Author: Aram Torosian

Committee to Protect Journalists condemns blogger Alexander Lapshin’s verdict

Aram Torosian
News.am, Armenia

Committee to Protect Journalists condemns blogger Alexander Lapshin’s verdict
09:19, 21.07.2017

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) condemned the verdict of blogger Alexander Lapshin.

“Alexander Lapshin should not be in jail for traveling to a disputed region,” CPJ Europe and Central Asia Program Coordinator Nina Ognianova said. “We call on authorities in Baku not to contest the journalist’s appeal and to release him unconditionally.” 

It was reported earlier that the Baku court sentenced blogger Alexander Lapshin to three years in jail on charges of public appeals to violent capture of authority and violation of law on infringement of Azerbaijan’s territorial. The verdict was announced during the hearing on Thursday.

The prosecutor earlier asked the court to sentence Lapshin for a period of 6.6 years in prison.

After his visits to Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) in 2011 and 2012, blogger and journalist Alexander Lapshin—who is a citizen of Russia, Israel, and several other countries—was “blacklisted” by Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan issued an international search for this famous blogger. On December 15, 2016, Lapshin was detained in the Belarusian capital city of Minsk, and was later extradited to Baku.

The agreement on Armenian-Russian United forces ratified by the Government

Aram Torosian
Public Radio of Armenia



15:57, 20 Jul 2017

The Armenian-Russian military forces alignment is to come into being.

The Government of the Republic of Armenia approved the RA law on ratification of the agreement on “United group of the armed forces of the Republic of Armenia and the armed forces of the Russian Federation”.

On July 14 the agreement has already been ratified by the State Duma of the Russian Federation. The agreement that was signed on November 30, 2016 in Moscow provides the procedure of the formation and application of the United forces. Problems concerning material and technical supply and information exchange are also regulated.

Sports: Three Armenian gymnasts to take part in world championship

Aram Torosian
Panorama, Armenia

Armenian gymnasts Artur Davtyan, Vahagn Davtyan and Harutyun Merdinyan will take part in the FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Championships 2017, to be held in Montreal, Canada on 2- 8 October, the Armenian National Olympic Committee (ANOC) told Panorama.am.

In an interview with the ANOC, head coach of the Armenian artistic gymnastics team, Hakob Serobyan, noted that prior to the championship, the Armenian gymnasts will depart for Paris to take part in the qualifying round of the World Cup scheduled on 16-17 September. Afterwards, the Armenian team will hold a joint training camp with the French and Chinese teams.

Mr. Serobyan also informed that another Armenian gymnast Zhora Smbatyan is set to participate in the European Youth Summer Olympic Festival to be held in Győr, Hungary from 22 July to 30 July. Armenian athletes Artur Davtyan, Artur Tovmasyan and Armen Petrosyan will represent Armenia at the 2017 Summer Universiade scheduled for Taipei, Taiwan on 19-30 August.

Tourism: Artsakh tourism sector records growth in all directions

Aram Torosian
Panorama, Armenia

The Artsakh Republic tourism sector has recorded growth in the first six months of 2017, according to the country’s statistical service. 
As the tourism department at Artsakh Republic Ministry of Economy reports, an estimated 26% growth has been recorded in the r foreign tourists’ flow for the period of January-June 2017, which is 46% increase to compare with the data of the indicted period in 2015.  

The number of visits has increased to main destinations as well. Around 5,000 tourists visited the historical-cultural reserve of Tigranakert which is 62% increase to compare with the data of the indicted period in 2015.  

In terms of numerical estimates, the income generated from the tourism sector amounted to1.7 milliard AMD that constitute 35% increase.

According to the source, apart from the state funding the tourism sector of the republic has attracted around 25 million AMD over the mentioned period from international donor organizations.

President sums up public debate on “Ditaket,” “I Have the Honor” and “This is Me” programs

Aram Torosian
Panorama, Armenia

July 14 2017

Armenia’s president, Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Serzh Sargsyan participated at the public debate on “Ditaket,” “I have the honor” and “This is me” programs at the Mountainous Armenia resort of Dilijan.

As the press department at the President’s Office reported, the ministers of Defense, Education and Science, the public debate organizers, cadets representing the Military University after V. Sargsyan by the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Armenia, students from a number of universities and the commanders of military units exchanged views on the outcome of public discussions, presented their views and suggestions.

The comments and suggestions received from different layers of society – intellectuals, freedom-fighters, businessmen, media representatives, youth and non-governmental organizations were discussed during the public debate in almost every part of Armenia. The President thanked all the participants of the discussion, emphasizing that the proposed programs and their public discussions are a proof that an army building and strengthening policy is being consistently implemented in the Republic of Armenia. Serzh Sargsyan said to be convinced that “Ditaket,” “I have the honor” and “This is me” programs are called to find innovative solutions to long-standing problems.

At the end of the meeting, the President of the Republic of Armenia noted with satisfaction that the positive approach prevails in the opinions and evaluations received from different layers of society as evidenced by the sociological surveys conducted by the IPSC (Institute for Political and Sociological Consulting) and the International Center for Human Development-hosted discussions. The ministers of Defense, Education and Science were told to keep on working on the aforementioned programs considering the results of public discussions.

