Author: Andres-Papazian

Alaverdi Medical Clinic Opening

HETQ
14:19, May 4, 2011

Today, a renovated medical clinic, funded by the United States
Government, will open in Alaverdi. The clinic, which cost $75,000 to
renovate, is the United States Government’s largest humanitarian
assistance renovation project in Armenia.

The newly refurbished medical clinic will serve the residents of Lori
and Tavush Marzes. The Greek Medical Fund `Hippocrates – Armenia,’ an
organization supported by the United States Government since 2001,
will operate and administer the clinic.

The Greek Medical Fund provides medical services free of charge and
distributes pharmaceuticals and medical supplies to socially
vulnerable populations and under-resourced facilities in Armenia. The
Fund also conducts mobile medical visits to remote villages. The
newly renovated clinic will benefit all residents in the area and will
provide better access to high quality medical care.

From: A. Papazian

Turkey’s first lady visits Ayvazovsky’s exhibition

10:07 – 04.05.11

Turkish President Abdullah Gul’s wife has visited prominent marine
painter Hovhannes (Ivan) Ayvazovsky’s exhibition in Vienna.

According to the Turkish news agency Dogan, Haynurisa Gul toured the
museum halls, watching the great artist’s works with great interest.

It’s noteworthy that the Turkish leader adorns his office with a
painting by the ethnic Armenian artist.

Tert.am

From: A. Papazian

Students in Washington lobby for Armenian Genocide stamp issue

May 4, 2011 – 09:13 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net –

If the United State postal authorities ever get to mint a postage
stamp commemorating the Armenian Genocide centennial in 2015, much of
the credit could very well go to a small class of world history
students at Wilmington High.

Two dozen of them are lobbying feverishly to get such a commemorative
issued by designing their own illustrations and forwarding them with
essays to Postmaster General John E. Potter in Washington, D.C.

The students belong to a class called `Facing History and Ourselves,’
taught by human rights activists Lisa Joy Desberg and Maura Tucker.

The idea stemmed from presentations made by members of the Merrimack
Valley Armenian Genocide Curriculum Committee, and chaired by Dro
Kanayan, over the past four years.

Some sketches depicted a religious symbol. Others showed families
hand-in-hand. One illustration showed Yerevan’s Genocide Memorial,
Tsitsernakabert, with its eternal flame, surrounded by flowers on
April 24 against a blue sky. Another depicted a mother with a baby
strapped to her back and another child in hand making her way across
the desert sands, The Armenian Weekly reported.

From: A. Papazian

U.S. Armenian community leaders to attend conference on Armenian Cause

May 4, 2011 – 09:41 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net –

Armenian American community leaders and activists are invited to
Washington, DC from June 24 to 27 for a national conference on new
challenges and innovative opportunities for advancing the Armenian
Cause.

The conference, hosted by the Armenian National Committee of America
(ANCA) and the ANCA Endowment Fund, is titled: “Armenian Cause 2.0:
Social Networks, Grassroots Power and Smart Advocacy.”

It will feature an array of insider presentations, interactive and
hands-on training sessions, networking opportunities, engaging social
events, and visits to Capitol Hill.

“With our Armenian Cause 2.0 conference, we’re raising both our sights
and our voices,” said ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian. “As a grassroots
group, our best investment is in our people. That’s why we are so
eager for everyone – from veteran advocates to those just getting
involved – to join with us as we explore how to use new advocacy tools
and strategies to better mobilize our community and more effectively
advance our Cause.”

Training sessions, presentations, and workshops will cover community
mobilization strategies, congressional advocacy campaigns,
communications and media outreach, and advancing Armenian rights
through the courts. The weekend’s educational schedule will be
complemented by social and networking programming.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIA: Newspapers threatened by libel suits with sky-high damages awards
ARMÉNIE: Procès en diffamation et amendes astronomiques menacent
la presse

IFEX – News from the international freedom of expression community
_________________________________________________________________

ALERT – ARMENIA

5 May 2011

Newspapers threatened by libel suits with sky-high damages awards

SOURCE: Reporters
Without Borders

(RSF/IFEX) – Reporters Without Borders is concerned about all the
libel actions being brought against Armenian newspapers and the
disproportionate damages being demanded, which threaten their survival
and create a climate that encourages self-censorship. This tendency to
use lawsuits to throttle news media must be reined in.

