Author: Badalian Vardan

Names of officials violating right to freedom of information published

Freedom of Information Center of Armenia (FOICA) has published the
names of Armenian officials who violated citizens’ right to receive
information in the 3rd quarter of 2013. Speaker of the Armenian
parliament Hovik Abrahamian tops the list, the press service of FOICA
said.

On August 21, 2013, FOICA asked the parliamentary speaker to provide
information about calls made from mobile phones of the RA National
Assembly. 6 days later the parliament said that additional work was to
be done and that under the Law on Freedom of Information, they would
provide information within 30 days. The National Assembly was put on
the black list for the reason that an `insufficient answer of half a
page’ was submitted with a delay – on October 1.

Among the officials on the list of FOICA are Energy and Natural
Resources Minister Armen Movsisian, Economy Minister Vahram Avanesian,
Head of the State Revenue Committee Gagik Khachatrian, Chief of the
Traffic Police Arsen Galstian, Chairman of the State Commission for
Protection of Economic Competition Artak Shaboyan, Yerevan mayor Taron
Margarian, head of the Kentron administrative district of Yerevan Ara
Sadoyan, and directors of several LLCs.

Human Rights Watch
Oct 19 2013

Letter to Armenian President Regarding Proposal for Anti-LGBT Legislation
October 18, 2013

Serzh Sargsyan
President
Republic of Armenia
26 Marshal Baghramian Avenue
0077 Yerevan, Republic of Armenia

Cc:
Tigran Sargsyan
Prime Minister
Republic of Armenia
Republic Square, Government House 1
0010 Yerevan, Republic of Armenia

Hovik Abrahamyan
Speaker of the Parliament
National Assembly of Armenia
19 Marshal Baghramian Avenue
0095 Yerevan, Republic of Armenia

Dear Mr. Sargsyan,

We are writing to express our concern regarding a proposal for
legislative amendments that appeared on the website of the Police of
the Republic of Armenia on August 5. The proposals sought to add two
articles to the Code of Administrative Offenses outlawing the
`propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations,’ a move that would be
in clear violation of freedom of expression and discriminate against
lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people.

The police have since removed the proposal from its website, and media
reports indicate that there are no immediate plans for parliament to
consider it. However, we are concerned that other institutions may
seek to introduce similar proposals and ask that you ensure that such
measures are forcefully opposed as incompatible with international
human rights law and would not advance for parliamentary debate.

The proposal claimed the ban would `protect’ Armenian families. It
would impose fines of up to 350 times Armenia’s minimum wage on
citizens, public officials, and legal entities who breach the law. The
proposal did not define `propaganda’ or `nontraditional sexual
relations.’

The broad wording of the proposal meant that it could have been used
to restrict the rights of human rights organizations, civil society
groups, or anyone else who works on issues such as the rights of LGBT
people or sex workers. It also would have discriminated against LGBT
people on grounds of their sexual orientation and gender identity.

Armenian civil society organizations learned of the proposal only when
it was published on the website of the Police of the Republic of
Armenia.

Measures such as those proposed by the police are illegal under
international human rights instruments that Armenia is obliged to
uphold. They impose unjustified – and therefore unlawful –
restrictions on the freedoms of expression and assembly, in violation
of articles 10 and 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights and
articles 19 and 21 of the International Covenant on Civil and
Political Rights. Armenia is a party to both. They also violate the
international prohibition on discrimination, guaranteed by both
instruments.

The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe has unanimously
adopted a set of recommendations (CM/Rec (2010)5) to member states,
including Armenia, on measures to combat discrimination on the grounds
of sexual orientation or gender identity. The recommendations invite
the member states to ensure that the stipulated principles and
measures are applied in national legislation, policies, and practices
relevant to the protection of LGBT people. Relevant recommendations
are:

1.Examine existing legislative and other measures, keep them under
review, and collect and analyze relevant data, in order to monitor and
redress any direct or indirect discrimination on grounds of sexual
orientation or gender identity;

1.Ensure that legislative and other measures are adopted and
effectively implemented to combat discrimination on grounds of sexual
orientation or gender identity, to ensure respect for the human rights
of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender persons and to promote
tolerance towards them.

Measures such as those in the proposal directly contradict the Council
of Europe recommendations.

