Month: February 2021

Arman Nshanian’s feature film debut “Songs of Solomon” is included in the 93rd Academy Awards in the international feature film category, The Variety reports. 

“Songs of Solomon,” written by Audrey Gevorkian and based on “The Past Unsung” by Sirvart Kavoukjian, explores the life of the composer Archbishop Solomon, also known as  Komitas, who had a profound impact on ethnomusicology. It centers on a childhood friendship, torn apart by the Hamidian massacres in the 1890s as a brave Turkish woman at a time of dire prejudice risks her own life and the life of her family to save her best friend, who is hunted down for her religious beliefs.  The film spans the period from 1881 to 1915, which marks both the Armenian Genocide and Komitas’ final concert.

“Songs of Solomon” stars Samvel Tadevossian, Arevik Gevorgyan, Tatev Hovakimyan, Sos Janibekyan, Arman Nshanian, Artashes Aleksanyan and Jean-Pier Nshanian along with child actors Slava Seyranyan, Iren Ayvazyan and Mery Hovsepyan.

The film, released on Nov. 26 in Armenia, is produced by Nick Vallelonga of Vallelonga Productions, Asko Akopyan of Oscar Gold Productions and Nshanian under his People of Ar Production Company in association with AnEva Productions in Armenia. Karo Kavoukjian serves as Executive Producer. Vallelonga won Academy Awards for best picture and and best original screenplay for 2018’s “Green Book.” “Songs of Solomon” will be opening in the U.S. in 2021.

The staff of Artsakh's Human Rights Ombudsman has updated the interim report on the cases of killing of Artsakh civilians by the Azerbaijani armed forces including also the cases found after December 22, 2020, as a result of search operations.

The report summarizes the cases of civilian casualties, caused as a result of the military aggression unleashed by Azerbaijan and Turkey against the Artsakh Republic since September 27, 2020, as well as killings of civilians who were imprisoned in the areas fallen under the control of the Azerbaijani military. The cases are introduced with relevant brief information.

From September 27, 2020, to January 28, 2021, the killings of 72 civilians by the Azerbaijani armed forces have been recorded: 41 – from targeted strikes, 31 – in captivity. A number of cases of torture and mutilation of corpses, inevitably targeted civilian deaths were recorded. The ombudsman also recorded the cases of 163 civilian injuries, most of which resulted from strikes that resulted in the deaths of others, his office said in a statement on Friday.

The report presents only the cases on irrefutable grounds, at the same time the Office of the Human Rights Ombudsman still receives information on the alleged cases of civilian deaths, that require investigation, the results of which will be included in further updates of the report.

At the time of updating the report, the ombudsman's staff still has information on missing civilians some of whom most probably are in captivity, and others are allegedly killed by the Azerbaijani armed forces. This is proved by the regular cases of finding the bodies of civilians in the communities of Artsakh under the control of Azerbaijan, the statement said.

Bodies of some of the victims have been found a long time later of the death, hence, it requires an in-depth professional examination to detail the circumstances of the death in specific cases and to reveal traces of the crimes committed. However, in some cases, preliminary conclusions of the forensic examination were also presented.

The updated version of the report is available here.     

Spokesman of Yerevan’s Surb Astvatsamayr (Goly Mother of God) Medical Center Gevorg Derdzyan took to Facebook on Friday to share a video of a two-year-old boy from Artsakh, which shows the child laughing out loud while playing with a ball.

The little boy, named Artsvik, sustained a serious head injury in the wake of the heavy bombardment of his native Martuni town by the Azerbaijani forces during the recent war. The child was transferred to Surb Astvatsamayr Medical Center, where he underwent a surgery.

“The complex head surgery was performed successfully. Thanks to the doctors Artsvik is now smiling and playing again,” the spokesman said.

The head of the opposition Bright Armenia Party’s parliamentary faction stressed the need to set up a fact-finding commission at the National Assembly to look into the events of the recent Artsakh war.

Speaking at a discussion on possible solutions to the post-war political and security crisis in Armenia held in the country’s second largest city of Gyumri on Friday, Edmon Marukyan said the move would help rule out contradictory statements on the 44-day war.

He said new films telling about hero Armenian soldiers who took part in the war should be made, as proposed by university students at Thursday’s meeting with him.

Separately, asked whether the parliament can possibly be dissolved if all opposition lawmakers step down, the MP said such a move will not help resolve the problem since next candidates on their electoral lists will replace them in the parliament, adding it is a continuous process.

According to Marukyan, boycotting the work of the National Assembly is not right either, adding it will help those in power to strengthen their rule.

The MP underlined that at present Armenia is facing a social, humanitarian and economic crisis, but added it can be handled through dialogue.

The opposition leader unveiled his party’s plans to visit Armenia’s towns and villages to listen to people’s concerns and discuss possible solutions with them, adding they will talk about their vision during the fresh parliamentary elections.

Meanwhile, Marukyan believes that the political forces participating in the elections will trade insults rather than struggle for their visions, telling the people that they have come to save them.

Justice will be a bedrock for any sustainable peace, Armenia’s Human Rights Defender (Ombudsman) Arman Tatoyan told Foreign Policy, referring to the war crimes committed by the Azerbaijani forces against Armenian soldiers during the recent Artsakh war.

“Impunity leads to more torture,” said Tatoyan, whose office has prepared several reports documenting torture and inhumane treatment of Armenian prisoners of war (POWs).

“Impunity is a very dangerous thing,” he added. 

Vazgen Manukyan, the joint candidate of the opposition Homeland Salvation Movement for interim prime minister, discussed a number of key issues, including the domestic political situation, Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) issue and regional geopolitical developments, at a meeting with a group of political scientists and experts in Yerevan on Thursday, the coalition said in a statement.

“The meeting addressed the post-war political crisis in Armenia. The experts expressed different views on how to handle it. According to some views, the strategy and moves of the political field should be based on a serious sociological research and analysis of the Armenian society. In this context, they touched upon the issue that social media are often used to create an unreliable picture of reality,” the movement said.

“They exchanged views on the change of government in Armenia in 2018, the root causes of the subsequent events, the problems of the government, state system, opposition, political parties, as well as the need to develop those systems. The necessity to form a national agenda in Armenia, to make the issues of national identity a priority and to unite the people around them was highlighted.

“Referring to the Artsakh issue, the participants emphasized the need to clarify and enhance Armenia’s position on the matter and the country’s efforts, expressing concern over the recent attempts to push the issue into the background,” the statement said.

The attendees of the meeting also called for development of a clear strategy in the light of Turley’s active efforts in the region. They discussed the issue of forming a clear agenda of relations with the United States and the prospects of cooperation with Russia and Armenia’s other allies.

"They attached importance to the issue of pursuing a foreign policy in line with geopolitical developments and being in a favorable position in case of possible regional realignments, which is of vital importance for Armenia and can be resolved only if the crisis and problems within the country are handled,” the statement said.