Author: Andres-Papazian

AZERBAIJAN VIOLATES THE CEASEFIRE MORE THAN 250 TIMES OVER THE WEEK

armradio.am
28.03.2011 12:27

According to the NKR Defense Army, the Azerbaijani side violated the
ceasefire regime along the line of contact between the armed forces
of Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan more than 250 times between March
20 and 26, firing about 1 800 shots. More intensive shooting was
registered on March 20, 21 and 25.

The Information and Propaganda Department of the NKR Ministry of
Defense calls attention to the fact that the Azerbaijani side used
AGS grenades along with other firearms on March 24 and 25.

Despite the activeness of the rival, the front troops of the NKR
Defense Army managed to ensure the security of borders.

From: A. Papazian

WHO WAS ABOVE KHACHIKYAN

JAMES HAKOBYAN
Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 11:44:54 – 22/03/2011

Vazgen Khachikyan, who has headed the system of distribution of
pensions and family benefits for long years, is waiting for June, when
his fate will be decided. The power will decide in this period whether
to sue Vazgen Khachikyan or not. In answer to reporters’ question
whether Khachiikyan will have to bear criminal responsibility,
Chairman of the Control Chamber Ishkhan Zakaryan said that Serge
Sargsyan instructed to check the whole system until June and then,
after having a full image, it will be possible to say yes or no.

June is a noteworthy month. During his recent speeches, Serge Sargsyan
mentioned the May-June period as a deadline when the nation will see
the results of changes. Apparently, Khachikyan may be sued as one of
the results. He is not excluded not to be alone. After all, the point
is about tremendous abuses, and Khachikyan would have hardly been
allowed to abuse so much alone. So, perhaps it is necessary to
formulate the question in this way: will any high-ranking official go
to court with Khachikyan or will the name of any official be mentioned
in this process?

Hardly, because above Khachikyan’s rank, there are few officials –
ministers, Prime Minister and President. Khachikyan worked with Prime
Ministers Andranik Margaryan, Serge Sargsyan and Tigran Sargsyan and
with presidents Robert Kocharyan and Serge Sargsyan. Did he pocket so
much money in front of their eyes? Did they not notice, or maybe they
did not want to notice, these abuses, and now when the society needs
bread and scenes, the power decided to sacrifice Khachikyan for this
important issue?

Maybe, they decided to postpone the decision until June to clean all
the traces and the possibilities to mention names of high-ranking
officials.

What happened in the social allocations system is mildly speaking
outrageous. But the question occurs what all prime ministers and
presidents were thinking? And would they ever think anything if the
county did not have to live counting each penny now?

The point is that if previously the power allowed money to flow to the
middle and lower circles, now, it is possible to give it up, because
the money is hardly enough only for the higher ranks. Plus, it is a
good opportunity for responsibility shows.

Sure, Khachikyan has to answer, but also, all those officials, under
whom Khachikyan worked, have to answer too. They have to answer for
example to the question what they were doing so many years, when
Khachikyan kept pocketing that money.

From: A. Papazian

Hetq Reporter’s Lawyer Calls on Court to Display `Uniformity’

hetq
[ 2011/03/22 | 14:48 ]
court
Vahe Sarukhanyan
Vahe Grigoryan, the lawyer for Hetq reporter Grisha Balasanyan who
initiated a slander suit against MP Ruben Hayrapetyan, predicted today
that they won win the case if the court employed the same rationale it
used in the case when Hayrapetyan and two other MP’s sued the
newspaper Haykakan Zhamanak.

It the latter case, the court found in favour of the MP’s who had
charged the paper with slander and defamation. Balasanyan has charged
Hayrapetyan with using foul language of a sexually explicit nature
directed against him during a phone interview.
Mr. Grigoryan said he hoped that the court, which has accepted
Balasanyan’s case, would at least show the same uniformity of approach
as in the Haykanan Zhamanak case, despite the fact that he disagreed
with the ruling.

From: A. Papazian

Marios Garoyian says closure on Cyprus Problem must be in harmony with
the concept of justice

2011-03-21 00:51:46
Talks for a solution of the Cyprus problem are at point zero,
President of the House of Representatives Marios Garoyian said on
Sunday, noting that lately the Turkish side is more provocatively and
obviously trying to lead the negotiations in the direction of a
confederation. Addressing the annual national memorial service for
heroes of Tsada community, in Paphos district, Garoyian said that the
Greek Cypriot side “has exhausted every margin of flexibility“ and
in some cases “has exceeded the limits,“ adding that “any further
moves in that direction would constitute suicide.“ “We have no right
to accept a closure of the Cyprus problem that will not serve justice,
will not terminate the occupation and settling, will not restore the
unity of the state, the people and the institutions, and we have no
right to accept a solution that will grant Turkey guarantor or
intervention rights in Cyprus,“ he pointed out.

