Author: Badalian Vardan

oikotimes.com, Greece
Jan 24 2015

Cyprus 2015: Hovig records video for his NF entry

Posted on January 24, 2015 2:00 pm by Fotis Konstantopoulos (Greece)

NICOSIA, CYPRUS – Hovig, known from Cypriot national final of 2010 is
participating again in the 2015 final with the song “Stone in a
river”. His team and record label are recording the video clip of the
song which might be used for the Eurovision Song Contest since he is
considered one of the favourites to represent the island of Aphrodite
in Vienna’s Eurovision Song Contest.

It’s a dynamic ballad and the video clip captures the viewer. The
video clip reminds more of a movie rather than a song video clip.
Eugene Zosimov is the director of the video clip while CyBC is not
hiding its happiness with Hovig as we saw in the last semifinal last
night where jury member Tasos Tryfonos expressed high hopes for 12
points from Armenia since Hovig’s descend is Armenian.

The video clip was made in old Nicosia at night and two actors are
participating: Athos Antoniou and Panos Makris as Tothemaonline.com
reported. Below you can see Hovig’s performance in the last show of
Eurovision Song Project. You can also read our review of the national
final songs and vote for your favourite three entries in our poll.

Haykakan Zhamanak: 24.2% inflation in Armenia in past 4 years

‘Haykakan Zhamanak’ writes citing the National Statistical Service of
Armenia that Armenia’s inflation was 24.2% in the past four years.
This rise in the cost of living was not compensated by an adequate
increase of wages. Wages in Armenia grew by 46% in dram terms and by
15% in dollar terms during that period.

24.01.15, 13:00

Wounded soldier’s life out of danger after surgery

Private Hovhannes Avanesyan, who was wounded as a result of
Azerbaijani subversive act this morning, underwent surgery at the
military hospital of Berd city in Armenia’s Tavush province.

“The soldier suffered serious lung, lever and spine injuries. Doctors
say that everything possible has been done, and now we have but to
wait,’ Ararat Avalyan, the administrator of Movses village in Tavush
province, told Aysor.am.

This morning the Azerbaijani side made a subversive attempt in the
direction of Movses.

Armenian Defense Ministry spokesman Artsrun Hovhannisyan wrote on his
Facebook page that Avanesyan’s life is out of danger.

As was reported earlier, the Azerbaijani side, taking actions that
destabilize the situation on the borders with Armenia and Nagorno
Karabakh, continues tactics of subversive acts and attacks. While
ignoring heavy losses that are being blatantly concealed, Azerbaijani
troops continue to carry out subversive actions which are senseless
from a tactical point of view.

Defense Ministry spokesman Artsrun Hovhannisyan said that on the night
of January 23 Azerbaijan violated the ceasefire about 300 times.

“At 9:00 am today special mission units of the Azerbaijani army made
an attack in the direction of several frontline positions in Berd
region of Armenia’s Tavush province. The fighting lasted about half an
hour. The enemy suffered losses, failed to perform its combat task and
was thrown back. Unfortunately, two Armenian servicemen were killed.
There are wounded soldiers. Lieutenant Karen Galstyan and Private
Artak Sargsyan died,” Defense Ministry spokesman noted.

“The military-political leadership of Azerbaijan bears all
responsibility for escalation of the situation and consequences,” he
stressed.

23.01.15, 18:13

European Parliament hosts commemoration for assassinated Journalist
Hrant Dink

23:08, 23 Jan 2015 Siranush Ghazanchyan

Vice-President of the European Parliament Graf Lambsdorff honours
“courageous man” who “represents European values”. Dink’s widow
invites EP audience to commemorate the Armenian genocide in Istanbul
on April 24.

On January 21 the European Parliament hosted a commemoration to honour
Hrant Dink, an Armenian journalist from Turkey, who was assassinated 8
years ago. Hrant Dink has become an icon of the movement for civil
liberties in Turkey on account of his contribution to the struggle for
freedom of expression and the defense of minorities.