According to the presidential assignment, the Ministry of Defense will summarize the findings of the discussions in order to launch the necessary legislative initiatives in cooperation with the agencies concerned. Together with the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Education and Science will elaborate a draft government decree on the launch of a pilot stage of the “I have the honor” program.

In conclusion, the President underscored that no one can claim at this point that the programs are perfect in every detail, but the proposals received in the course of public discussions will help improve the programs, and a final conclusion may be drawn after putting them into practice.

Armenian servicemen wounded on Karabakh frontline show positive dynamics

Aram Torosian
Tert.am, Armenia

13:33 • 12.07.17

The three Armenian servicemen wounded in the recent heavy fighting on the Nagorno-Karabakh frontline show positive dynamics, Defense Ministry sources confirm.  


Two have been moved to Yerevan, while the other whose condition was relatively stable remains under treatment at the medical center of capital Stepenakert, Kamavor Khachatryan, the head of the Nagorno-Karabakh Defense Ministry’s Military-Medical Department, told Tert.am.

“The serviceman who was wounded in the leg is at the Stepanakert hospital. There will be hardly any need to move him to Yerevan. His condition is normal without any problems, as he sustained only fragmentary injuries,” he said.

 

The serviceman shot in the skull he is now in an intensive care unit, Khachatryan added. “We observe positive dynamics also in his condition, which is now stable. The second serviceman moved to Yerevan has not developed complications either; he is not in an intensive care unit at the moment,” he said.

ANKARA: Draft bill bars certain terms in parliament

Aram Torosian 
Hurriyet, Turkey
July 10 2017
Draft bill bars certain terms in parliament
ANKARA
A draft bill proposed by the ruling Justice and Development Party
(AKP) and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) has recommended
imposing sanctions on who use the terms “Armenian genocide” and
“Kurdistan” in addresses to parliament’s General Assembly.
The change comes as part of an 18-article draft bill, expected to be
discussed at parliament next week, overhauling the internal
regulations of parliament. The AKP says the changes are necessary to
overcome what it says are opposition parties’ efforts to slow down
legislative works. The draft bill includes sanctions for lawmakers who
use the expression “Armenian genocide” while describing the 1915
killings of Armenians.
Deputies who use the term will be banned from three General Assembly
sessions and two thirds of their salary, which is around 18,000
Turkish Liras ($4,957), will be cut.
This sanction will also be valid for deputies who describe Turkey’s
southeastern region as “Kurdistan,” and provinces in this region as
“Kurdish provinces.”
The articles have been included in the drafted internal regulation
upon the request of the MHP, which has allied with the AKP government
in recent months, including in the contentious April referendum on
shifting Turkey to an executive presidential system.
The move comes following a number of angry exchanges over the years
after some MPs, mainly from the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), have
used these terms in speeches at parliament.
Another important change, added to the draft upon Parliament Speaker
İsmail Kahraman’s request, is the requirement that the parliament
speaker must wear a frock coat with a white tie while chairing the
General Assembly. The new bill stipulates the wearing of dark suits
for both the speaker and deputies.
July/10/2017

CSTO member states launch three-day military drills in Armenia

Aram Torosian
PanARMENIAN.Net, Armenia



– 16:14 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – The CSTO member states’ special forces have launched three-day military drills in Armenia, the CSTO press service said in a statement on Tuesday, July 11.

“Training with the heads of CSTO member states’ interior ministries (police) special units, allocated to the organization’s Collective Rapid Reaction Force, was launched on July 11 under the supervision of CSTO Deputy Secretary General Valery Semerikov,” Spuntik reports.

According to the statement, police officers from Russia, Armenia, Belarus and Kyrgyzstan, as well as national guard officers from Russia and Kazakhstan, are taking part.

The drills, providing the participants with the opportunity to work on special operations scenarios and exchange experience in training methods, are set to last for three days on the base of the Police Educational Complex of the Republic of Armenia.

The CSTO was established on the basis of the Collective Security Treaty, signed by the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) member states on May 15, 1992. Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan are the current CSTO members. Former member state Uzbekistan announced the suspension of its CSTO membership in 2012.

Music: Virtuoso pianist Dmitry Iskhanov to perform with State Youth Orchestra of Armenia

Aram Torosian
Panorama, Armenia

On July 1, young pianist Dmitry Iskhanov (Malta) will perform with the State Youth Orchestra of Armenia at Aram Khachaturian Concert Hall. He is known as a wunderkind of the classical world, as he performed at the best concert halls worldwide and was welcomed by the most demanding audience, the press service of the State Youth Orchestra reports.

12-year-old Dmitry Iskhanov is laureate of many international competitions. In 2012 he was awarded the first prize at the Golden Key Piano Competition (Frankfurt), as well as a special prize at Violin & Friends Competition (Malta), 1st prize at Citta di Barletta Competition and International Competition “FLAME” in France.

Headed by conductor Sergey Smbatyan Youth Orchestra will perform Symphony No.3 for String Orchestra by Vardan Adjemian, Piano Concerto No.3 “Youth” by Dmitri Kabalevsky (soloist: Dmitry Ishkhanov).