Month: September 2020

Tehran: Seven Iranian prisoners in Armenia repatriated to Iran

Zhanna Nahapetian
Mehr News Agency, Iran
Sept 25 2020

TEHRAN, Sep. 25 (MNA) – At the continuous efforts and numerous follow-ups of the Iranian Embassy to Yerevan, seven Iranian prisoners in Armenia were released and returned to the Islamic Republic of Iran on Fri.

Despite the agreement on the transfer of convicts between Iran and Armenia, the issue of transferring convicts had been stopped for almost three years. With the efforts of the Embassy of Islamic Republic of Iran in Yerevan and the cooperation of concerned officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Consulate General and judicial authorities of the Islamic Republic of Iran as well as concerned officials in Armenia, repatriation of seven Iranian prisoners in Yerevan was initially agreed at the first step.

With due observance to the meetings held with the judicial authorities of Armenia as well as numerous correspondences and full-time follow-ups, other Iranian prisoners, whose sentences have been issued and executed and administrative courts have agreed to transfer them, will be transferred to the Islamic Republic of Iran in the next steps, according to IRNA. 


Armenian expert warns of ‘sharp increase’ in security threats

Antranik Varosian
Panorama, Armenia
Sept 25 2020

Armenian military expert Tigran Abrahamyan, the head of Henaket Analytical Center, unveiled two possible reasons behind the current military-political situation in the Caucasus region, the statements made by the Turkish and Azerbaijani authorities and their recent steps.

"First, Turkey and Azerbaijan have concluded that there is no alternative to the military settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) conflict, and their preparations and statements fit into this logic,” the expert said in a Facebook post on Friday.

“Second, the developments in Tavush, which, on the one hand, confirmed the stalemate in negotiations, and, on the other hand, the lack of their possible outcome, suggest two possible results: a return to the negotiating table, vague border provocations or hostilities.”

“If we consider the resumption of negotiations under this logic, Turkey and Azerbaijan are trying to increase pressure [on Armenia], including through threats of renewed war, in order to achieve their desired concessions.

“In short, the happenings around us, in Azerbaijan and Turkey, suggest that either military clashes will resume or all this is aimed at exerting total pressure on Armenia to extort concessions in the event of the resumption of talks,” he wrote.

In Abrahamyan’s words, even if Azerbaijan and Turkey are “bluffing” in an attempt to gain concessions from Armenia, it is not excluded that they may resort to a military solution shortly after failing to get those concessions. 

“In any case, it should be noted that there is a sharp increase in security threats, which forces us to put in place the necessary mechanisms,” he said.


U.S. lawmakers call on Library of Congress to adopt Armenian Genocide subject heading

Ophelia Vardapetian
Public Radio of Armenia
Sept 25 2020

<img width="800" height="412" src=”"https://en.armradio.am/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Library-of-Congress.jpg" class="attachment-full size-full wp-post-image" alt="" srcset="https://en.armradio.am/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Library-of-Congress.jpg 800w, https://en.armradio.am/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Library-of-Congress-300×155.jpg 300w, https://en.armradio.am/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Library-of-Congress-768×396.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"/>

U.S. Representative Dina Titus (D-NV) today sent a bipartisan Congressional letter, signed by more than 50 of her U.S. House colleagues, calling on the Library of Congress to revise its outdated Armenian Massacres subject heading to Armenian Genocide, in the wake of last year’s passage of the Armenian Genocide Resolution (H.Res.296 / S.Res.150) in the House and Senate, a move strongly backed by the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

“We thank Congresswoman Titus for her principled and powerful leadership in this initiative and express our appreciation to all those – in the leadership of the Armenian Caucus and also each signatory of this letter – who are working to have books and other resources on the Armenian Genocide properly cataloged by the Library of Congress and the thousands of other libraries that use its subject heading system,” said ANCA Government Affairs Director Tereza Yerimyan.

Rep. Titus explained, “The use of the term ‘Armenian Genocide’ by the Library of Congress would help paint an accurate picture of history and rightly honor the victims of this atrocity.”