The event was organized jointly by Frank Engel MEP (EPP group), the
Armenian organization AGBU Europe, the anti-racist network EGAM and
Turkish advocacy group DurDe! It followed the commemoration that
gathered tens of thousands of people in Istanbul , on 19 January.
Other ceremonies have also been organized in various European
countries.

At the event, Rakel Dink spoke emotionally of her husband and of their
common struggle for a fairer society. She referred to the centenary of
the Armenian genocide and quoted an article by the assassinated
journalist: “the time has come for April 24 to be commemorated on this
land, on which we shall collectively remember all of those people and
wish peace upon their souls. It will be a day when pain shared gives
rise to multitudes of joy; that day shall not only soothe the pain of
the Armenian people, but will also be the very spirit of the
democratization of Turkey.” Rakel Dink ended with an open invitation
to join in the commemorations in Istanbul on April 24.

Frank Engel, MEP, recalled that the event honoured “a man who defended
peace between nations and freedom of speech. But he was also a model
of citizenship, of civic involvement.” For EP Vice-President Alexander
Graf Lambsdorff, furthermore, “freedom of expression is the courage to
publish things that don’t please the authorities. […] He was
courageous […] Hrant Dink represents many values that are cherished
by the European Union”.

For Yervant Zorian, member of the Central Board of AGBU,”historically,
the Armenian people have endured oppression (…) It is a disseminated
population all around the world that lives together with other
nationalities. Armenians have learned to live in tolerance with other
cultures. In that sens, particularly, Hrant Dink is Armenian and
represents a symbol for this population.” An idea to which Levent
Sensever, Leader in the anti-racist group DurDe! added that “Hrant
Dink was an example for the Turks and for the rest of the world to
follow.”

Benjamin Abtan, President of EGAM, drew a parallel between the
terrorist attack on Charlie Hebdo and the assassination of Dink: “What
happened was horrible. How not to be afraid when terrorists are
targetting you? That is a normal feeling. […] But truth is more
important. Even though Hrant is not with us anymore, his message
remains: go on fighting for the truth, for the Armenian heritage
especially, and raise awareness of the value of the diversity of
identities.”

AGBU Europe is the European district of the interntional Armenian
organization AGBU. Established in 1906, AGBU () is the
world’s largest non-profit Armenian organization. Headquartered in New
York City, AGBU preserves and promotes the Armenian identity and
heritage through educational, cultural and humanitarian programs,
annually touching the lives of some 400,000 Armenians around the
world.AGBU Europe is the European chapter of the organization. It runs
numerous programmes in fields relating to academic research, the
preservation and promotion of architectural heritage, education and
culture as well as awareness raising.

PRESSE-GENOCIDE ARMENIEN
Le mensuel l’Histoire consacre un dossier de 50 pages sur les «
Arméniens : le premier génocide du XXáµ? siècle »

Le mensuel l’Histoire (n°408 daté de février 2015) vient de consacrer
un dossier de 50 pages sur le génocide arménien à l’occasion du 100ème
anniversaire du génocide des Arméniens. « Il y a cent ans le
gouvernement des Jeunes-Turcs commettait le premier génocide du XXe
siècle décimant la communauté arménienne, pourtant bien intégrée Ã
l’Empire ottoman. On comprend mieux aujourd’hui l’idéologie qui a
motivé les responsables et la mécanique implacable du massacre. Par
Boris Adjemian, Taner Akçam, Annette Becker, Hamit Bozarslan, Pierre
Chuvin, Vincent Duclert, François Georgeon, Raymond Kévorkian, Claire
Mouradian, Mikaël Nichanian et Yves Ternon » écrit l’Histoire.
Disponible auprès de tous les marchands de journaux (6,40 euros).