The repeal of jail sentences for libel and slander in April 2010 was
hailed as a democratic advance but judicial harassment of the media
continues. There were 12 defamation actions during the first quarter
of 2011 alone. Independent newspapers are the leading targets. The
daily “Jamanak” is currently the subject of three different
lawsuits. “Haykakan Jamanak” and “Hraparak” are also being sued.

In most cases the plaintiffs are politicians. On 18 April, Armenia’s
highest appeal court ordered the news website Hetq, founded by the NGO
Investigative Journalists, to pay Ijevan mayor Tavush Marz 450,000
drams (820 euros) in damages and publish a retraction. The suit was
brought over a series of articles about embezzlement by local
officials. Having exhausted all possibilities of appeal in Armenia,
the NGO says it will take the case to the European Court of Human
Rights.

Former president Robert Kocharian’s family are frequent
plaintiffs. His wife, Bella Kocharian, and son, Sedrak Kocharian, are
suing “Jamanak” for 6 million drams (11,000 euros) over a September
2010 article implicating them in an alleged case of embezzlement. The
newspaper “Haykakan Jamanak” has already been ordered to pay Levon
Kocharian 3.5 million drams (6,400 euros) in damages.

The former president himself recently sued “Hraparak” over a 2
February article describing him as “bloodthirsty” and subject to “fits
of madness.” While there may have been grounds for a libel action,
there were certainly no grounds for his request for a freeze on the
newspaper’s assets, which was granted at the first hearing.

The order was rescinded on 11 April, but the former president’s action
is still dangerous inasmuch as it suggest that the real goal of
defamation suits is to bankrupt independent media. The OSCE, to which
Armenia belongs, has a clear position on this: “The amount of the fine
should not reach the ceiling of bankruptcy of the media outlets or
individual journalists, nor should it endanger their normal work.”

In most cases, the courts seem to do what the plaintiffs want,
imposing the maximum amount of damages. On 7 February, “Haykakan
Jamanak” was ordered to pay 2,440,000 drams (nearly 4,500 euros) in
damages to each of the three parliamentarians – Ruben Hayrapetyan,
Samuel Aleksanyan and Levon Sargsyan – who sued it over a 14 October
article quoting a list of Armenian officials and businessmen allegedly
involved in criminal activity. Editor Hayk Gevorgyan said he was
amazed by the court’s verdict and has decided to appeal.

As well as the large amounts in damages demanded by plaintiffs,
newspapers must also pay excessive lawyers’ fees. The abuses are such
that the council of the Armenian Chamber of Lawyers has approved a
proposed directive imposing a ceiling of 300,000 drams on fees in
defamation cases. It has been submitted to the legal department, which
will decide whether it should go into effect.

Reporters Without Borders is following all of these cases closely. As
well as those already mentioned, Reporters Without Borders will also
attend the upcoming hearings in the parliamentarian Tigran
Arzakantsian’s lawsuit against the newspaper “Yerkir” and the lawsuit
that the company Glendale Hills has brought against “Jamanak”.

Reporters Without Borders has urged participants in the forum on media
freedom held by the human rights ombudsman in Yerevan to discuss ways
to limit defamation suits. Media self-regulation should be developed
and, when legal actions are brought, the courts should respect the
principle of proportionality when awarding damages.

For more information:

Reporters Without Borders
47, rue Vivienne
75002 Paris
France
rsf (=40) rsf.org
Phone: +33 1 44 83 84 84
Fax: +33 1 45 23 11 51

Forward to
a friend
‘8083=26lang
The information contained in this item is the sole responsibility of
the above cited source. In citing this material for broadcast or
publication, please credit the source.