Rep. Titus was joined by 56 U.S. House colleagues in cosigning the letter, including: Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chairs Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Jackie Speier (D-CA) and Representatives Julia Brownley (D-CA), Tony Cardenas (D-CA), Judy Chu (D-CA), David Cicilline (D-RI), Gil Cisneros (D-CA), Katherine Clark (D-MA), Jim Cooper (D-TN), Jim Costa (D-CA), TJ Cox (D-CA), Jason Crow (D-CO), Rodney Davis (R-IL), Diana DeGette (D-CO), Debbie Dingell (D-MI), Eliot Engel (D-NY), Anna Eshoo (D-CA), Dwight Evans (D-PA), John Garamendi (D-CA), Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), Jim Himes (D-CT), Jared Huffman (D-CA), Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), James Langevin (D-RI), Brenda Lawrence (D-MI), Barbara Lee (D-CA), Andy Levin (D-MI), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Alan Lowenthal (D-CA), Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), James McGovern (D-MA), Seth Moulton (D-MA), Grace Napolitano (D-CA), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Chris Pappas (D-NH), Edwin Perlmutter (D-CO), Mike Quigley (D-IL), Michael San Nicolas (D-GU), Linda Sanchez (D-CA), John Sarbanes (D-MD), Janice Schakowsky (D-IL), Brad Sherman (D-CA), Christopher Smith (R-NJ), Abigail Spanberger (D-VA), Greg Stanton (D-AZ), Van Taylor (R-TX), Dina Titus (D-NV), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Paul Tonko (D-NY), Norma Torres (D-CA), Lori Trahan (D-MA), David Trone (D-MD), Juan Vargas (D-CA), and Peter Visclosky (D-IN).

Over 10,000 ANCA Rapid Responders and community advocates across the U.S. called on their Congressional leaders to take action using the anca.org/library online action portal.  These letters are part of an ongoing ANCA community action effort to secure the Library of Congress subject heading change on issues regarding the Armenian Genocide.

The letter spearheaded by Rep. Titus comes in the face of a June 19, 2020 Library of Congress correspondence informing the ANCA that it would not make this change, even in light of Congressional recognition of the Armenian Genocide, because it deferred to the White House and State Department. The Titus letter, notes that “while we understand the Library of Congress has said it defers to the President and State Department on terminology, we do not believe that determinations of fact by an agency of the legislative branch should be made for political reasons or under pressure from foreign governments.”

The letter makes the case that: “the current subject heading, “Armenian Massacres,” is outdated, having been created before Raphael Lemkin coined the term genocide and prior to the 1948 adoption of the United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.” It goes on to argue that “the existing heading is also inconsistent with the broad, near-universal academic consensus recognizing the Armenian Genocide as a clear case of genocide as reflected in numerous resolutions, letters, and statements by the International Association of Genocide Scholars.”

The full text of the Titus letter is provided below:

Dear Dr. Hayden,

We write to ask that the Library of Congress, an agency of the legislative branch and the research arm of the U.S. Congress, use the historically accurate term “Armenian Genocide” in its subject heading for books and other materials regarding the Ottoman Empire’s intentional, systematic, and deliberate mass murder, deportation, and exile of more than one and a half million Armenians between 1915 and 1923. We also ask that all libraries, offices, services, and other entities within the Library of Congress use the accurate term “Armenian Genocide” in relevant displays, exhibitions, reports, presentations, conferences, lectures, websites, brochures, and other official events and publications.

The current subject heading, “Armenian Massacres,” is outdated, having been created before Raphael Lemkin coined the term genocide and prior to the 1948 adoption of the United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. Lemkin himself cited the massacres of Armenians as a definitive case of genocide. In 1951, the United States, in a written statement submitted to the International Court of Justice, affirmed that the destruction of Armenians met the U.N. definition of genocide.

The existing heading is also inconsistent with the broad, near-universal academic consensus recognizing the Armenian Genocide as a clear case of genocide as reflected in numerous resolutions, letters, and statements by the International Association of Genocide Scholars. Additionally, it is contrary to the U.S. record, including President Ronald Reagan’s 1981 Proclamation; resolutions adopted by the U.S. House of Representatives in 1975 (H.J.Res.148) and 1984 (H.J.Res.247); and, most notably, near-unanimous resolutions passed by the House (H.Res.296) and Senate (S.Res.150) in 2019 that state the sense of Congress that it is the policy of the United States to recognize the Armenian Genocide and to reject any denial of this crime.

Although originally created to serve legitimate academic and research purposes, the term “Armenian Massacres” has evolved into a euphemistic phrase often deployed to diminish the full historical, moral, legal, and contemporary meaning of the Armenian Genocide. In its modern usage, the outdated phrase conceals these horrific crimes.

While we understand the Library of Congress has said it defers to the president and State Department on terminology, we do not believe that determinations of fact by an agency of the legislative branch should be made for political reasons or under pressure from foreign governments. The use of the term “Armenian Genocide” by the Library of Congress would help paint an accurate picture of history and rightly honor the victims of this atrocity. Thank you for your attention to this request.


MP Nick Champion joins calls for Australian recognition of Armenian, Assyrian, Greek genocides

Kanayan Tamar
Public Radio of Armenia
Sept 25 2020

Federal Member for the South Australian electorate of Spence, Nick Champion has affirmed his support for Australian recognition of the Armenian, Assyrian and Greek Genocides by signing on to the Joint Justice Initiative of the Armenian-Australian, Assyrian-Australian and Greek-Australian communities.