Civil society organizations in Armenia have expressed concern over the
government’s failure to protect the social, economic and political
rights of LGBT people. LGBT people continue to face discrimination in
accessing employment and healthcare, as well as violence in the army
and in families. The government has yet to pass a law banning hate
crimes in Armenia, leaving LGBT people vulnerable to abuses such as
the repeated homophobic attacks against the DIY pub during May 2012. A
draft law currently under consideration by parliament outlawing
discrimination on the grounds of sex, ethnicity, and age omits sexual
orientation from its considerations.

Any measures to limit LGBT peoples’ freedom of expression and assembly
on the basis of their sexual or gender identity would further reflect
the Armenian government’s noncompliance with its obligations to
promote tolerance towards LGBT people and protect them against
discrimination. They could also possibly condone homophobia and
transphobia, which contributes to a climate of hatred and violence.

We call on the Armenian government to support LGBT peoples’ human
rights and take actions to curb the passage of any measures that
violate the European Convention on Human Rights and other
international instruments to which Armenia is party.

Sincerely,

Rachel Denber
Deputy Director
Europe and Central Asia Division

The Times, UK
Oct 18 2013

Kuwait targets City Hall as part of £1.5bn property bid

by Deirdre Hipwell

Kuwait has made a knock-out bid of £1.5?billion to buy the More London
complex next to Tower Bridge, which includes the City Hall
headquarters of Boris Johnson.

In what could be Britain’s biggest property deal, The Times
understands that St Martins, the property division of the Kuwaiti
Government, is in discussions to buy the 13-acre site.

More London is one of the biggest and most successful developments in
the capital. It consists of the City Hall building as well as other
properties designed by Foster & Partners and let to companies such as
Ernst & Young, PwC, Terra Firma Capital Partners and the law firm
Lawrence Graham.

The site also includes pedestrianised zones, sculptures and fountains,
the restaurant chains Gaucho Grill and Strada and a sunken
amphitheatre called The Scoop, where scenes from the series Spooks
were once filmed.

More London is owned by London Bridge Holdings – a company registered
in the Bahamas and controlled by a group of investors led by the
principal shareholder Dikran Izmirlian, an Armenian businessman.

Mr Izmirlian made his fortune in the groundnut market in The Gambia by
controlling large parts of the export and processing of peanuts and
creating a near-monopoly in the global market. The entrepreneur, who
is in his eighties, is listed as chairman of a Geneva-based
commodities trading company called Alimenta. His son, Sarkis
Izmirlian, who lives in Nassau, is developing the $3.5?billion Baha
Mar resort in the Bahamas.

If St Martins buys the complex, it would cement its ownership holdings
in the London Bridge area – a part of the capital that since the
development of More London, the Shard and The Place is becoming an
increasingly important business district.

The Kuwaiti property group already owns the Hays Galleria and Cottons
Centre, next to More London, and originally owned the land on which
the More London complex sits.

London Bridge Holdings has appointed Rothschild, the investment bank,
to advise it on its refinancing options at More London. The complex
has close to £740 million of debt, which is secured against six
buildings within the scheme and which matures next year. About £640
million of that debt was securitised by Royal Bank of Scotland in
2006.

No deal has yet been agreed with St Martins and the owners could still
decide to refinance the complex instead. It is understood that
Rothschild isexploring several detailed options for More London, which
could include new debt from banks or another securitisation. Given the
renewed appetite among banks to lend against prime assets in London, a
refinancing option could be the preferred outcome. However, at a time
of fierce overseas demand for London prime assets, a sale to St
Martins could potentially enable the owner to exit the scheme for a
better return than through a refinancing.

Nabarro and Savills are advising St Martins and Nigel Fox at Capital
Real Estate Partners has been brought in alongside Rothschild to
provide property advice on any potential sale. It is understood that
sovereign wealth funds have run the rule over the complex.

A spokesman for More London said that it did not comment on
speculation. He said that it was working with Rothschild and “was
undertaking a process to refinance its bonds due by the early summer
of 2014”.

All other parties declined to comment.

