Author: Badalian Vardan

LE BUREAU DE RFE/RL A BAKOU A SON TOUR FRAPPE PAR LA REPRESSION

AZERBAIDJAN

Le 26 decembre 2014, le bureau a Bakou de Radio Azadliq, le service
azerbaïdjanais de Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), a ete
perquisitionne et place sous scelles. Reporters sans frontières denonce
un nouveau coup porte a ce qui reste d’information independante dans
le pays.

Radio Azadliq est la dernière victime en date de la campagne
d’eradication du pluralisme menee par les autorites azerbaïdjanaises.

Le 26 decembre 2014, au terme d’une journee de perquisition, son bureau
de Bakou a ete place sous scelles. Après avoir force le coffre de la
redaction, les inspecteurs ont saisi des documents officiels ainsi
que deux ordinateurs portables, le serveur principal de la redaction,
des appareils photos, des cameras, des cartes memoire et autres outils
de stockage d’information.

“Les mots manquent pour qualifier l’ampleur de la repression a l’oeuvre
en Azerbaïdjan”, declare Johann Bihr, responsable du bureau Europe
de l’Est et Asie centrale de Reporters sans frontières. “L’une après
l’autre, chacune des dernières voix independantes est methodiquement
etouffee par le regime d’Ilham Aliev. Tant de determination et
si peu de scrupules appellent une reponse extremement ferme de la
part des institutions internationales et partenaires etrangers de
l’Azerbaïdjan.”

Les inspecteurs qui se sont presentes vers 10h30 pour perquisitionner
disposaient d’un mandat delivre dans le cadre d’une enquete
ouverte contre plusieurs organisations recevant des financements de
l’etranger. En revanche, ils n’ont aucunement justifie la mise sous
scelles des locaux et n’ont pas indique la duree de cette mesure. Dès
l’arrivee des inspecteurs, le telephone et Internet ont ete coupes
dans la redaction, et les journalistes ont ete enfermes dans une
pièce pendant plusieurs heures, avant d’etre conduits a l’exterieur.

“Cette manoeuvre est clairement destinee a bloquer les activites de
notre bureau de Bakou et a menacer nos journalistes”, a declare a
Reporters sans frontières le directeur de Radio Azadliq, Kenan Aliyev.

“L’ordre [de ce raid] provient d’en haut, en represailles contre notre
travail journalistique et dans un effort brutal pour reduire RFE/RL au
silence”, a ajoute le redacteur en chef et codirecteur de la radio,
Nenad Pejic, dans un communique officiel. La station a annonce son
intention de poursuivre son travail sur l’Azerbaïdjan. RFE/RL etait
deja bannie des ondes depuis 2009, mais continuait a atteindre son
public sur Internet.

Le 26 decembre egalement, un tribunal de Bakou a rejete la demande de
remise en liberte conditionnelle introduite par l’avocat de Khadija
Ismaïlova, ancienne chef du bureau de Bakou de Radio Azadliq. La
celèbre journaliste d’investigation, figure de la defense des droits
de l’homme en Azerbaïdjan, a ete arretee le 5 decembre dans une
affaire montee de toutes pièces. Reporters sans frontières appelle
de nouveau a signer sa petition, lancee le 15 decembre, pour demander
sa liberation immediate et inconditionnelle.

La fermeture du bureau de Radio Azadliq a Bakou rappelle les methodes
recemment employees contre les principales ONG de soutien des medias en
Azerbaïdjan. Les locaux de l’Institute for Reporters Freedom and Safety
(IRFS), de Media Rights Institute (MRI) et d’International Research &
Exchanges Board (IREX) avaient tous ete perquisitionnes et mis sous
scelles courant août.

Une vague de repression sans precedent s’abat depuis plusieurs
mois sur les journalistes independants, blogueurs et net-citoyens
azerbaïdjanais, ainsi que sur les structures qui les soutiennent. Pas
moins de quinze journalistes et blogueurs, dont le droit a un procès
equitable n’est jamais respecte, sont actuellement incarceres en lien
avec leurs activites d’information, ce qui fait de l’Azerbaïdjan la
plus grande prison pour les acteurs de l’information sur le continent
europeen. Avant meme ce pic de repression, le pays figurait a la
160e place sur 180 dans le Classement 2014 de la liberte de la presse
publie par Reporters sans frontières.

mardi 13 janvier 2015, Stephane (c)armenews.com

CHILD SURVIVOR OF GYUMRI MURDER MAY BE MOVED TO YEREVAN

11:22 * 13.01.15

The infant hospitalized in the wake of yesterday’s brutal murder in
Gyumri may be moved to Yerevan as his condition continues to remain
critical.

According to a press release by Armenia’s Ministry of Health,
the six-month-old Seryozha Avetisyan is now in an intensive care
department where he was moved Monday afternoon after a 40-minute
surgery. The child is switched to an artificial breathing device;
his condition is described as a post-operative shock.

A team of specialists from Yerevan’s Surb Astvatsamayr Medical Center
was in the second largest city on Monday. The doctors now consider
the possibility of hospitalizing the child in Yerevan.