The February 2020 launch of the Joint Justice Initiative at Australia’s Parliament House featured the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding by the Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC-AU), Assyrian Universal Alliance (AUA) and Australian Hellenic Council (AHC), which declares Australia’s recognition of the Armenian, Assyrian and Greek Genocides as a priority on behalf of their communities.

Champion, who is a former fruit picker from South Australia’s famous rural wine country, was elected to Parliament in 2016 after a career that included time as a political staffer and State President of the Australian Labor Party. He currently serves as the Deputy Chair of the Australian Parliament’s Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade.

“Our communities thank Mr. Nick Champion for joining our fight to bring Australia to the side of truth and justice on this issue by ensuring national recognition of the Armenian, Assyrian and Greek Genocides committed by the Ottoman Empire in 1915,” said Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC-AU) Executive Director, Haig Kayserian.

The Joint Justice Initiative has so far announced the support of Champion, Michael Sukkar MP, Senator Louise Pratt, Warren Entsch, Joel Fitzgibbon MP, Andrew Wilkie MP, Julian Leeser MP, Michelle Rowland MP, Senator Paul Scarr, Tony Zappia MP, Senator Sarah Hanson-Young, Senator Hollie Hughes, Senator Rex Patrick, Mike Freelander MP, Senator Eric Abetz, Senator Larissa Waters, Senator Pat Dodson, Jason Falinski MP, Josh Burns MP, John Alexander MP, Senator Andrew Bragg and Bob Katter MP, with a promise of more announcements to come.

On 25th February 2020, over 100 Federal Australian parliamentarians, diplomats, departmental officials, political staffers, academics, media and community leaders were treated to cultural performances, food, wine and brandy, as well as the historic signing of a Memorandum of Understanding, which affirmed that the signatory public affairs representatives of the three communities were jointly committed to seeing Australia recognise the Turkish-committed Genocide against the Armenian, Greek and Assyrian citizens of the Ottoman Empire during World War I.


Turkey transported over 300 Syrian rebels to Azerbaijan: monitor

Alex Jidarian
AMN – Al-Masdar News
Sept 24 2020
 
 
 
 
By News Desk -2020-09-24
BEIRUT, LEBANON (9:00 P.M.) – Hundreds of Syrian rebels were transported from Turkey to Azerbaijan this week, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported on Thursday.
 
Citing reliable sources, SOHR said the Turkish government “transported over 300 fighters of the Turkish-backed Syrian factions” to Azerbaijan, pointing out that most of the fighters were previously living in the Afrin region of northwestern Aleppo.
 
Furthermore, the monitor said that most of these fighters were members of the Sultan Murad Brigade and Al-Amshat faction, which were based in northwestern Syria.
 
“The fighters themselves have said that they are taken to Azerbaijan in order to guard the state’s border in return for salaries of 1,500 to 2,000 USD,” they said.
 
The Turkish-backed factions have not issued any statement regarding the alleged deployment; however, rumors began to surface in August of a potential deployment of these Syrian fighters to Azerbaijan, especially after clashes between the Azerbaijani and Armenian forces.
 
Turkey, who is a close ally to Azerabaijan, has previously sent Syrian fighters to Libya in order to help the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) forces in their fight against the Libyan National Army (LNA).
 
 
 
 

Armenian school students triumph at 32nd International Olympiad in Informatics

Emil Lazarian
Panorama, Armenia
Sept 25 2020

A team of Armenian schoolchildren won a total of 4 medals at the 32nd International Olympiad in Informatics (IOI).

11th-grader Emil Kostanyan from the Physics and Mathematics Specialized School named after Artashes Shahinyan and 12th-grade student Samvel Andreasyan from Quantum College won silver medals.

10th-grader Arayi Khalatyan and 11th-grader Alexander Abelyan, both from Quantum College, took bronze medals, the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport reported.

The 32nd IOI, involving 343 contestants from 87 countries from all over the world, was held online from September 13 to 23 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 



Another group of Armenian peacekeepers completes mission in Afghanistan

Emil Lazarian
Panorama, Armenia
Sept 25 2020

Another group of Armenian servicemen has recently returned to Armenia after complying its peacekeeping mission as part of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan, the Defense Ministry said.

The Armenian peacekeepers led by Deputy Colonel Tadevosyan demonstrated a high level of preparedness and discipline and were encouraged by the command staff. 



Azerbaijani authorities are perceived in the world as an authoritarian and repressive regime – Armenian Foreign Ministry

Jack Hunanian
Panorama, Armenia
Sept 25 2020

Armenian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Anna Naghdalyan reacted to the statement of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev delivered at the 75th session of United Nations General Assembly. The spokeswoman’s full remarks are below:

"The peoples of the region inherited a complex conflict, the final resolution of which requires an agreement that will be acceptable for the people of Armenia, the people of Artsakh and the people of Azerbaijan. Only the authorities enjoying the mandate of their people are capable of demonstrating the political will for reaching a compromise and establishing peace. Both Armenia and Artsakh authorities have received the mandate of their peoples and are ready to launch a dialogue with the authorities of Azerbaijan that enjoy the relevant mandate of their people.