Krikor Amirzayan

samedi 24 janvier 2015,
Krikor Amirzayan ©armenews.com

NEW HEARING OF PERINcEK VS. SWITZERLAND ON JAN. 28

Today’s Zaman, Turkey
Jan 23 2015

Workers’ Party (Ä°P) Chairman Dogu Perincek. (Photo: Today’s Zaman)

January 23, 2015, Friday/ 17:58:52/ MULEYKE BARUTCU / ISTANBUL

The case of Workers’ Party (Ä°P) Chairman Dogu Perincek v. Switzerland,
which determined that calling the declaration of the mass killings
of Armenians during Ottoman rule in 1915 a genocide “an international
lie” cannot constitute a criminal offence in Switzerland, will again
be heard at the European Court on Human Rights (ECtHR) on Jan. 28.

The hearing comes after Switzerland’s objections were accepted by
the ECtHR. Switzerland is one of the countries that recognize the
1915 events that led to the mass killings of Armenian minorities of
the Ottoman Empire as genocide and accepted the law that legitimizes
its denial as crime. Perincek made statements during a lecture tour
in Switzerland in 2007 in the Swiss cities of Bern and Lozan calling
the Armenian genocide “an international lie.” A Swiss court charged
Perincek for violating the rules intentionally and sentenced him to
90 days imprisonment.

Turkey accepts that many Armenians died during World War I in Ottoman
Turkey in 1915 but denies that up to 1.5 million were killed and
that it constituted an act of genocide — a term used by many Western
historians, foreign parliaments and Armenians worldwide.

Perincek’s appeals against the Swiss judgment were rejected several
times, although later his sentence of imprisonment was replaced
with a fine. In 2008, Perincek appealed to the ECtHR claiming that
Switzerland was “limiting freedom of expression.” Perincek won the
case five years later on Dec. 17, 2013 when the ECtHR ruled against
Switzerland, determining that denying that the mass killings of
Armenians in 1915 amounted to a genocide was not a criminal offence.

In 2014, human rights organizations called for the Swiss government to
reject the ECtHR’s decision. In June of the same year Switzerland’s
appeal was accepted by the ECtHR, with a hearing date scheduled for
Jan. 28, 2015.

Eren Keskin, head of the Human Rights Association (Ä°HD), which will be
heard as a third-party intervention during the hearing, has said that
the issue is not whether the Armenian genocide should be recognized
legally but instead whether, “Perincek’s expressions pave the way to
racism and discrimination.”

EYES ON POLICE INTEL CHIEF IN DINK MURDER CASE

Today’s Zaman, Turkey
Jan 23 2015

Thousands of protesters gather outside the Agos newspaper to mark
the eighth anniversary of Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink’s
murder in Ä°stanbul on Jan. 19. (Photo: AP)

January 23, 2015, Friday/ 17:07:22/ TODAYSZAMAN.COM / ISTANBUL

As the investigation further deepens into the 2007 murder of
Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink, eyes are now on a senior
police official who headed the intelligence department of Trabzon at
the time of the killing after several of his underlings were arrested
on charges of involvement in the murder.

Three police officials working under Engin Dinc in the intelligence
department of the Trabzon Police Department were recently arrested
as part of an expanded probe into the killing of Dink. Dinc has been
promoted since then and is now one of the most senior officials at
the head of police intelligence.

But whether the investigation will be extended to include him as
a suspect remains a question. A news report published in the Taraf
daily on Friday said the top state authorities have agreed not to
allow him to be prosecuted even though testimonies of his associates
point to his involvement as well.

A court overseeing the case postponed the trial to April. 28.

Police officials Ercan Demir, Ozkan Mumcu and Muhittin Zenit have
been arrested as part of the trial.

An Ä°stanbul court arrested former Cizre Police Chief Ercan Demir,
who turned himself in on Monday after an arrest warrant had been
issued against him on Jan. 16.

Trabzon Police Department Assistant Commissioner Mumcu and Zenit were
arrested on Jan. 13 on charges of negligence and misconduct in the
murder of Dink.

Demir’s case raised curiosity as he had been appointed as head of
the police department in the restive southeastern town of Cizre only
a couple of weeks before an arrest warrant was issued against him.

