Author: Badalian Vardan

FIDH: EUROPEAN GAMES – GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO DENOUNCE HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION IN AZERBAIJAN

13:56 22/04/2015 ” LAW

Repression of Azerbaijani civil society, NGOs and journalists has
escalated significantly as the date of the Baku European Games
approaches, says the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights
Defenders in a report (FIDH).

The report documents the repression of eight Azerbaijani human rights
defenders who have been arbitrarily detained, and details the series of
legislative amendments recently adopted to silence independent voices.

“Most of the high-level leaders of the independent NGOs have been
arrested. The conditions of detention are abominable and the declining
health of some of them, such as Leyla Yunus and Intigam Aliyev is
of serious concern,” Secretary General of World Organization Against
Torture (OMCT) Gerald Staberock stated.

In January 2015, the Observatory led a mission to Baku to meet with
civil society organizations. Despite several requests submitted to the
authorities, the delegation was not allowed to visit the imprisoned
defenders, the report reads.

Further FIDH states that the international community must use this
opportunity to express its concern with Azerbaijani authorities
regarding human rights abuses and the situation the people and
organizations defending these rights face in Azerbaijan.

“We hope that the leaders of the countries participating in the
European Games will take advantage of the opportunity to denounce
the human rights situation in Azerbaijan. That is why we are asking
them officially to condition their participation in the opening
ceremony on the release of all imprisoned human rights defenders,”
the President of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH),
Souhayr Belhassen, stated.

It is also noted that in 2014, several laws were amended to restrict
the activities of civil society. New laws were adopted that increased
the administrative requirements for NGOs. These laws make it de facto
impossible for unregistered NGOs receive grants in accordance with
the law. The authorities have used these new regulations to prosecute
NGO leaders by accusing them of financial irregularities.

Related:

EurasiaNet.org: European Games visitors to Azerbaijan to have what
government orders for breakfast

The Washington Post: Olympic flame must illuminate terrible stain
ruling regime is inflicting on Azerbaijan

Human rights groups appeal to U.S. Secretary of State to boycott
European games in Baku

DES SUISSES ONT AIDE LES VICTIMES DES MASSACRES

REVUE DE PRESSE
Le genocide armenien de 1915-1916 a eu des repercussions jusqu’en Suisse.

De nombreux Armeniens se sont refugies sur le territoire helvetique,
en particulier en Suisse romande, et divers projets ont ete mis sur
pied pour venir en aide aux victimes des massacres.

Le Vaudois Antony Krafft-Bonnard (1869-1945) s’est notamment engage
pour l’accueil en Suisse d’orphelins armeniens. Ce pasteur, qui a
commence son oeuvre après les pogroms de 1895-1896, a fonde en 1921
les > de Begnins (VD) et de Genève.

Plus de 150 orphelins y recurent une education dans la tradition
armenienne (langue et religion) en meme temps qu, considere
par les Armeniens comme un temoignage de première importance sur
le genocide.

Le > de Cilicie (Liban), Aram Ier, se rendra en Suisse
en septembre pour remercier le peuple suisse et ses autorites au
nom des Armeniens. Il s’exprimera a Berne, mais aussi a Begnins et
a Wazenhausen (AR), en l’honneur de Jakob Kunzler.

Aujourd’hui, quelque 5000 Armeniens vivent en Suisse. Une messe doit
etre celebree vendredi dans l’eglise apostolique armenienne de Troinex
(GE).

mercredi 22 avril 2015, Stephane (c)armenews.com

TURKEY SENDS CONDOLENCES TO DESCENDANTS OF KILLED ARMENIANS TO MARK CENTENARY

Fox News
April 20 2015

Published April 20, 2015
Associated Press

ANKARA, Turkey – Turkey’s prime minister said a ceremony would be
held in Istanbul to commemorate Armenians killed a century ago by
Ottoman Turks and again issued condolences to their descendants.

However, in a message released Monday, Ahmet Davutoglu stopped short
of calling the slaughter of Armenians genocide and criticized efforts
to force Turkey to admit to the crime.

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Historians estimate that up to 1.5 million Armenians were killed by
Ottoman Turks around the time of World War I, an event widely viewed
by scholars as the first genocide of the 20th century. Turkey however,
denies that the deaths constituted genocide, saying the toll has been
inflated, and that those killed were victims of civil war and unrest.