_________________________________________________________________
IFEX 555 Richmond St. West, =23 1101, PO Box 407
Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5V 3B1
alerts=40ifex.org

_________________________________________________________________

ALERTE – ARMÉNIE

5 mai 2011

Procès en diffamation et amendes astronomiques menacent la presse

SOURCE: Reporters sans frontières

(RSF/IFEX) – Reporters sans frontières s’inquiète de la multiplication
des plaintes pour diffamation visant les médias arméniens et de la
disproportion des peines requises. Les amendes mirobolantes menacent
l’activité de certains journaux et participent à la création d’un
climat propice à l’auto-censure. Cette tendance à l’étouffement
judiciaire et économique doit être absolument bridée. En avril 2010,
l’abrogation des peines de prison pour diffamation ou calomnie a été
saluée comme une avancée démocratique, mais les pressions n’en
persistent pas moins. Au cours du seul premier trimestre 2011, on
recense 12 procès en diffamation.

Les journaux indépendants sont les premières victimes de cette
avalanche procédurière. Le quotidien “Jamanak” est actuellement en
procès dans trois affaires différentes. “Haykakan Jamanak” et
“Hraparak” sont également visés par des plaintes provenant le plus
souvent d’hommes politiques. Le site d’information en ligne Hetq,
fondé par l’ONG “Investigative journalists”, a été condamné le 18
avril 2011 par la cour de cassation à verser au maire d’Ijevan Tavoush
Marz 450 000 drams (820 euros) et à publier un démenti officiel. Le
litige portait sur une série d’articles dénonçant un détournement
d’argent par plusieurs officiels locaux. Ayant épuisé tous les recours
en justice possibles, l’ONG a annoncé qu’elle porterait plainte de la
décision auprès de la Cour européenne des droits de l’homme.

Parmi les habitués du recours en justice, la famille Kotcharian figure
en bonne place. Ainsi, la femme de l’ex-président, Bella Kotcharian,
et son fils, Sedrak Kotcharian, réclament à Jamanak 6 millions de
drams (11 000 euros) pour un article, paru en septembre 2010 les
impliquant dans des malversations financières. En 2009, le journal
“Haykakan Jamanak” avait déjà été condamné à payer 3,5 millions de
drams (6 400 euros) à Levon Kocharian.

Récemment, l’ex-président lui même a entamé un procès retentissant
contre “Hraparak” pour un article du 2 février 2011 le décrivant comme
“assoiffé de sang” et coutumier des “coups de folie”. Si le recours à
la justice pouvait être justifié, la demande de Robert Kotcharian de
geler les actifs du journal l’est nettement moins. Or, cette requête
avait été satisfaite dès la première audience du procès. La décision a
été annulée le 11 avril 2011, mais l’action de l’ex-président reste
dangereuse car elle tend à prouver que le véritable but du recours en
justice est l’étouffement financier des médias indépendants. L’OSCE, à
laquelle appartient l’Arménie, esttrès claire sur ce point : “La somme
de l’amende ne doit pas menerà la banqueroute du média concerné, ni ne
doit empêcher son travail normal”. La justice semble aller la plupart
du temps dans le sens des plaignants, en demandant à chaque fois
l’amende maximum. Le 7 février 2011, “Haykakan Jamanak” a été condamné
à verser 2 440 000 drams (soit en tout près de 4,500 euros) à chacun
des trois députés Ruben Hayrapetyan, Samvel Aleksanyan et Levon
Sargsyan pour un article publié du 14 octobre 2010 citant une liste
d’officiels et d’hommes d’affaires arméniens impliqués dans des
affaires criminelles. Le rédacteur en chef Hayk Gevorgyan a décidé de
faire appel, mais s’est déclaré peu étonné de la décision de la
justice.

Outre les sommes importantes requises par les plaignants, les journaux
doivent faire face à des frais d’avocat excessifs. Les abus sont tels
que le conseil de la chambre des avocats de la république d’Arménie a
approuvé un arrêté pour limiter les frais d’avocats à 300 000 drams
maximum dans les affaires de diffamation. Le document sera soumis au
département judiciaire qui décidera de son applicabilité.