Demir had been questioned as a suspect as part of the Dink murder
investigation by prosecutors at the Ä°stanbul Courthouse on Jan. 12,
but a court released him pending trial. Ä°stanbul prosecutors appealed
the court’s decision and Ä°stanbul’s Criminal Court of Peace issued
an arrest warrant for Demir on Jan. 16 on charges of “negligence in
preventing the murder.”

Taraf described the stalemate over Dinc’s questioning as a suspect
in the murder case as a crisis reminiscent of a 2012 case, in which
National Intelligence Organization (MÄ°T) head Hakan Fidan was summoned
by a prosecutor for questioning as a suspect in an investigation into
the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK), an umbrella organization that
encompasses the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).

The prosecutor had been investigating allegations that MÄ°T agents
were active agents within the KCK. But the summoning of Fidan angered
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, prime minister at the time, who swiftly
pushed for legal changes that in turn protected Fidan from prosecution.

Taraf said Dinc might be obliged to testify as part of the case given
the fact that the Dink family insists that the investigation include
him as well. In such a case, it said, Dinc may quietly testify to
the prosecutor, likely to be followed by a decision to drop charges
against him.

Dink was shot and killed by an ultra-nationalist teenager. The hit
man, Ogun Samast, and 18 others were brought to trial. Since then,
the lawyers for the Dink family and the co-plaintiffs in the case have
presented evidence indicating that Samast did not act alone. Another
suspect, Yasin Hayal, was given life in prison for inciting Samast
to commit murder.

The retrial process started in September 2014, when the Ä°stanbul 5th
High Criminal Court complied with a ruling from the Supreme Court of
Appeals in May 2013 overturning the lower court ruling that acquitted
suspects in the Dink murder case of forming a terrorist organization.

This decision paved the way for the trial of public officials on the
charge of voluntary manslaughter.

There were also separate investigations going on, including in
Ä°stanbul and in Trabzon, in relation to Dink’s murder, and despite
the Dink family lawyers’ demands, they were not merged. Toward the
end of last year, they were finally combined.

ARMENIA CLAIMS LANDS IN TURKEY Â~@~S NEWSPAPER

Trend, Azerbaijan
Jan 23 2015

23 January 2015, 14:56 (GMT+04:00)
By Rufiz Hafizoglu- Trend:

Armenia and the Armenian lobby claim lands in Turkey, the Turkish
newspaper Haberturk said Jan.22.

It is reported that the old presidential palace in Cankaya and part
of territory on which the Ataturk Airport in Istanbul is located are
among places that are being sought for return by Armenians.

Armenia and the Armenian lobby in connection with the centennial
of the so-called Armenian genocide filed a lawsuit in the court of
Turkey on the return of lands, which allegedly were taken away from
some of the Armenians during the events of 1915.

Harut Sassounian, a writer of Armenian origin residing in the US,
reportedly stressed that Armenia and the diaspora are considering
taking legal actions against Ankara, and will resort to international
courts if the lawsuits they file against the government are rejected
in Turkey.

On Jan.3 2015, a writer of Armenian origin Zuart Sudjian claimed the
land where Diyarbakır Airport is located, alleging that the land
was taken from Sudijian’s family and belongs to his grandfather.

At present, the court is clarifying the verity of the submitted
documents.

Armenia and the Armenian lobby claim that Turkey’s predecessor, the
Ottoman Empire allegedly carried out “genocide” against the Armenians
living in Anatolia in 1915. Turkey in turn has always denied “the
genocide” took place.

While strengthening the efforts to promote the so-called genocide in
the world, Armenians have achieved its recognition by the parliaments
of some countries.

Although Turkey has repeatedly proposed to create an independent
commission to investigate the events of 1915, Armenia continues to
reject this proposal.

IS THE LEADER OF DJAVAKHETI EXTREMISTS FORMING AN ARMED GROUP?

Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
Jan 23 2015

23 January 2015 – 11:27am

Giorgi Kalatozishvili, Tbilisi. Exclusively for Vestnik Kavkaza

Karina Grigoryan, a former police officer, an Honor Decoration
holder, has made a sensational statement. She told the mass media
about the plans of the well-known figure Vaagan Chakhalyan to form in
Djavakheti (a region in southern Georgia where the Armenian population
dominates) an armed group for committing terrorist attacks. “According
to information of my source, Chakhalyan plans riots in the region. He
has already gathered an armed group (60-70 people) and sets ultimatums
to the current authorities,” Grigoryan says. According to her, “if
Chakhalyan fulfills his ideas in practice, I state that it will be
the fault of the current authorities due to their thoughtless steps;
they have been warned many times that Chakhalyan is a threat to the
region, and his release from jail would be a mistake.”

She is a significant figure, as well as Chakhalyan. One of the last
orders of former president Saakashvili was to award Karina Grigoryan
with the highest decoration of Georgia – the Honor Decoration. The
presidential administration quickly invited accredited journalists
to the great hall of the Ablabar Palace to “an important event.”

Saakashvili personally stated about a noble gesture by “a true citizen
of Georgia”, Karina Grigoryan – she resigned and left the Department
of Counterintelligence of the Interior Ministry in protest against
the release of Vaagan Chakhalyan from jail, according to a decision
of the new parliament.

The ruling Georgian Dream coalition came to power in October 2012
and amnestied two-thirds of all prisoners, including those who were
accused of extremism, espionage, and anti-government activities.

Later, the leaders of Georgian Dream explained that this was due to
the fact that Vaagan Chakhalyan was sentenced to jail for several
years not for separatism or formation of armed groups, but for a
fight in one of the Djavakheti state facilities, i.e. for hooliganism.

It seems Karina Grigoryan as an employee of the special services
knew about the activities of Chakhalyan in detail, dealt with him,
and that’s why she decided to resign. Former president Saakashvili,
who had only nominal power by that time (at least he could award
people), decided to mark the patriotic deed by a citizen who “rose
above ethnic nationalism”, as he said when he awarded Karina Grigoryan
with the highest decoration.

Then Saakashvili and Chakhalyan’s roads crossed. When the president
visited Akhalkalaki, the administrative center of Djavakheti,
Chakhalyan came to him (we admit that he is a very bold person)
together with a group of supporters and began to ask him rhetorical
questions about “an unfair trial,” “dictatorship,” and “violation of
Armenians’ rights in Djavakheti.”He spoke in Georgian, even though
he didn’t speak the language before his arrest. He studied the state
language in jail; and his teachers were other prisoners.

“Why don’t you return our churches? Why do you blow them up?”

Chakhalyan asked the president of Georgia. The guard didn’t stop him,
as Saakashvili gave them a sign not to interfere in “the dialogue”.

Then the communicators began to speak Russian. The dialogue ended with
a blow-up. “Do you think it’s you who should judge me?” Saakashvili
attacked. “I will listen to all citizens, but I won’t let such people
as you teach me morality.” In the end, Chakhalyan ran away, shouting
“Misha, go to Turkey! Misha – to Turkey!”

Is it realistic that Chakhalyan manages to form a group of 60-70
people for an armed struggle aimed at the separation of Djavakheti
from Georgia? The Interior Ministry of the country states that the
situation in the region is under control, and there are no threats
of any incidents, let alone armed riots. Djavakheti hasn’t seen
demonstrations with political slogans for a long time, it is true.

However, journalists don’t know where Chakhalyan is or what he is
doing. They couldn’t find him after the sensational statement by
Karina Grigoryan. We hope that the law-enforcement agencies are aware
of his activities and the place where he is located.

TURKEY’S PAST AND FUTURE COLLIDE: WHY 2015 IS A CRITICAL YEAR

CBC News, Canada
Jan 23 2015

ISIS, Syrian refugees and Kurdish unrest all factors in the year ahead

By Nil Koksal, CBC News

Turkey’s past and possible future seem to be picking a fight once
again.

Istanbul and Ankara saw major gatherings this week that show the kind
of year 2015 will be in Turkey, and why it matters.