Avetisyan, who is the only survivor of the deadly incident, was taken
to Gyumri’s Austrian hospital with stab wounds on the chest. A thorough
abdominal examination revealed no damages to vital organs.

The surgery was successful. The child is now under the health
minister’s direct observation.

RUSSIAN SIDE INCLINED TO REMIT MULTIPLE MURDER CASE TO ARMENIAN SIDE – HUNAN POGHOSYAN

13:57 * 13.01.15

The Russian side considers it advisable to remit the multiple murder
case to the Armenian side, First Vice-Chief of Armenia’s Police,
Lieutenant-General Hunan Poghosyan told reporters in Gyumri, Armenia.

According to him, relevant bodies of Armenia and Russia are deciding
on which side is to investigate the case. An official Russian delegated
led by Deputy Minister of Defense Arkady Bakhin arrived in Armenia.

“All high-ranking officials are inclined to think that the Armenian
side should investigate the case. After a decision has been made,
the arrestee will be handed over to the Armenian side,” Mr Poghosyan
said, according to Armenpress.

“Have no doubts that the culprit will receive deserved punishment. We
are studying his history, but it is clear that he has a low level of
education,” he said.

ARMENIAN MIGRANTS HAVE NO PLACE TO RETURN

Naira Hayrumyan, Political Commentator
Business – 13 January 2015, 12:34

The head of the Russian Federal Migration Service Constantine
Romodanovsky announced that in early 2015 the number of migrant
workers is down by 70% compared with the same period of last year.

This is a huge number and is determined by both tougher migration
legislation and economic problems in Russia, including the devaluation
of the dram, declining investments, construction and other projects.

The citizens of Armenia who worked in Russia for many years are now
waiting. Optimists are waiting until the situation in Russia improves;
pessimists are considering doing something in Armenia.

For the time being, there is no official information on the number
of arrivals and departures from Armenia but the fact that buying
Yerevan-Moscow tickets is easier than return tickets is evidence that
the citizens of Armenia are returning and not intending to leave.

Though on January 2 Armenia became a member of the Eurasian Union,
and the citizens of Armenia can freely leave and work in Russia,
the economic situation in Russia makes export of labor to this
country meaningless.

Encouraging migration to Russia is one of the priorities of the
Armenian government. First, it allows shedding state obligations for
employment on those “drowning”, second, push the civil-revolutionary
potential out of the country and, most importantly, receive remittances
which amount to the state budget.

Armenia exports labor and imports almost all consumer goods. And
as long as export exceeds import, Armenia can keep its political
and economic balance. As soon as the export gets closer to import,
the balance will be broken.

Now it is a time when the government may start thinking on how to fill
in the gap of remittances and address the people who will understand
that leaving for Russia is meaningless.

Thousands of people who earned their living while working in Armenia
cannot stay in Armenia jobless and they will first of all make claims
to the government. Does the government have any plan of actions for
this case or is the solution of these problems also delegated to the
Eurasian Commission?

The Armenian society underwent an invisible transformation last year.

The representatives of the Armenian government state with confidence
that there cannot be a revolution in Armenia because Armenians protest
with their suitcases and feet.

However, recently the government has started speaking about this
much lesser seeing the situation in Russia. Perhaps, the government
is trying to understand how the labor migrants will behave, whether
they will rally in front of the government or find another way out.

LE PRESIDENT SARKISSIAN TIENT DES CONSULTATIONS SUR LE MASSACRE D’UNE FAMILLE A GYUMRI

ARMENIE

Le president armenien Serge Sarkissian a tenu lundi des consultations
urgentes avec les chefs de services de police dans le cadre de
l’assassinat d’une famille commis dans la deuxième ville du pays de
Gyumri dans la matinee.

Un militaire de la base militaire russe stationne a Gyumri est
soupconne du meurtre des six membres d’une famille, y compris un
enfant de deux ans, et de la blessure d’un enfant de six mois qui
est maintenant a l’hôpital.

La police armenienne a recherche Valeri Permyakov dès lundi après-midi,
avec une recherche etendue dans la capitale Erevan.

Selon le service de presse presidentiel, le commandement de la base
militaire russe en Armenie coopère pleinement avec les autorites
policières du pays, fournissant une aide active a l’enquete.

L’importance de clarifier les details du crime dès que possible,
d’identifier les responsables et de les traduire en justice avec toute
la rigueur de la loi a ete souligne lors des consultations convoquees
par le President Sarkissian.

“Actuellement, toutes les mesures necessaires sont prises pour trouver
l’auteur de cet acte barbare, et ces etapes sont sous le contrôle
direct du president,” a indique le communique.

mardi 13 janvier 2015, Stephane (c)armenews.com

PERMYAKOV NOT TO BE HANDED OVER TO THE ARMENIAN SIDE

16:53, 13 Jan 2015

The Prosecutor’s Offices of Armenia and Russia have discussed
the details of the mass slaying in Gyumri, Press Service of the
Prosecutor’s Office reports. The parties stressed that the guilty
should be punished to the fullest extent of the law.