Garoyian said that “of course we want a solution the soonest possible
but not any solution,“ adding that “we know the solution will be a
painful compromise but it must be fair and for a solution to be fair,
functional and viable, it must restore the principles of international
law and safeguard the human rights of the people of Cyprus.“

From: A. Papazian

Police beat protesters in Armavir

A1Plus.am
21 march 2011

Police reportedly have beaten up people protesting the results of
yesterday’s vote in Armavir. Some of the protesters were taken to
police stations.

Earlier in the day, a group of Armavir residents blocked
Armavir-Yerevan highway protesting the results of the March 20 mayoral
elections. Mayoral nominee Sevak Minasyan stated that the elections
were held with massive fraud and vote rigging.

Armavir’s incumbent Mayor Ruben Khlghatyan was reelected with 6849 votes.

From: A. Papazian

Re-Release of Explosive Film Spotlights Christian Killings in Turkey

Christian News Wire

Contact: Jake Olson, 918-894-5586 ext. 12; Malatya

TULSA, Okla., March 21, 2011 /Christian Newswire/ — Nolan Dean
Films/Stuff of Earth Media has just re-released their powerful
documentary, Malatya, a feature length film about the brutal killings
of three Christians in Turkey in 2007. The film’s long awaited
re-issue coincides with the April 18th anniversary of the tragic
event.

To mark the anniversary, Malatya’s producers are asking churches
nationwide to join them in a global day of prayer for Turkey. They
also ask pastors to present the film to their congregations as a way
to raise awareness of the persecution Christians face today in that
Muslim nation.

“There is a powerful need to expose these tragic deaths to the light
and bring a healing within Turkey that touches believers and Muslims,”
said Nolan Dean, Director of Malatya. “I ask pastors nationwide to
mobilize their church for a special day of prayer for Turkey and to
show this powerful film to their church body and loved ones. I believe
Malatya is an amazing story of forgiveness and forbearance in tragedy
and why we all need to unite together in prayer for the healing of the
Turkish people.”

The story of Malatya traces the tragic killings of three Turkish
believers in 2007 by five Muslim teens–a crime which sent shockwaves
throughout Turkey and devastated Turkish Christians nationwide. The
film also follows the men’s families in the aftermath of the murders
and their decision to show God’s mercy despite the religious
persecution they experience.

Since its release in 2009, Malatya has received rave reviews for its
gritty portrayal of the tragedy as well as the deep cultural divide
that now exists for many in Turkey today.

“Turkey has had to come to grips with the fact that Christians were
martyred in the name of Islam,” says Steve Husmann, producer of
Malatya. “I think many Muslims have been challenged with that awful
truth and how they view their spiritual beliefs in the face of it. The
tragedy of these murders has moved well beyond the singularity of one
incident and into the consciousness of a nation. That’s where we pray
they find healing and discover the truly transforming love of Jesus
Christ.”

Malatya is today being re-released with brand new music, a new
website, and other production changes. The film can be ordered online
at with free group licenses for churches available
for the cost of a single DVD ($14.99). Producers are also offering
packs of 20 DVDs for $100 to sell after the showing or as special
gifts to attendees.

For more information about Malatya, please visit
For information about the Global Day of Prayer for Turkey, visit

From: A. Papazian

Freedom for Journalists Campaign Underway in Turkey

hetq
[ 2011/03/21 | 10:40 ]
region
Sign Petition Addressed to Turkish Prime Minister

On March 19, about 2,000 people, led by the Freedom for Journalists
(GOP) Platform which is an umbrella for over 90 Turkish national and
local journalists associations, marched in Ankara to protest the
imprisonment of journalists.

The march was the second biggest journalists’ actions of the last
weeks. Two weeks ago similar demonstrations were organized in
Istanbul.

Journalists of Turkey feel themselves increasingly under the threat of
trials, detentions, fines and imprisonments for their journalistic
activities. Today, despite PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s statements that
there is no one in jail for their journalistic activities, the GOP has
a list of 68 journalists in jail, of which 7 have been convicted. The
others are awaiting trial.