In the nation’s capital on Monday, Recep Tayyip Erdogan did something
a Turkish president hasn’t done in 15 years. He held a meeting with
cabinet – an eight-and-a-half hour one at that.

This is big news here, because it is usually the prime minister, not
the president in his largely ceremonial role, who meets with ministers.

There were assurances Erdogan would not be making a habit of this. But
tell that to those who are concerned the president is tightening his
grip on power.

The governing AK (Justice & Development) Party puts this under the
banner of what it calls a “New Turkey.” Critics aren’t convinced.

They point to ongoing media censorship as one example of Erdogan’s
style of rule. Just this week, members of his party presented a new
bill that, if passed, would allow the government to shut down any
website it wants for “protection of public order.”

Turkey’s Twitter ban lifted after top court shoots it down

They are concerned Erdogan’s vision is far too reminiscent of Turkey’s
Ottoman past – a time of conquests, empire and single-leader rule.

Remembering the past

Part of that past once again reverberated through the streets of
Istanbul this week, where thousands gathered to remember Hrant Dink.

In 2007, the Armenian-Turkish newspaper editor was murdered outside
the paper’s Istanbul offices by a teenager now serving a 22-year
sentence. It is believed he didn’t act alone, but there is still no
clear picture of who helped orchestrate the crime.

As Dink mourners marched on the eighth anniversary of his death,
authorities announced the arrest of the former chief of intelligence
for the Trabzon police, who allegedly, along with other authorities,
ignored evidence of an imminent threat to the editor.

The arrest is not enough for Armenian Turks, however, who demand
answers not just for Dink’s murder, but for deaths that occurred 100
years ago.

This year marks the centenary of the killings of Armenian Turks
in 1915. In recent years, the Turkish government has taken steps
to improve relations with Armenia. It offered formal condolences,
but will not use the word genocide.

Armenian genocide: Conciliatory statement from Turkey PM rejected

Canada is among several countries that do, however, and Armenian
Turks demand the same of the country they still call home. As the
April anniversary of the massacres approaches, those demands are
likely to become louder.

A new strategy abroad

On the home front, Turkey is also grappling with a resurgence of
Kurdish violence in the southeast, the threat of the Islamic State
in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) at its border and a Syrian refugee crisis.

At the same time, Turkey continues to assert itself abroad.

Prime Minister (and former foreign minister) Ahmet Davutoglu looks
increasingly comfortable on the world stage. He is currently at
the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, ending Erdogan’s
long-standing boycott of the summit, which helps pave the way for
the G20 summit, which Turkey is hosting this year.

Earlier this week, Davutoglu met with British Prime Minister David
Cameron as well as British Muslim leaders to tackle the issue of
growing Islamophobia in Europe.

President Erdogan confronted concerns over ISIS in an address
to international Muslim leaders in Istanbul on Wednesday, asking
rhetorically where these extremists are “getting the authority” to
commit murder in the name of Islam, given that the Muslim faith does
not support such acts.

Charlie Hebdo attack: Hayat Boumeddiene may be in Syria Turkey denies
deal reached with U.S. on airbase use in ISIS fight

There has been criticism from the West that Turkey hasn’t said or
done enough to stem the rise of ISIS. Turkish officials say the vast
900-kilometre southern border separating the country from ISIS-held
areas in Syria is a clear example of how difficult stopping the
Islamic extremists, and preserving Turkey’s own security, can be.

A poll from Istanbul’s Kadir Has University found that 93.2 per cent
of Turks surveyed view ISIS as a terror organization, and 82.3 per
cent see ISIS as a serious threat to Turkey.

Turkish authorities say they’ve stopped thousands of potential
threats from getting through. Yet among the threats Turkey says it
has identified, the world is concerned with the ones that may have
gotten away.

Turkey has always been wedged tightly in a temperamental region,
but this space is now more volatile than ever. How well the country
navigates domestic challenges and the dangers on its doorstep, and how
it balances planning its future while addressing its past, will define
the year ahead. The entire region’s security may well depend on it.