The perpetrator of the crime, Valery Permyakov, is a citizen of
the Russian Federation and is under the control of the Russian
law-enforcement bodies. Therefore, the issue of handing over Permyakov
to the Armenian party is not subject to discussion in compliance
with Article 61.1 of the Russian Constitution, which states that
“the citizen of the Russian Federation may not be deported out of
Russia or extradited to another state.”

Similarly, no citizen of the Republic of Armenia has ever been
extradited to another country, in accordance with a ban set by Article
30.1 of the Armenian Constitution.

The investigation is carried out by the law-enforcement bodies of
Armenia and Russia. The Armenian side will work consistently to ensure
that the guilty are held accountable by law.

ARMENIAN HUMORIST OF CHARLIE HEBDO: WE NOW HAVE MORE REASONS TO CONTINUE

01.09.2015 13:37NEWS

Mathieu Madenian, the humorist and columnist of Armenian origin who
worked for Charlie Hebdo was saved from the massacre in which 12
people died because he didn’t go to work that day.

Madenian has worked for Charlie Hebdo since September, and had sent a
text message to his editor Charb a few hours before the attack that
took place at 11.30 on January 7, telling him that he was not going
to attend the meeting that morning.

Speaking to Canal+, Madenian found out about the attack from his
mother’s message asking him where he was, and said that he was only
thinking about his friends who died.

Madenian added that like many other employees of the magazine, he,
too, constantly received threat messages, and that their chief editor
Charb for whom Al-Qaida had issued a ‘fatwa of death’ had been forced
to live with two bodyguards.

Madenian says, ‘We now have more reasons to continue’.

DÝKKAT: 7 Ocak’ta gercekleþen saldýrýdan, derginin genel yayýn
yonetmeni Charb’ýn yaný sýra Cabu, Wolinski gibi derginin ‘beyin
kadrosunu’ oluþturan cizerler hayatýný kaybetti. > saldýrýda

The attack that took place on January 7 took the lives of 12 people
including chief editor Charb, and legendary cartoonists Cabu and
Wolinski who formed the core team of the magazine.

ARMENIAN FOREIGN MINISTER TAKES PART IN UNITY MARCH IN PARIS

14:12, 12 Jan 2015

On January 11, Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian participated in the
Unity March in Paris, symbolizing an act of solidarity of international
community in fight against terrorism and intolerance, dedicated to
the memory of victims of terrorist acts committed in the capital of
France on January 7-9.

About 50 Heads of States, Governments and international organizations,
as well as Ministers for Foreign Affairs arrived in Paris to take
part in the March.

The President of the French Republic Francois Hollande received
representatives of the delegations in the Elysee Palace before the
start of the March. The Minister for Foreign Affairs of Armenia,
conveying the RA President’s condolences to the President of France,
expressed support and solidarity of the Armenian people to the people
and authorities of friendly France.

PRESIDENT SARGSYAN HOLDS URGENT CONSULTATIONS ON GYUMRI CRIME

16:42, 12 Jan 2015

President Serzh Sargsyan held urgent consultations with the heads of
law-enforcement bodies on theheinous crime in Gyumri.

The President stressed the importance of ascertaining the details of
the case, detaining the guilty and holding them accountable.

The leadership of the Russian Military Base in Gyumri cooperates with
the Armenian law-enforcement bodies and provides practical support
to the investigation of the case.

All necessary measures are being taken to find the criminal.

President Sargsyan offers his condolences to the relatives of the
victims and shares the endless sorrow and pain.

CENTRAL BANK RAISES MINIMUM AMOUNT OF BANKS TOTAL CAPITAL TO 30 BILLION DRAMS FROM 5 BILLION DRAMS

YEREVAN, January 12. / ARKA /. Armenia’s Central Bank has decided
to raise the minimum amount of commercial banks’ total capital to 30
billion drams from the current 5 billion drams from January 1, 2017.

According to a Central Bank’s press release, the banks established
before January 1, 2017 will have to meet the new requirement- that
is to have 30 billion drams worth total capital.

According to the press release, the measure is aimed at encouraging
mergers and consolidation of banks, which is expected to create a
sound competitive environment and make banking services more available.

The regulator said also it expects this measure to increase the
flexibility and the ability of the banking system to withstand
shocks in different economic situations, and help advance financial
intermediation.

The Central Bank said a series of meetings with bank shareholders
show that virtually all are ready for raising their capitalization
that will make the system more attractive and steady.

The measure was also welcomed by a number of international financial
organizations, which are ready to make investments in the Armenian
banks.

“The change applies equally to all banks in Armenia. The deadline is
enough for all the banks to bring their activities into compliance
with the regulatory requirement,” the Central Bank said.

The last time the Central Bank increased the minimum size of total
capital from 2.4 billion drams to 5 billion drams was in January 2009.

According to 2014 data, the total capital of only five Armenian
banks met and even exceeded the new requirement, while four banks’
capital was below 10 billion drams. There are now 21 commercial banks
in Armenia and also the Pan-Armenian bank.-0-