Reporters sans frontière suit avec attention toutes les affaires en
cours. Outre celles cités plus haut, nous attendons la prochaine
audience des procès en diffamation opposant le député Tigran
Arzakantsian au journal “Yerkir” et la société Glendale Hills à
“Jamanak”.

À la veille du forum sur la liberté des médias, organisé à Erevan par
l’ombudsman d’Arménie, nous appelons les participants à mener une
véritable réflexion sur les moyens de limiter le recours à la justice
en cas de diffamation. Des solutions existent pour promouvoir
l’autorégulation des médias. En cas d’action en justice, le principe
de proportionnalité de la peine doit prévaloir.

Pour tout renseignement complémentaire:

Reporters sans frontières
47, rue Vivienne
75002 Paris
France
rsf (=40) rsf.org
tél: +33 1 44 83 84 84
téléc: +33 1 45 23 11 51

Faites suivre à un ami
‘8083=26lang
La source citée ci-dessus est responsable de l’information contenue
dans ce communiqué. Prière de mentionner cette source si vous
reproduisez cette information.

_________________________________________________________________
IFEX 555, rue Richmond Ouest, Bureau 1101, B.P. 407 Toronto (Ontario)
M5V 3B1 Canada alerts=40ifex.org
_________________________________________________________________

From: A. Papazian

Those who were born in Western Armenia and Ottoman Turkey till 1915
and survived the Armenian Genocide, will be given a financial
assistance monthly

05.05.2011 | 13:24 | | Noyan Tapan | Social

(Noyan Tapan – 05.05.2011) On May 5, at the sitting of RA government,
by nearly ten decisions, the relations, referring to the appointment,
recounting and payment of pensions, were regulated thus realizing the
demands of RA law “State Pensions”, which entered into force on
January 1, 2011 and establishing many other categories and lists such
as the appointment of pension, calculation of work length. The
Executive also decided that those who were born in Western Armenia and
Ottoman Turkey till 1915 and survived the Armenian Genocide will be
monthly given a financial assistance for 25000 AMD together with their
pension paid in every month.

It was also decided that the lists of pension payment must be
preserved 10 years instead of 5 which will enable us to solve the
problems referring to the payment of pension by the help of these
lists too.

From: A. Papazian

Yerevan clinic offers free of charge services to families of Artsakh
war soldiers

May 5, 2011 – 14:58 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net –

For 3 years in a row, Yerevan Medical Center has been providing free
medical services to the families of perished liberator soldiers of
Artsakh war.

As the Medical Center director Taron Tonoyan told a news conference in
Yerevan, the number of patients visiting the medical center increases
annually, which proves their growing trust for experts and services
offered.

`The number of our patients increased from 420 to 700, with 382 people
registered for medical examination this year. Although May 20 was set
as a deadline for registration, the action will be completed when the
last patient is examined,’ Mr. Tonoyan said.

From: A. Papazian

Blue fuel “damages” Armenian forests

arminfo
Thursday, May 5, 15:41

Raising of the gas tariffs has automatically increased the volume of
illegal forest devastation, director of Armles, Martun Matevosyan,
said at today’s press-conference.

He also added that residents of the villages near forests often heat
their houses with firewood.

“The forest devastation is more a social problem as 90% of the
illegally cut trees are used for firewood”, – Matevosyan said.

At the same, as he said, it is wrong to say that Armenia loses the
wood territories, as specialists noticed much accretion of forest.

According to the data of NASA, there is a tendency of forests
reduction in Armenia, and by 2020 Armenia may remain without the
forest territories. According to ecologists, the illegal forest
devastation was the reason of decrease of forests over the last years
in Armenia.

As the head of NGO “Ecolur” Inga Zarafyan said, this process may be
stopped only in case if forest devastation is banned for a certain
period of time and dotations are given to residents of the nearby
villages, as they are often forces to use firewood because of very
high gas tariffs.