Since 2009, 30 journalists have been discharged by the court pending
their trials. If all these figures considered together, around 90
journalists have visited jails only within the last 2 years.

Furthermore, there are 45 journalists who have been sentenced to fine
or to imprisonment. But the executions of sentences have been delayed
for 5 years. It means a strong self-censorship not only for these
journalists but also for journalists in general who had to think about
the consequences of their work. These 45 journalists will be in jail
if and when they repeated the same `crime’.

Besides these, there are more than 2000 ongoing trials and more than
4000 inquiries opened against journalists. Finally, all this leads to
self-censorship.

The latest detentions have increased the worries about the future of
free journalism. Everybody is sure that their phones are wiretapped.
Illegally taped conversations are put in front of journalists as
evidences of their `criminal’ activities or `organizational
membership’.

Most journalists now jailed are accused of being a member of or
conducting propaganda for a terrorist organization (Ergenekon, PKK,
Revolutionary Headquarter, Marxist-Leninist Communist Party…)

But all the so-called evidence for these accusations is based on their
journalists activities: phone calls with their news sources, documents
to be published, their stories, their notes, interviews with the
leaders of illegal organizations, even their published or unpublished
books (The draft book prepared by Ahmet Sik is not yet published, but
it is one of evidences to accuse him being a member of Ergenekon
organization.)

The situation is not only due to the misapplication of laws by
judiciary, journalist organizations underlined since years that there
were about 27 article of the penal code which restricts freedom of
expression. Anti-Terror Law is another obstacle for free expression.

In August 2010, 22 journalists organization has established the
Freedom for Journalists Platform. Then the platform has widened
rapidly and now it consists of 26 national, 66 local professional
journalists’ organizations. The establishment of Platform is due to a
need in the climate of increasing fear and worries among journalists.

The GOP wrote a letter and opened it to the signatures of journalists
. The letter demands immediate release of jailed journalists and
amendment of laws that restrict freedom of expression. The letter was
sent to the Prime Ministry in last September. At the international
level, there is also an ongoing campaign to send e-card to the Turkish
Prime Minister.

Currently, there is an international letter writing campaign to send
an e-card calling for the immediate release of the jailed journalists,
to the Turkish Prime Minister.

Use the following link to add your signature to this call for freedom
and justice:

From: A. Papazian

Tamamyan’s arrest not enough for clearing police system

15:29 – 26.03.11

The recent arrest police colonel Hovhannes Tamamyan cannot be seen as
the only effective measure to clear the police system, a human rights
activist has said.

“There are a lot of flaws in the police system, with the society
having no trust in police officers. A policeman has to be first of all
a defender of human rights,” Artak Zeynalyan told Tert.am.

He said brutalities at police departments demonstrate that the police
engage in illegal actions instead of protecting the people.

The former head of Criminal Investigation Department, colonel
Hovhannes Tamamyan was recently detained on charges of abusing
authority.

Artak Zeynalyan is the legal successor of Vahan Khalafyan who died in
a police department in April 2010.

Tert.am

From: A. Papazian

Bako Sahakyan meets with Artsakh theater workers

Aysor.am
Saturday,March 26

On March 26, Artsakh President Bako Sahakyan met with theater workers
of the republic.

B. Sahakyan congratulated all representatives of Artsakh’s dramatic
art on the World Theater Day.

The meeting focused on a wide range of issues related to the present
situation in the field and its development prospects.

Minister of Culture and Youth Affairs Narine Aghabalyan delivered a report.

Artsakh President noted that the theater is among the pivotal means of
preserving national culture and universal human values.

Meanwhile he mentioned that many problems this field faces need urgent solution.

Among them Bako Sahakyan highlighted the reconstruction of Stepanakert
Dramatic Theater adding that a corresponding assignment was given for
elaborating this project.

The President considered equally important the training of young and
qualified cadres as well as improving moral and psychological
atmosphere in the theater, Artsakh President’s press office reported.

From: A. Papazian

2 Run over near Ayrarat Cinema

16:35 – 26.03.11

Two people have been run over by a car near the Ayrarat Cinema in Yerevan.

The car is said to have hit the two women as they tried to cross the
street in a place where crossing is forbidden.

The accident took place near the underground passage outside Ayrarat Cinema.

Witness told Tert.am that the two women were a mother and daughter.
The latter was immediately hospitalized with heavy injuries.

Currently the traffic police are working on the site.

Tert.am

From: A. Papazian