Author: Badalian Vardan

20 Nisan 2014 Pazar

WHY ISLAM IS WORSE THAN NAZISM

I am an atheist author and poet, who had lived as a Sunni Muslim for
23 years from his birth, and I am still living in a Muslim country,
Turkey, and also all of my parents and relatives are already
Muslim. So, my critics about Islam can be easily considered as an
inside view.

I know that the title of the essay seems assertive, but I will explain
the rightness of this title step by step in this essay.

First of all you have to learn that about Islam, if you are an
`outsider’, a non-Muslim, for example a Christian, an atheist, a
Buddhist, a Jew or whatever else, all Muslims have the `right’ of
killing and raping you, grabbing your all properties, your country,
land, money and anything else. They take this `right’ from the book of
their belief Quran. With another words, they take this `right’ from
their belief’s core, theology of Islam.

Here are some example verses from Quran.

This verse of Quran is about `all non-Muslims’, all `heretics’!,
Christians, Buddhists, Atheists, Jews, etc., as describing them `who
wage war against Allah and His Messenger (Muhammad)’

Surat Al-Ma’idah (5.33)

`Indeed, the penalty for those who wage war against Allah and His
Messenger and strive upon earth [to cause] corruption is none but that
they be killed or crucified or that their hands and feet be cut off
from opposite sides or that they be exiled from the land. That is for
them a disgrace in this world; and for them in the Hereafter is a
great punishment,’

And this verse of Quran is about the killing order of the humans who
left Islam, the apostates.

Surat An-Nisa’ (4.89)

`They wish you would disbelieve as they disbelieved so you would be
alike. So do not take from among them allies until they emigrate for
the cause of Allah. But if they turn away, then seize them and kill
them wherever you find them and take not from among them any ally or
helper.’

Look at the current situation in Syria. How can Islamist terrorists
slaughter Alevi people or rape Christian women so easily, because they
take this `right’ from their belief and they believe that they will go
to the heaven because of these vandalistic actions against
`outsiders’, who are out of Islam, who don’t believe the same
religious with them, in other words who are the `heretics’ according
to their belief. Some Muslims say that `But they are not the real
Muslims.’ That is big lie that is the exact form of real Islam,
because these vandalistic actions are proper to the orders of Quran.

You have heard many times that `Islam is a tolerance religion’. That
is the biggest lie that you can hear all over the World, and this lie
is used as a mask to hide the terrible face of Islam. There is NO
difference between Islam and Islamism. This is the main fault that
modern world make about Islam. There are not different forms as Islam
and Islamism, they are the same thing, and they have the same
content. This separation is just only an illusion and it is used by
Muslims to hide the brutal, hateful, oppressive, murderous, genocidal
face of Islam.

Islam theology is based on the verses of Quran and hadiths. Hadiths
are the words and actions of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and all
Muslims must follow these words and actions addition to the orders of
Quran. For example, you have to have a shit as Muhammad did, and you
have to clean your ass as he did, or you can rape and enslave a
`heretic’ woman in a war as a sex slave as Muhammad did, or you can
torture your enemy in a war to learn the place of his hidden money as
Muhammad did.

You `must’ cut the hand of a thief as Muhammad did, not any prison
sentence according to the modern laws is enough.

You must stone a woman to death as Muhammad did, because she made sex
out of the rules of Islam (but you must only whip her partner a
hundred times). You can never set them free as considering that their
sexual actions are about their own personal relations and freedom
according to modern laws, if you are Muslim. You must definitely apply
the punishments of Muhammad as stoning the woman to the death and
whipping a hundred times her partner if you want to be a good Muslim.

You must kill the man who left Islam belief as Muhammad did. You can’t
say `This is his own chose and he has the freedom of thought and
belief’, because it is an order of Quran that you `must’ kill the
persons who were Muslim before and then left the Islam religion.

You must kill all homosexuals according to the orders of Islam. None
of Muslims can say according to Islam that their sexual orientation is
their own natural right according to the human rights norms of our
age.