Ilham Aliyev, who inherited the power from his father and who shares it within a single family, is not such a leader. His authority has always been based on manipulations of the conflict, promoting the image of Armenia and the Armenian people as a “useful enemy” within his own society, rather than addressing the latter’s needs.

Under the rule of Ilham Aliyev Azerbaijan missed the historic opportunity to use the “oil boom” to build a modern country and society. Today the authorities of Azerbaijan are perceived in the world as an authoritarian and repressive regime which uses all the opportunities, including the COVID-19 pandemic, to harass and silence its own people.

In the region, we deal with such a governmental system where the values are replaced with a cult of personality, dynasty and own wealth, while the interests serve the preservation of inherited power at all costs. Regrettably, “all costs” are paid by the people of Azerbaijan deprived of voice and freedoms."



Aliyev criticized Minsk mediators and called for imposing sanctions against Armenia

Samvel Nahapetian
Arminfo, Armenia
Sept 25 2020

ArmInfo. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev called on UN bodies to ensure the  implementation of Security Council resolutions on the Karabakh  conflict.

"To ensure sustainable international peace and security, it is  necessary to put an end to the 'occupation'. It is necessary to  ensure compliance with the norms and principles of international law  and the implementation of UN Security Council resolutions," Aliyev  said in his video speech yesterday at the general debate of the 75th  session of the UN General Assembly, adding that the relevant  institutions of the Organization should contribute to the  implementation of Security Council resolutions. At the same time, he  expressed his conviction that "sanctions for failure to fulfill  obligations" should be applied against Armenia.

At the same time, Aliyev did not stop at that, he accused Armenia of  trying to disrupt the peace process, with the aim of allegedly  maintaining the status quo and "achieving the annexation of the  occupied territories."

"The hostile statements of the Armenian leadership indicate that  Yerevan is preparing for a new war against Azerbaijan. We call on the  UN and the international community to restrain Armenia from another  military aggression," Aliyev said, forgetting to mention the  bellicose statements from Baku, including the threat to launch a  missile attack on the Armenian nuclear power plant.

The President of Azerbaijan did not fail to criticize the activities  of the OSCE Minsk Group, which he qualified as inconclusive "The  presidents of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairing countries – Russia,  France and the United States in their statements stressed the  unacceptability of the status quo. We welcome these statements, but  there are not enough statements. We need in real steps. The Karabakh  conflict must be resolved within the territorial integrity of  Azerbaijan. The territorial integrity of Azerbaijan has never been  and will not be a subject of negotiations. The sovereignty and  territorial integrity of Azerbaijan must be fully restored. "Karabakh  is Azerbaijan!" Aliyev stressed, Turan reports.

In conclusion, Aliyev expressed serious concern over the growing  supply of weapons to Armenia, called on all countries to refrain from  such actions. It is noteworthy that Aliyev did not say a word about  the multibillion-dollar arms contracts concluded by Azerbaijan. 



The only candidate for post of Constitutional Court`s head did not receive required number of votes

Hambik Zargarian
Arminfo, Armenia
Sept 25 2020

ArmInfo.. According to the results of the secret ballot, the only candidate for the post of the President of the Constitutional Court, Yervand Khundkaryan, did not  receive the required number of votes. Head of Office of the  Constitutional Court Edgar Ghazaryan, announced this on his Facebook page.

To note, in order to be elected, Khundkaryan had to receive from the  judges of the Constitutional Court 5 votes out of 9 possible.

Earlier, Speaker of the Armenian Parliament Ararat Mirzoyan signed a  law on amendments to the law "On the Constitutional Court", which was  adopted on June 30. In accordance with them, the powers of all judges  of the Constitutional Court are limited to 12 years. After the  amendments were adopted, three judges who had worked for more than 12  years were dismissed from their posts: Alvina Gyulumyan, Hrant  Nazaryan and Felix Tokhyan. Head of the court, Hrayr Tovmasyan, has  become an ordinary judge. New judges will now be elected instead. One  candidate is proposed by the Government, the second – by the  President, and the third – by the General Assembly of Judges. Edgar  Shatiryan, Candidate of Legal Sciences, became a government  candidate. At the General Assembly of Judges, Head of the RA Court of  Cassation Yervand Khundkaryan was elected as a candidate for the  Constitutional Court judge. Arthur Vagharshyan, nominated by the  President, is Doctor of Law, Professor. All three candidates were  elected by an overwhelming majority during a parliamentary meeting on  September 15. Further, a new head should be elected to the CC.