STATEMENT
BY THE CAUCASUS CENTER OF PEACE MAKING INITIATIVES
IN CONNECTION WITH THE EVENTS OF 12 APRIL 2012
Azerbaijani films festival “STOP” took place in Armenia.
The next screening will be held at 16:00 on 17 April
in the Vanadzor office of the Helsinki Assembly.
The screening of Azerbaijani films included in the schedule of the
“STOP” festival did not take place in the “Asparez” Club of
Journalists. An hour before the start of festival, incitement to
terror masked by an orchestrated demonstration of public disturbance
reached its climax when representatives from the government and
law-enforcement bodies stated that the security of the members of
“Asparez” and CCPMI who were in the building where the festival was
due to be shown cannot be guaranteed. A number of provocative actions
were undertaken which were directly encouraged by the speeches of
representatives from the government and law-enforcement bodies. The
latter had been trying for a few hours to apply psychological pressure
on the organizers of the festival with the aim to make them leave the
venue. It should be especially noted that the attack on the director
of the festival, Georgi Vanyan, occurred immediately after a heated
speech from the head of the department of culture in the Gyumri
municipality, the purpose of which was at any expense to prevent the
festival from being held.
Electricity supplying the whole area surrounding the venue was cut off
and it was announced that it would not be restored as long as the
organizers of the festival were present. The statement by the director
of the festival and announced in the media that admission was free and
that by 3 pm there was the possibility of participants arriving,
representatives of the government responded that they were 100 percent
sure that no Gyumri resident would come “in the current situation”.
As the time of the screening came nearer, “psychological pressure” by
representatives from the government and law-enforcement bodies in the
building transformed itself into threats as if public turmoil would
break out soon after and that bloodshed would occur. Later, the
organizers of the festival were informed that there were checks
installed on the highway from Yerevan to Gyumri and that the bus
bringing participants of the festival from the capital would be
stopped by hoodlums. In that case bloodshed was predicted to happen
and it was said that no one would provide or be responsible for the
security of the people on the bus. We consider it necessary to note
that the representatives from the public who had a free access to the
building due to their status of “negotiators” resorted to provocative
actions close to the planned start of screening and only the composure
of the organizers of the festival prevented assault and battery and
brawls.
Taking into consideration the security of the members of “Asparez”,
CCPMI, and the participants in the current situation, the director of
the festival informed the media of the cancellation of the screening
in the Journalist’s Club.
Organizers of the festival left the building and joined the
participants from Yerevan on the road to Gyumri. Their bus stopped by
a restaurant on the road where the Azerbaijani films festival “STOP”
took place and 26 people watched the program of the festival with 24
taking part in the voting to determine the recipient of the Audience
Symathy award.
The next screening will be held at 16:00 on 17 April in the Vanadzor
office of the Helsinki Assembly.
12 April 2012
…
STATEMENT
BY THE CAUCASUS CENTER OF PEACE MAKING INITIATIVES
IN CONNECTION WITH THE PROPAGANDA OF TERROR IN GYUMRI
Yet another defamation campaign has been undertaken against the
holding of the “STOP” Azerbaijani films festival. A false information
campaign about the purposes of the festival and those films included
in the schedule has been spread through the media as well as during a
demonstration held in Gyumri on April 11. In violation of the law,
both government and public representatives voiced direct threats not
to allow the festival to be held, constituting instigation to violence
against the festival organizers and the Asparez Club of Journalists,
the organization providing the venue for holding the festival, as well
as citizens who would attend.
After examining the video materials and footage by the Armenian media
which covered the meeting protesting against the Azerbaijani film
festival, and considering eye witness accounts, we state that Vardan
Gukasyan, the mayor of Gyumri, under whose auspices propaganda of
terror is implemented, is personally responsible for the artificially
created tension around the festival as well as possible provocations
and violence against the organizers and participants of the festival
scheduled for April 12.
April 11, 2012
…
SOME LINKS FROM THE FESTIVAL HISTORY
November 11-16, 2010: Azerbaijanian Films Festival in Armenia
December 3, 2010: Council of Public Protection of Georgi Vanyan
December 10, 2010: Blackmail continues – report from Vanadzor
…
The Azerbaijanian films festival “Stop” in Armenia is an island of
secure environment for direct communication surrounded by the
conditions of distorted human values, and propaganda that poisons
healthy civilized relations. The Festival is an exclusive opportunity
to get acquainted with the best examples of contemporary Azerbaijani
cinematography.
CAUCASUS CENTER OF PEACE – MAKING INITIATIVES INVITES
April 17, at 4 p.m.
Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly Vanadzor Office
Vanadzor, Tigran Mets 59
A series of 4 short films will be presented: one documentary and three
feature films produced in Azerbaijan in 2007-2008.
Duration: 1 hour 33 min.
There is only one
the Audience sympathy award determined through viewers votes.
Films are dubbed in Armenian.
Entrance is free.
Contact: [email protected],
+374 55 40 14 59
—
Festival is implemented with support from the British and US Embassies
in Armenia.