The message came days before Armenians mark the centenary of the
killings on April 24.

STUDENT ARTIST MARKS ARMENIAN GENOCIDE CENTENNIAL

UC Berkeley
April 21 2015

By Public Affairs, UC Berkeley | April 20, 2015

BERKELEY — Detail from “Game of Denial”

When Tara Baghdassarian learned that her assigned artwork would be
displayed in the month of April, she knew what she wanted to create a
piece for the centennial of the Armenian genocide, to be commemorated
on April 26, 2015.

Baghdassarian is a third-year art-practice major at Berkeley. Her piece
transformed an empty display case into an arcade claw game piled with
Armenian “skulls,” which she created by taking molds of the faces of
fellow students descended from Armenian genocide survivors.

The exhibit of her artwork, titled “Game of Denial,” had a short life
in Kroeber Hall. Baghdassarian has expressed interest in expanding the
project to include other members of the Armenian-American community.

To learn more about her artwork and the story behind it, see this
piece in Armenian Chronicles.

NEWSPAPER: TURKEY POLITICAL ELITE’S ARMENIAN GENOCIDE PANIC BECOMES BLACKMAIL

09:46, 22.04.2015
Region:World News, Armenia, Turkey
Theme: Politics

YEREVAN. – The Turkish political elite’s panic with respect to the
Armenian Genocide Centennial has turned to blackmail, Hraparak daily
reported.

“[Turkish] FM [Mevlut] Cavusoglu is in the US with an entire package of
blackmail (…) making it clear that if the US recognizes the Armenian
Genocide at the level of the executive power, Turkey will provide no
assistance whatsoever to the US in the Middle East, the Arab world,
the fight against the Islamic State, Syria, Iraq, etc.

Furthermore, Turkey could freeze the US-purchased weapons’ deals.

“Turkey demands that the US not only not recognize the Armenian
Genocide, but refrain from sending a senior official to [Armenia’s
capital city of] Yerevan [to take part in the Genocide Centennial
commemorations].

“Turkey’s PM [Ahmet] Davutoglu had arrived in the UN days ago with
such other package, and yesterday [i.e. Tuesday], Deputy PM Ali
Babacan. Turkey threatens not to provide any assistance whatsoever
to the UN in a wide variety of programs, if the UN is represented
in Yerevan on April 24 [i.e. the day of the Genocide centenary]
at a high level,” Hraparak wrote.

US EMBASSY EMPLOYEES NOT ALLOWED TO WEAR THE SYMBOL OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE CENTENNIAL

16:15 / 20.04.2015

According to Nyut.am sources the employees of the US embassy in
Armenia are not allowed to wear the symbol of the Armenian Genocide
centennial in the territory of the embassy.

If it is really so, the US ambassador to Armenia and Turkish
authorities are carrying out genocide denial policy, forgetting or
ignoring the fact that the United States recognized the Armenian
Genocide on different levels. The embassy will hopefully give
clarifications.

SEVAN ARTIN: UK DENIES AND ACKNOWLEDGES ARMENIAN GENOCIDE AT THE SAME TIME

18:24, 22.04.2015
Region:World News, Armenia, Turkey
Theme: Politics

YEREVAN. – UK denies and acknowledges the Armenian Genocide at the
same time – a typical thing for UK policy, head of Armenian Cause UK
office Sevan Artin told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

There was some movement over the recent years, the matter is much
more discussed, but the term “genocide” is not used, Artin said on
the sidelines of global forum in Yerevan.

The reason is clear: political and economic interests of the country,
he said, adding that U.S. and UK need Turkey, a country that is ally
of UK historically.

According to him, there is a fresh opportunity to address this issue,
since the country adopted a law on information that provides access
to archivesl. Artin reminded that lawyer Geoffrey Robertson found
secret documents in the archives suggesting that, although the current
position of the British government is wrong, “in terms of political,
strategic and trade relations with Turkey, the current position is
the only acceptable option.”

So, if the British authorities recognize that their position is not
correct, then it means they acknowledge that the Armenian Genocide took
place, but they can not change their position because of geopolitics,
Artin added.

“This quote means that the United Kingdom at the same time recognizes
and denies the Armenian Genocide,” head of Hay Dat said.