From: A. Papazian

Shahumyan Mine Opencast Development by Deno Gold Mining Company Enters
Active Stage

arminfo
Thursday, May 5, 15:28

Shahumyan gold-bearing mine opencast development project in Kapan
worked out by Gold Mining Company (owner – Dundee Precious Metals
Canadian Company) entered into an active stage. The public hearings
on this project are scheduled for 20 May. The public in Kapan is
extremely concerned about this matter, EcoLur reports.

“The whole ore dust with heavy metals will sit on Kapan after
explosions. Everybody will get sick with silicosis, including
children,” said ‘Khoustoup’ NGO President Vladik Martirosyan, ‘we are
not going to sit on our hands’. People must understand that opencast
development is not permissible, this will be the end of Kapan.’ The
Coordinator of Kapan Aarhus Center Ashot Avagyan said, ‘The Armenian
Constitution guarantees right to health and healthy environment,
including us – Kapan residents.’

Kapan residents have first-hand knowledge about ore dust. Almost each
family which has a person working in the mines has silicosis. While
now the whole population in Kapan is endangered to get sick with this
disease, and what for? For income made by a group of people?’ Avagyan
said.

The locals are well acquainted with Shahumyan Mine and are sure close
development will ensure the company’s profit and will preserve Kapan
which is already on the verge of environmental disaster. ‘Let the
company get profit and not super profits at the expense of our
health,’ said Artur Ghazaryan, ‘For Ensuring Environmental Security
and Developing Democracy’ NGO Legal Consultant.

NGO says that the official website of the Nature Protection Ministry
lacks any announcement on the above public hearings. The owner of
Deno Gold Mining is Dundee Precious Metals Company, Canada. The
official website of Dundee Precious Metals says that in 2010 Deno Gold
Mining processed 600,000 tons of ore. In fact, 20.216 ounces of gold,
2,890.094 pounds of copper, 527,376 ounces of silver and 19,089,390
pounds of zinc were produced. Processing expenses per ton
of ore totaled $70.31 royalty inclusive. Deno Gold Mining exploits
Shahumyan poly-metallic deposit in Kapan and Central copper deposit.
The reserves of copper in the Central deposit are run out and
Shahumyan deposit is perspective.

In April 2011 Ilya Garkov, specialist from Bulgaria, was appointed
Director of Deno Gold Mining. The company is sure the new director
will successfully implement the programs for 2011, particularly, the
open cast development of Shahumyan deposit.

From: A. Papazian

Effective fight against oligarchs in Armenia disturbed by disunity of
the rest of strata of society: Armenian ethnographer

arminfo
Thursday, May 5, 16:45

The effective fight against oligarchs in Armenia is disturbed by the
disunity of the rest of the society’s strata, ethnographer, historian
Aghasi Tadevosyan said at today’s roundtable at the Armenian Center
for National and International Studies.

According to the expert, unfortunately, the most accomplished stratum
in the country is oligarchs, and the matter does not only concern the
financial aspect.

“They have managed to clearly formulate and promote their ideology
regardless of how much this ideology contributes to development of the
country”, he said.

The fusion of business and power gradually leads to removal of small
and medium enterprises as a factor in the economic and public life of
the country.

“The next stratum is the youth, who certainly have new views,
approaches and ideas, but the trouble is that they are too vague. The
situation is even worsened by the fact that they are disturbed by
various youth movements, like “Baze”, which operate under the
patronage of the authorities and adhere to nationalistic approaches.
But today nationalism rather harms us than contributes to
development”, said the expert.

Tadevosyan thinks that having put aside the Soviet system of values
and declared the course of democratic development, Armenia, in fact,
switched to nationalism: Vladimir Lenin was replaced by Garegin Nzhde,
and this does not meet the logic of building of a strong modern
statehood.

He added that Armenia needs a complex of concepts. “It is the
differentiated society, not the monolithic one, that ensures stable
development of country in all dimensions”, he said.

Another survival of the Soviet past is the post-colonial mentality of
the statesmen and most part of the Armenian society. According to
Tadevosyan, the painful feeling of vulnerability without foreign
forces, for example, without the Russian military base, is direct
evidence of that.

From: A. Papazian