You have the `right’ of marry a little girl at 9 years old as Muhammad
did. In other words, you can rape a little child legally in Islam and
make her a sex slave, and also a domestic slave till the end of her
life.

You can lie alongside of your dead wife in 6 hours as Muhammad did. In
other words you can rape the dead body of your wife in 6 hours after
death.

Here is Islam¦Here is the `tolerance religion’¦Here is the right
way to the heaven¦Here are the orders of Allah¦Here are the
actions of Muhammad¦

You can easily see how much civilized the Muslim countries of the
World because of Islam as Afghanistan, Nigeria, Turkey, Iran, Sudan
and the others. You can see how much they had contributed to the
philosophy history, the art history, the science history of the whole
world. You can see how respectful they are to the human rights, women
rights, children rights, freedom of expression and thought, press
freedom, belief freedom, etc.

The first genocide wave of 20th century, the Armenian Genocide, the
Assyrian Genocide and the Pontian Greek Genocide had been perpetrated
by Turk and Kurd people of Ottoman Empire and new Turkish Republic
with getting motivation from the `rights’ that they had because of
Islam; the `rights’ of killing and raping the non-Muslims, enslaving
their women and little girls as sex slaves and also domestic slaves
and grabbing their money, houses and lands. However `The Committee of
Union and Progress’ (CUP) (Turkish: Ä°ttihat ve Terakki
Cemiyeti) was based on Turkish nationalism, they had used Turk and
Kurd people easily for these genocides because of Islam religion’s
content about non-Muslims. All the Turk and Kurd Muslims believed that
they will go to the heaven as they killed more non-Muslims like
today’s Islamist terrorists.

The owners of the second genocide wave of 20th century were Nazis as
you know. They took the genocides of Turks as a sample. It is know
that Adolf Hitler said to his military commanders `Who, after all,
speaks today of the annihilation of the Armenians?’ while they were
talking about the reaction of the world about the genocides that they
were planning to perpetrate.

Nazism was considered as a legal and respectable ideology at the
beginning of thirties and then the world saw how dangerous was
Nazism. Millions of people died because of Nazism and today it is
illegal to support Nazism in any civilized country. You can never make
propaganda of Nazism legally. Today, Nazism is not considered as a
thought alternative and it is not being included in freedom of thought
and expression.

As I have detailed above, Islam is against the human rights norms of
our age and it has more dangerous content than Nazism. Islam is not a
belief alternative, it is just a humanity crime, and any crime can’t
have freedom in our modern world. So, Islam must be illegalized all
over the world like Nazism, because of its vandal content and orders
against the human rights. All actions about Islam must be forbidden
and the propagandists of Islam must be judged because of instigating
to the crimes of murder, rape, grab and crimes against humanity.

Otherwise, the world will meet with a big tragedy when the Islamists
will get more power as the world had met because of Nazism.

SERKAN ENGIN
April 2014

Serkan Engin zaman: 08:48 2 yorum:
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8 Nisan 2014 Salı

AM I ARMENIAN?

AM I ARMENIAN?

Some friends ask me if I am an Armenian or not, and some fascists
call me as “Armenian bastard” according to their tiny brains.

Yes, I am an Armenian. I am a Kurd as Ismail Besikci, I am a
Palestinian as Rachel Corrie and I am an Armenian as Ottoman Governor
Mehmet Celal Bey.

SERKAN ENGIN April 2014
Serkan Engin zaman: 02:26 Hiç yorum yok:

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6 Nisan 2014 Pazar

A Poem for Peace in West Armenian- Azerbaijani- Turkish

Dar Dar Gı Sirem Tsez – HÉ’rf HÉ’rf SevirÉ’m Sizi –
Harf Harf Seviyorum Sizi

(A Poem for Peace in West Armenian- Azerbaijani- Turkish)

Dar Dar Gı Sirem Tsez

`Yes mardig çem, vart hastsnoÄ? mın yem’ Eozkan Mert

Krderen varter badrasdetsi tsez yeraznerus nurp deÄ?en
Lazeren gı taylayli papaknerus sriga cncÄ?ugnerı, geankin userun vra
Hunaren gı hampurem kiÅ?eruin tats nahatasutyunnerı, lusnin dag
Karnan zaza gı pattuim meçkit amenen kmahac deÄ?en

Tsavert gı hampurem srdis kar nedoÄ? dÄ?ots tserkagaberen
Å?akanagakuyn açkerıs Hayeren voÄ?p mın yen vorahnerut meç, godruadz
Volorvadz darerıs çen paver tsaverut reontgenı kaÅ?elu hamar

Posor arakasdanav mın yem Kırdistan’i lernerun vra loÄ?atsoÄ?
Kurd yev Turk hokiners gı tsavin hon, dar dar hoÄ?in vra tapuelov
Vran Dolar dolar tavacan gerbov gı partsarana
Gı harsdana Å?adager yersabaÅ?dutyan tignatornerı, usanotsnerı
Paravonneru zenk ıngerutyan Å?ahi purkerı

Hazar ankam Auschwitz’i meç ayruetsank srdin meradz deÄ?en
Yotanasun hazar yergu ankam suinuetsan Dersim’i meç, vayrakutyan çar jbdumov
Amerigyan lezvov Irak’i meç anuÃ…?eÄ?eni deÄ? çarçaranki Ä?aÄ?alik yeÄ?ank
MaraÃ…?’i, Çorum’i meç poÄ?ots poÄ?ots zarnuetstank kaÄ?akagrtutyan srden
Kosova’yi meç çdesnuetsan mer kovı mertsuov dzaÄ?ignerı
Filistin’i meç karerov godretsin azadutyan teverı
Meg milyon ankam voçnçatsan Hayeren orornernis , Ararad’i teverı
Çulamerg’i meç mer mangutyan kluhnerun zenkerov zargetsan
Ruanda’yi meç gdrestin gor turerov mer mangutyan papaknerı
Vran Dolar dolar tavacan gerbov gı partsarana
Gı harsdana Å?adager yersabaÅ?dutyan tignatornerı, usanotsnerı
Paravonneru zenk ıngerutyan Å?ahi purkerı

Yerani te hampuerink mer çkidtsadz lezunerov inkzinknis
Darper gronknerov lur genayink antsaynoren, hantard
UriÅ? deÄ?eru meç layink vazvzoÄ? kaylerov
Baderazmı taylayloÄ? nahatasutyunnerun verçı dar mı ankam çı tıneink
Mer sirdı çıgırtıneink vayreni ciçerun
Arteok ur deÄ?en mernelu gı sgsi baderazm u tramadirutyunı

Vayrakutyunı ur deÄ?en lur gılla mer hahaÄ?utyan hamanuaki arçeven

: Dar dar gı sirem yergnki polor kuynerı

Written in Turkish by Serkan Engin
Translated to West Armenian by Mayro Kuyrik

***

HÉ’rf HÉ’rf SevirÉ’m Sizi

`MÉ’n döyüÅ?çü deyil gül yetiÃ…?diricisiyÉ’m’ Ã-zkan MÉ’rt

KürdcÉ’ güllÉ’r yıÄ?dım xülyalarımın incÉ’ yerindÉ’n
Lazca Ã…?akıyor ümidimin tÉ’nbÉ’l sÉ’rçÉ’lÉ’ri, hÉ’yatın çiyinindÉ’
YaÃ…? cümlÉ’lÉ’rini Yunanca öpürÉ’m gecÉ’nin, ay altında
Bahara Zazaca sarılıram É’n nazlı yerindÉ’n belinin