STEPANAKERT: AZERBAIJANI LEADERSHIP GIVING “WEHRMACHT-STYLE” ORDERS

by Marianna Lazarian

Wednesday, April 22, 16:18

Azerbaijan’s leadership is giving “Wehrmacht- style” orders, David
Babayan, NKR President’s Spokesperson, told ArmInfo when commenting
on Azerbaijani defense minister’s order to the manpower to immediately
destroy any moving military object on the Line of Contact.

According to Babayan, such orders prove that inadequate persons are
in power in Azerbaijan.

“Nevertheless, such orders, threats, and attempts can neither frighten
us nor panic. If Azerbaijani forces make a sabotage attempt, breach
the ceasefire or anyhow threaten our country, we will retaliate
adequately,” the Artsakh president’s spokesperson said.

As for the current tension on the Karabakh-Azerbaijan Line of
Contact, Babayan explained this with a range of factors, including
the approaching centennial of the Armenian Genocide – April 24.

“Ceasefire breaches intensify on April 24, on May 9 -Shushi Liberation
Day. This once again shows the inferiority complexes of the Azerbaijani
people and leadership,” Babayan said and called Azerbaijan a
nationalist country.

Earlier on April 22, Azerbaijani Defense Minister Zakir Hasanov met
with Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office Andrzej
Kasprzyk. “The personnel stationed along the contact line have been
ordered to immediately destroy any moving military target, and the
order is followed unconditionally,” Minister Hasanov said.

It is noteworthy that Armenia’s Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan
called a meeting of the Command Staff earlier today to underline the
need the stay alert ahead of the Armenian Genocide Centennial. The
minister said the adversary intensifies its sabotage attempts on the
dates of special importance for the Armenian people. Seyran Ohanyan
charged the Command Staff of the Armenian Armed Forces to closely
follow the adversary’s actions these days.

GERMAN RESPONSIBILITY CLEARLY STATED IN BUNDESTAG’S ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RESOLUTION: CEM OZDEMIR

09:19, 22 April, 2015

YEREVAN, APRIL 22, ARMENPRESS: The co-chairman of the German
political party Greens Cem Ozdemir published the amended resolution
on the Armenian Genocide to be discussed in the Bundestag. Armenpress
reports that the MP of Turkish origin posted a photo in his Facebook
profile, drawing attention to the fact that the term “genocide” and
the Germany’s responsibility are clearly mentioned in the text. The
text says as well that “this year on April 24 marks the centenary of
the genocide against the Armenians in the Ottoman Empire”.

The Germany’s Parliament published in its official website the text
of the new draft resolution, devoted to the Armenian Genocide, in
which the term “genocide” is mentioned for several times.

ISRAEL SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE FIRST COUNTRY TO RECOGNIZE THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE: YAIR AURON

19:47, 22 April, 2015

YEREVAN, 22 APRIL, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian Genocide is not just
an issue concerning the Armenians and Turks, but an issue that
concerns all mankind, and by denying the Armenian Genocide, mankind
is laying the foundation for the continuation of genocides. This is
what Israeli historian and genocide expert Yair Auron said. According
to “Armenpress”, before speaking at the forum entitled “Against the
Crime of Genocide” in Yerevan, Auron expressed gratitude to Rwandan
genocide survivor Esther Mujavayo who didn’t forget about the Armenians
while talking about the Rwandan genocide. Auron stressed that Armenian
Genocide recognition is also necessary for Turkey because without it,
Turkey can’t become a democratic country.

“There has to be a way for unity and recognition, as well as for the
unification of Armenia and Karabakh. Your struggle is not over yet.

When we look at Armenia and see Karabakh, we understand that your
struggle is not over yet,” Auron said.

The genocide expert stressed that there is no third party when it
comes to the issue of genocide and that for him the Armenian Genocide
is first and foremost a moral issue, not a legal or political issue.

“We have to reflect on the Armenian Genocide because we are human
beings. I am a Jew and can’t avoid the fact that Israel isn’t
recognizing the Armenian Genocide when it should have been the first
to do so. I would like to say something that has taken me years to
say. When we deny the Armenian Genocide, we deny the remembrance of
our victims. For me the legacy of the genocide is the sanctity of a
human being. It is the inviolability of human life.”