make
officials refrain from using their powers for personal needs.

UNITY OF ARMENIA’S “FREE DEMOCRATS” AND “HERITAGE” PARTY IS THE DEMAND OF SOCIETY, KOKOBELYAN BELIEVES

ARMENPRESS
FEBRUARY 6, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 6, ARMENPRESS: Unity of “Free Democrats” and
“Heritage” party is the demand of the society, chairman of the “Free
Democrats” party Khachatur Kokobelyan told news conference February 6.

He said “Heritage” is a party in which they see ideological
commonality. “In near future the two parties will present the responses
to all the questions connected with their unity. A political will
should be displayed for cooperating together,” Kokobelyan said.

He said he does not imagine alliance with ARF as they are in different
ideological platforms. The cooperation will be established with all
those stakeholders who have clear ideas.

Kokobelyan informed that the party is planning to hold its congress
in the period between March 2-10.

SPEAKER OF ARMENIAN PARLIAMENT CALLS TO FIGHT AGAINST AZERBAIJAN’S DISTORTION POLICY NOT WITH STATEMENTS BUT CONCRETE STEPS

ARMENPRESS
FEBRUARY 6, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 6, ARMENPRESS: It is necessary to fight against
Azerbaijan’s distortion policy not with statements but concrete steps,
chairman of the National Assembly of Armenia Samvel Nikoyan said today
in response to the question of ARF MP Armen Rustamyan why the NA is not
discussing the statement on subjecting Azerbaijan to responsibility
for its attempts to settle Nagorno Karabakh in a military way,
distorting the essence of the conflict, impeding the peace talks.

“I share your concern expressed in this statement, I think all the MPs
here agree with it. There is no issue connected with the content,”
Samvel Niloyan said. He also voiced opinion that such document must
be adopted at more efficient time.

MEMBERS OF U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONDEMN AZERBAIJAN’S ONGOING AGGRESSION

ARMENPRESS
FEBRUARY 6, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 6, ARMENPRESS: U.S. Representatives Frank Wolf
(R-VA) and Judy Chu (D-CA) marked the anniversary of the Sumgait
and Baku pogroms by speaking out this week in the U.S. House of
Representatives in condemnation of Azerbaijan’s aggression and ongoing
threats against Nagorno Karabakh, Armenian National Committee of
America told Armenpress.

Armenian Americans and pro-Armenian stakeholders from across America
have encouraged Members of Congress to publicly condemn Azerbaijani
aggression and openly defend the independent Republic of Nagorno
Karabakh’s freedom.

In his remarks, Rep. Wolf noted that, “Shortly after the break-up
of the Soviet Union, Armenians in Azerbaijan and Nagorno-Karabakh
endured great hardship, including pogroms in Sumgait (February
1998), in Kirovabad (November 1988) and in Baku (January 1990),” and
went on to quote a recent alarming report from Bloomberg News that,
“Azerbaijan is buying up modern weaponry to be able to regain control
of the breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh region.” “Such acts of aggression,”
stressed the Virginia legislator, “would have a devastating impact.”

Congresswoman Chu, in her speech, reminded her colleagues that,
“Between 1988 and 1990, the Armenian population was the target of
racially motivated pogroms in Azerbaijan. Hundreds of Armenians were
murdered and more wounded during three violent attacks in Sumgait,
Kirovabad, and Baku.” She added that she remained concerned that,
“the sentiments that sparked this violence still remain,” and that
Azerbaijan is building up its arsenal to renew its aggression against
Nagorno Karabakh conflict.

From: A. Papazian

NO APPLICATIONS FROM SYRIA FOR GETTING ASYLUM IN ARMENIA

ARMENPRESS
FEBRUARY 6, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 6, ARMENPRESS: The number of applicants for getting
asylum in Armenia from Syria has not grown. Ruzanna Petrosyan, chief
specialist of the asylum affairs department of the State Migration
Service affiliated to the Ministry of Territorial Administration,
told Armenpress that there is no information to what countries the
representatives of the Armenian community of Syria have applied to get
asylum. “We are quite surprised for not receiving any applications
from Syria. We suppose that people will apply for getting asylum as
the clashes will cause flows,” Petrosyan said.

She said in case of Iraq when pressures against Christians started,
Armenians started abandoning that country. The absence of the
applications shows that the situation in Syria is not so dangerous,
for Armenians in particular.

As a result of domestic clashes in Syria, three people have applied
for getting asylum in Armenia in 2011. Their applications have been
satisfied.

CORRUPTION RISKS IN ARMENIA’S EDUCATION SYSTEM ARE NOT REDUCING SUFFICIENTLY – MINISTER IS CONCERNED

news.am
February 06, 2012 | 13:25

YEREVAN. – The principals’ competitions were held in Armenia’s more
than 900 schools, from September 2011 until the end of December,
and as a result complaints and dissatisfactions were expressed for
nearly a mere one percent. This was noted during a session at the
Education and Science Ministry.

Minister Armen Ashotyan underscored the need for a more persistent
activity toward eliminating the relevant violations and shortcomings.

Also, the Minister considered it worrisome that, in line with
sociological surveys, the corruption risks in the country’s education
system are not reducing at a sufficient rate.

And the study of the calls made to the Ministry’s hotline number show
that the societal discontent is primarily conditioned on unlawful
fundraising at schools. “We must do everything so that the parents’
assistance [to the schools] should be on voluntary basis alone,”
Ashotyan maintained.

The session’s participants also discussed the education system
priorities of the Armenian government’s Anti-Corruption Strategy
Program.

MEASURES MUST BE TAKEN TO PREVENT AZERBAIJAN’S DEFORMING ACTIONS

yerkir.am
13:22 – 06.02.2012

During the NA session member of ARF fraction Armen Rustamyan reminded
that the Parliament must discuss his authored bill on “About turning
the NKR main issue to an armed conflict, deforming the gist and the
responsibility of Azerbaijan in disturbing the process”. He believes
that NA had to discuss that bill during the previous session and not
discussing it is a violation of NA Code.

“That announcement is a must even in the political point of view, as
Azerbaijan realizes the deformation in front of our eyes. Mexico has
recognized Khojalou as genocide by Armenians. Huge works are being
held in the Middle East, Central Asia, Belgium and the first was,
of course, Pakistan. You do not wish to take an action towards those
deformations and then you get surprised why Azerbaijan realizes those
actions. This must be stopped”, said Armen Rustamyan.

NA Speaker Samvel Nikoyan answered to Rustamyan: “You will know that
we cannot take actions just with an announcement. We must take other
measures for that”.

From: A. Papazian

LEVON ARONIAN TO PARTICIPATE IN BILBAO GRAND SLAM 2012

PanARMENIAN.Net
February 6, 2012 – 14:44 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – From September 24-October 13, Armenian grandmaster
Levon Aronian will participate in Chess Grand Slam 2012, to be held
in Bilbao, Spain.

Aronian will rival Norwegian grandmaster Magnus Carlsen and Vladimir
Kramnik (Russia), winner of Viswanathan Anand – Boris Gelfand
pairing, as well as of winners of Linares and Bazna International
Chess Tournaments, armchess.am reported.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress