Thursday, 

Charge Dropped Against ‘Violent’ Armenian Mayor

        • Marine Khachatrian

Armenia - Masis Mayor Davit Hambardsumyan, June 2, 2018.

Investigators have dropped one of the two accusations brought against the mayor 
of an Armenian town who was allegedly involved in violent attacks on 
anti-government protesters during last year’s “velvet revolution.”

Mayor Davit Hambardzumian of Masis, a small town just south of Yerevan, was 
charged in June with organizing and participating in one such assault in the 
Armenian capital on April 22, 2018.

The incident occurred just hours after Nikol Pashinian, the main organizer of 
mass protests against former President Serzh Sarkisian’s continued rule, was 
detained by security forces. Hundreds of Pashinian supporters demonstrating in 
Yerevan’s southern Erebuni district were attacked by several dozen masked men 
wielding sticks and electric shock guns.

Hambardzumian, who was affiliated with Sarkisian’s Republican Party (HHK), 
strongly denied any involvement in what Armenia’s Investigative Committee 
characterized as violent “mass disturbances.”

A spokeswoman for the Investigative Committee, Naira Harutiunian, told RFE/RL’s 
Armenian service on Thursday that Hambardzumian has been cleared of that 
accusation. But she made clear that he still risks up to five years’ 
imprisonment on another charge filed in July.

The “hooliganism” charge stems from another assault on anti-Sarkisian 
protesters that reportedly occurred near Masis later on April 22, 2018. An 
Investigative Committee statement said at the time that four protesters 
sustained major injuries as a result. One of them was shot and wounded.

The 33-year-old mayor was arrested in July despite denying that accusation as 
well. He was released from custody on bail in September.

Hambardzumian, who has managed to retain the post of Masis mayor, was among 
local government officials who joined Prime Minister Pashinian in attending a 
business forum held in the Ararat province on May 4. Speaking to reporters, he 
said does not consider the charges leveled against him politically motivated.

Hambardzumian also stressed that he is working with the new Armenian government 
“very well.” “There is no pressure from the government,” he said.




Armenia, China To Scrap Visas


CHINA -- Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) meets Armenian Prime Minister Nikol 
Pashinian at the Great Hall of the People, in Beijing, May 14, 2019

One week after Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian’s visit to Beijing, the Armenian 
government formally approved on Thursday an impending agreement on visa-free 
travel between Armenia and China.

Pashinian said that the agreement is due to be signed during Chinese Foreign 
Minister Wang Yi’s upcoming trip to Armenia.

“We hope that it will invigorate relations between our countries and Armenia’s 
citizens will be able to visit China without obstacles,” he told a weekly 
cabinet meeting in Yerevan.

Presenting the draft agreement to the cabinet members, Deputy Foreign Minister 
Grigor Hovannisian said it will allow Armenian and Chinese citizens to stay in 
each other’s country visa-free for up to 90 days. He said it also commits the 
two states to quickly deporting travellers “abusing” the new rules.

“The signing of the agreement is expected to lead to more active commercial, 
business and tourism contacts between the two countries and a more effective 
use of the potential existing in this area,” added Hovannisian.

Pashinian noted that the agreement was reached during his working trip to China 
which began on May 14.

The Armenian leader met with China’s President Xi Jinping and Premier Li 
Keqiang and took part in an international conference held in Beijing. 
“Constructive and productive relations with China are very important for us,” 
Pashinian told Xi.

Xi reportedly reaffirmed his government’s desire to deepen political, economic 
and cultural ties with Armenia. According to an Armenian government statement, 
he said Chinese firms are ready to participate in major infrastructure projects 
in Armenia.

China is Armenia’s second largest trading partner. According to official 
Armenian statistics, Chinese-Armenian trade soared by over 29 percent in 2018, 
to $771 million.




Yerevan University Chief Resigns


Armenia -- Yerevan State University rector Aram Simonian, May 29, 2018.

The long-serving rector of Yerevan State University (YSU), Aram Simonian, 
stepped down on Thursday after months of pressure from the Armenian government.

Simonian announced his resignation at a meeting of the top professors of 
Armenia’s oldest and largest university.

“Tensions around the university are not easing and are on the contrary rising 
further,” he said in a speech publicized by the YSU administration. “The 
country’s supreme authorities are alleging that I am clinging to this chair to 
stay on. That’s ridiculous.”

“Even if I don’t resign today that [resignation] will be engineered through a 
violation of the law anyway,” he claimed. “I am already aware that they are 
going to fully change the composition of the [YSU] Board of Trustees so that 
they can revel in firing me. I will not give them that pleasure.”

Simonian has been under mounting pressure to step down since last spring’s 
“velvet revolution” that toppled Armenia’s former government with which he had 
close political ties. Critics, among them Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian, have 
long accused him of placing YSU under the strong influence of the former ruling 
Republican Party (HHK).

The 63-year-old historian joined the HHK in 1997, nine years before becoming 
university rector.

In December, a government body implicated the YSU administration in serious 
financial irregularities. The Armenian police likewise alleged in February that 
Simonian has embezzled YSU funds and engaged in other corrupt practices over 
the past decade.

Simonian, who has still not been formally charged with any crime, rejected the 
allegations as politically motivated. He said that he will not resign before 
serving out his current term in office in 2020.

The Board of Trustees narrowly failed to sack the rector when it met in late 
February.

Nevertheless, the government kept up the pressure. Pashinian declared in March 
that the government has made a “political decision” to get rid of university 
heads who “turned the system of higher education into party cells and locked 
the doors for students.”

Pashinian earlier accused the YSU administration of preventing students from 
joining his street protests against the former government launched in April 
2018. He charged at the time that YSU has become an HHK “lair.”

Simonian insisted on Thursday that he has done a largely good job of running 
the university. “There have been shortcomings but I have tried to do whatever I 
can,” he said.

Simonian also denounced as a “national disgrace” government officials’ failure 
to attend last week’s events to mark the 100th anniversary of the establishment 
of YSU.




EU Offers Financial Support For Armenian Judicial Reform


BELGIUM -- European Union flags fly outside the European Commission 
headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, March 6, 2019.

The European Union offered on Thursday to help the Armenian authorities carry 
out a “comprehensive and far-reaching judicial reform,” saying that it is vital 
for the country’s continued democratization.

“We welcome the unequivocal commitment by the Armenian Government to pursue 
justice reform in accordance with the Armenian Constitution and Armenia's 
international commitments, in particular those stemming from its membership in 
the Council of Europe and in consultation with civil society and international 
experts, including the Venice Commission,” read a joint statement released by 
the EU Delegation in Yerevan and the embassies of EU member states.

“The independence and impartiality of the judiciary is a fundamental pillar of 
the constitutional order and the rule of law,” the statement said, adding that 
the EU “stands ready to provide technical and financial assistance” for that 
purpose.

Thorbjorn Jagland, the Council of Europe secretary general, discussed the issue 
with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian by phone on Wednesday.

“A delegation of Council of Europe experts will travel to Yerevan in the next 
days to offer advice and assistance with the necessary reforms,” the 
Strasbourg-based organization said in a readout of the phone call.

On Tuesday, two representatives of the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary 
Assembly (PACE) expressed concern at Pashinian’s weekend calls for his 
supporters to block the entrances to all court buildings in Armenia. They at 
the same time welcomed Pashinian’s “stated desire for far-reaching reform of 
the judicial system.”

Pashinian urged the court blockade following a Yerevan court’s controversial 
decision to order former President Robert Kocharian released from prison 
pending the outcome of his trial on coup charges denied by him.

The premier said on Monday that Armenian courts remains closely linked to the 
country’s “corrupt” former leaders and therefore cannot be impartial. He 
announced plans for a mandatory “vetting” of all judges and said many of them 
should quit even before the start of such a process.




Dashnaktsutyun Holds Rally, Again Slams Government


Armenia -- The Armenian Revolutionary Federation party holds a rally in 
Yerevan's Liberty Square, .

The Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun) accused the government 
of not delivering on its promises and seeking to establish “one-man rule” 
instead as it held a rally in Yerevan on Thursday.

“Armenia’s authorities do not have a program or vision for country’s 
development and a professional team to address challenges facing the country,” 
Ishkhan Saghatelian, a leader of the opposition party, told hundreds of 
supporters who gathered in the city’s Liberty Square.

“Instead of forming a common national agenda, consolidating the society, 
establishing social solidarity … the authorities continue to work, live and 
breathe with the past,” he said.

Saghatelian deplored Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian’s latest verbal attacks on 
his political foes and allegations that some of them are plotting treasonous 
acts in Nagorno-Karabakh. He claimed that such statements are only 
destabilizing the political situation and could even “provoke clashes in the 
country.”

“Stop looking for enemies among your own people,” Saghatelian said, appealing 
to the authorities. “Understand that those who do not share your views or 
criticize you are also the people. Give up [political] shows, populism, 
demagoguery and intentions to establish one-man rule on behalf of the people 
though force and threats.”

“Do not repeat the mistakes of which you yourself had accused others in past. 
Or else, it could be too late. The people’s patience has limits,” he warned.


Armenia -- Ishkhan Saghatelian, a leader of the Armenian Revolutionary 
Federation, speaks at a rally in Yerevan, .

Another senior Dashnaktsutyun figure, former Agriculture Minister Artur 
Khachatrian, attacked the government’s economic record. “Where is the 
[promised] economic revolution?” he said. “I don’t see results of that 
revolution.”

“They say there are no oligarchs anymore,” Khachatrian went on. “But has the 
structure of our economy changed? Which company with dominant positions in the 
market has ceded its positions?”

Khachatrian was one of the two Dashnaktsutyun-affiliated members of Pashinian’s 
first cabinet formed in May 2018 following the Armenian velvet revolution. The 
prime minister sacked them in October, accusing Dashnaktsutyun of secretly 
collaborating with former President Serzh Sarkisian’s Republican Party (HHK).

Dashnaktsutyun has since been increasingly critical of Pashinian’s government. 
The center-left nationalist party, which is particularly influential in the 
Armenian Diaspora, failed to win any seats in the Armenian parliament in snap 
general elections held in December.

In a declaration adopted at a congress held late last month, Dashnaktsutyun’s 
organization in Armenia said that the authorities have failed to achieve 
“tangible results in any area of public life.” It also joined other opposition 
groups on Sunday in condemning Pashinian’s calls for a blockade of all court 
buildings in the country.

Pashinian appealed to his supporters to stage such protests on Monday morning 
following the release from custody of his bitter foe and former President 
Robert Kocharian, who is facing corruption and coup charges. He went on to 
state that many Armenian judges remain linked to “the former corrupt system.”

Dashnaktsutyun, which was allied to Kocharian during his 1998-2008 rule, 
criticized his arrest last year on charges stemming from the 2008 post-election 
violence in Yerevan. Speaking to reporters after Thursday’s rally, one of the 
party’s veteran leaders, Armen Rustamian, described the coup charges as 
“absurd.”




Press Review


“Haykakan Zhamanak” is worried about what it calls a “counteroffensive” planned 
by “counterrevolutionary” forces in Armenia. “The situation is quite serious 
and given the counterrevolutionaries’ ‘tool kit’ it will be very hard to avoid 
shocks,” writes the pro-government paper. It says that some of those forces 
pledged allegiance to Nikol Pashinian’s “velvet revolution” one year ago 
despite remaining hostile to it “deep down.” “Put simply, just like one year 
ago, Nikol Pashinian has no real allies on the political scene,” it says. “His 
sole ally is the majority of the people. That was not quite visible one year 
ago but is more evident now.”

“Zhamanak” reports that a representative of Belarus, Stanislav Zas, will take 
over as secretary general of the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty 
Organization (CSTO) on January 1, 2020. “Many in Armenia are wondering whether 
this marks a victory or defeat for Armenia,” writes the paper. “On one hand, it 
was a victory because Yerevan did not allow Astana and Minsk to prematurely 
appoint Zas. On the other hand, a new representative of Armenia has not been 
appointed [after Yuri Khachaturov’s resignation in November 2018] either. In 
essence, Moscow has benefited from that because the vacant post was given to 
the CSTO’s Deputy Secretary General [Valery] Semerikov. It is very important 
for Armenia to hold its ground and stand by key questions raised by it.”

“The issue of CSTO secretary general can thus been deemed closed,” writes 
“Zhoghovurd.” The paper claims that Armenia has emerged “somewhat victorious” 
from the dispute over who should succeed Khachaturov as CSTO secretary general. 
“The Armenian authorities have not bowed to pressure [from other CSTO member 
states] or lost ground,” it says. “Also, Russia’s position has been very 
important here. Being the most important CSTO country, Russia has maintained 
complete neutrality on this issue, contrary to some people’s sinister forecasts 
that it will use its influence and force Armenia to back down.”

(Lilit Harutiunian)


Reprinted on ANN/Armenian News with permission from RFE/RL
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