At home in the capital

St Martins owns more than one million sq m of property across the
globe, focusing on prime assets in big capitals. Its holdings in
London include:

The Willis Building, one of the tallest buildings in the Square Mile

Wren House, Adelaide House, 150 Cheapside, 1 Bunhill Row, 2 Gresham
Street and 60 Threadneedle Street

5 Canada Square in Canary Wharf

Hays Galleria, a retail complex near London Bridge station

The Cottons Centre, an office complex near London Bridge Station

Armenian PM: We must promote interest in scientific research

14:07 – 19.10.13

Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan has called for government efforts to
raise an active interest in scientific research in the sphere of
economy.

Speaking at the Armenian Economic Association’s annual conference at
the Yerevan State University, the premier noted that the event
provokes an increasing interest by every year, attracting more and
more participants. The head of the Armenian cabinet said that
conferences of the kind have to contribute to the development of
economic thought, spurring an interest in research in the young
generation.

`We are obliged to create a motivating atmosphere at the Yerevan State
University to enable people to do research. We have to closely follow
those research activities and use the ideas proposed by the Armenian
Economic Union to the best of our abilities,’ he said.

The premier noted that the global economic recession added to the
existing economic problems across the globe, at the same time making
the world a more interesting place,

`If we follow the Nobel Prizes in economics, we’ll see the actual
topics economists are normally interested in. It is obvious that the
number of regularities we learned from economy are not very often
reflected. They come to be replaced by other regularities,
simultaneously making economists closely cooperate with specialist of
other sectors, such as sociology and psychology. All that makes us
broaden the frameworks of the studies,’ he added.

The three-day conference was attended by Minister of Finance Vache
Gabrielyan, Minister of Economy Vahram Avanesyann, prominent
economists and students.

Taron Acemoglu, the Turkish-Armenian economist recognized
internationally as one of the 10 most cited specialists in the sector
has also delivered a speech at the event.

Armenian News – Tert.am

Tensions in Yerevan intn’l airport as passengers told aircraft was
damaged (updated)

11:22 – 19.10.13

The Zvartnots International Airport had to reschedule a flight on
Saturday morning after news emerged that an aircraft due to fly to
Moscow at 5:30 local time was damaged,Shamshyan,com reported, citing a
passenger.

The passengers were registered 3:00 local time, reports the website,
but they later appeared in a state of uncertainty after they were told
the plane was damaged while flying to Yerevan from Moscow.

The passenger, Gayane Galoyan, has told the website that despite the
repeated promises that the flight will soon take place, they are still
at the airport.

In later comments to Tert.am, an airport representative who preferred
to remain unidentified said the plane had just made a dried landing.
The source said that the plane has to pass a testing before taking a
flight.

Armenian News – Tert.am

Hrachya Harutyunyan case: forgotten, ignored or still under spotlight?

12:40 * 19.10.13

The family of Hrachya Harutyunyan, the Armenian truck driver detained
in Russia over a major crash that left 18 bus passengers dead in July,
say they have no clear idea as to the efficiency of the state support
mechanisms offered to the Armenian citizen.

His daughter, Lilit Harutyunyan, says she is very little aware of the
current stage of the proceeding as they still have to wait until the
new hearing which is set for December 14.

She said only that Harutyunyan was moved to a prison cell from
hospital earlier this week, and that the family were informed he was
all right.

Speaking to Tert.am, the driver’s sister, Seda Harutyunyan, said she
doesn’t think any steps are being taken on the state level. “No, they
are not doing anything yet. They say they will try to bring him to
Armenia [to serve his sentence] after the trial,” she said.

Yeranuhi Tumanyan, an advisor to the human rights defender for
detainees, later gave our correspondent assurances that the issue is
under the ombudsman’s spotlight. “I cannot say anything as to the
Armenian government bodies, but the human rights defender keeps the
issue under spotlight. He maintains contacts with the lawyer and the
family, keeping them up to date of any development. So if the family
has news, all kinds of questions are settled through us ,” she said,
adding that the case is still under inquest.

As for Harutyunyan’s health condition, Tumanyants said he now feels
considerably better. “He is now in the detention place, and the family
was notified of that at the beginning of the week,” she told our
correspondent.

Asked about the possibility of returning Harutyunyan to Armenia, the
advisor said it will be possible to address the question after a
judicial act issued and a final ruling takes effect.

“All the investigative operations – from Åxpert examinations to
testimony procedures – have to be performed there,” she explained.

A spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry, Tigran Balayan, did not give
any details as to the procedures they are taking to return Harutyunyan
to Armenia. “The activities by the embassy and the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs are not subject to publication in major part. We are
diplomats, not showmen,” he told our correspondent.

Armenian News – Tert.am

WHY FARMERS REFUSE GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE

Farmers refuse the wheat seeds provided by the government in different
regions. The farmers have the experience of fraud of subsidized
seeds last year. The seeds were low quality and the harvest was poor,
leaving farmers facing court.

We have learned that the farmers refuse the “elite seeds” imported
from Russia. We have even learned that the ministry of agriculture
told farmers that after the harvest they can return one kilo per one
kilo seeds instead of the previous 2 per 1.

The experts of the ministry told farmers that seeds were imported
from Krasnodar and will grow well in the climate of Armenia. However,
most farmers avoid the government assistance.

Earlier the farmers of hail-stricken Armavir region refused the seeds
subsidized by the government. The farmers told Lragir.am they do not
trust the government and they accepted the government’s assistance
but sowed their own seeds.

Note that the ministry of agriculture sued the farmers who received
“elite” seeds from the government in 2011 but were unable to return
2kg of wheat per kg of aid seeds. They were unable to return because
they could not produce the expected amount.

The farmers blame the ministry of agriculture noting that the seeds
were of low quality and were not tried out in Armenia. The experts
of the ministry state that the climate was the cause.

12:59 19/10/2013 Story from Lragir.am News:

DIFFUSION PROCHAINE DU MENSUEL FORBES ARMENIA EN ARMENIE

EDITION

Le celèbre mensuel Forbes qui est edite depuis 1917 et diffuse dans
plus de 55 pays va avoir une edition armenienne. Forbes Armenia
qui va prochainement etre diffusee en Armenie a sera la 27e edition
de la presse internationale a beneficier en Armenie d’une licence
de diffusion. C’est la societe Media Partners qui publiera Forbes
Armenia. Elle publiera egalement le mensuel Forbes Life ainsi que des
numeros speciaux. L’un des objectifs de la ligne editoriale de Forbes
est de presenter les personnes qui dans le domaine des finances,
l’investissement ou les technologies ” font changer le monde “. Si
l’arrivee de Forbes Armenia sur le marche armenien pouvait un tout
petit peu faire changer les choses…ce serait un grand bienfait pour
tout le monde…

Krikor Amirzayan

samedi 19 octobre 2013, Krikor Amirzayan ©armenews.com

LE COGNAC ARMENIEN HONORE PAR UNE EMISSION PHILATELIQUE D’ARMENIE

PHILATELIE ARMENIENNE

La Poste armenienne a rendu le 18 juin un hommage au cognac armenien
par l’emission d’un timbre portant le libelle ” Brady Production
in Armenia “. Le timbre-poste d’une valeur de 300 drams represente
un verre de cognac et une grappe de raison. La production de cognac
represente l’une des activites-cles de l’economie armenienne. Meme si
l’Europe interdit desormais l’usage du terme ” cognac ” au profit de
” brandy “, en armenien le terme reste toujours ” cognac “.

Krikor Amirzayan

samedi 19 octobre 2013, Krikor Amirzayan ©armenews.com

LES ARMENIENS DE LOS ANGELES VONT MANIFESTER CONTRE LA VENUE D’ALI BABACAN LE VICE-PREMIER MINISTRE TURC

CAUSE ARMENIENNE

La communaute armenienne de Los Angeles manifestera lundi 21 octobre
contre la venue de vice-Premier ministre turc Ali Babacan annonce
le journal armenien ” Asbarez “. Ali Babacan sera a Los Angeles pour
participer au Conseil des relations internationales qui sera dedie aux
relations economiques turco-americaines. La manifestation se tiendra
devant l’hôtel ” Intercontinental ” de Los Angeles où le vice-Premier
ministre turc prendra la parole lors de la conference internationale.

” Manifestons notre hostilite au representant de la Turquie qui a
commis le Premier genocide du 20e siècle et qui occupe l’Armenie
occidentale et le tiers de l’île de Chypre ” affirment les
organisateurs.

Krikor Amirzayan

samedi 19 octobre 2013, Krikor Amirzayan ©armenews.com