Ã`rÉ’yimÉ’ daÃ…? atan uÃ…?aqların qandallarından öpürÉ’m aÄ?rılarını
Kayutlarında ErmÉ’nicÉ’ bir mersiyedir É’la gözlÉ’rim, qırıq dökük
KÉ’dÉ’rlÉ’rinin rontgenini çÉ’kmÉ’yÉ’ çatmır buruk hÉ’rflÉ’rim
Qırmızı bir Laz takasıyam Kürdüstan daÄ?larında üzÉ’n
Kürd vÉ’ Türk canlarım yanır orada, heca heca düÅ?É’rÉ’k torpaÄ?a
Dollar dollar üstünÉ’ xaincÉ’ yüksÉ’lirkÉ’n
Firon silah Ã…?irkÉ’tlÉ’rinin qazanc marjı piramidaları
Kresloları, apoletleri palazlanırken gonbul eqoizmin

AuschwitzdÉ’ milyonlarla dÉ’fÉ’ yandırıldıq vicdanın öldüyü yerdÉ’n
YetmiÃ…? iki min dÉ’fÉ’ süngülÉ’ndi xülyalarımız DÉ’rsimdÉ’, arsız sırıtıÅ?ıyla vÉ’hÃ…?iliyin
Ä°raqda hamburger üstü dadli niyyÉ’tinÉ’ iÃ…?gÉ’ncÉ’ oyuncaÄ?ı olduq Amerikanca
MaraÃ…?da, Çorumda küçÉ’ küçÉ’ vurulduq sivilizasiyanın ürÉ’yindÉ’n
Kosovada görmÉ’mÉ’zlikdÉ’n gÉ’lindi yaxamızda qÉ’tl edilÉ’n çiçÉ’klÉ’r
FÉ’lÉ’stindÉ’ daÃ…?la qırdılar azadlıÄ?ımızın qollarını
Bir milyon dÉ’fÉ’ yox edildi ErmÉ’nicÉ’ ninnilÉ’rimiz, Araratın qollarındakı
HakkaridÉ’ uÃ…?aqlıÄ?ımızın baÃ…?ına qundaqla vurdular
Ruandada palalarla kÉ’sdilÉ’r É’n uÃ…?aq hÉ’vÉ’slÉ’rimizi
Dollar dollar üstünÉ’ xaincÉ’ yüksÉ’lÉ’rkÉ’n
Firon silah Ã…?irkÉ’tlÉ’rinin qazanc marjı piramidaları
Kresloları, apoletleri palazlanırken gonbul eqoizmin

BilmÉ’diyimiz dillÉ’rdÉ’ dÉ’ öpÉ’ bilsÉ’k ya bir-birimizi
BaÃ…?qa dinlÉ’rdÉ’ susa bilsÉ’k yavaÃ…?ca, dinc
DigÉ’r coÄ?rafiyalarda aÄ?laya bilsÉ’k qaçar addım
Bir hÉ’rf belÉ’ É’lavÉ’ etmÉ’sÉ’k döyüÅ? çıÄ?ırtkanı cümlÉ’lÉ’rin quyruÄ?una
Ã`rÉ’yimizi É’sla yaslamasak vÉ’hÃ…?ilik qıÅ?qırıqlarının çaÄ?ırıÅ?ına
Harandan ölmÉ’yÉ’ baÃ…?lar acep döyüÅ? vÉ’ kapitalizm
VÉ’hÃ…?ilik harandan lal olar barıÅ? simfoniyalarımızın qarÃ…?ısında

: HÉ’rf hÉ’rf sevirÉ’m dünyanın bütün rÉ’nglÉ’rini

Written in Turkish by Serkan Engin
Translated to Azerbaijani by Can Pelit

***

Harf Harf Seviyorum Sizi

`Ben savaÃ…?çı deÄ?il gül yetiÃ…?tiricisiyim’ Ã-zkan Mert

Kürtçe güller derledim düÅ?lerimin ince yerinden
Lazca Å?akıyor umudumun haylaz serçeleri, hayatın omzunda
Islak tümcelerini Rumca öpüyorum gecenin, ay altında
Bahara Zazaca sarılıyorum en nazlı yerinden belinin
Kalbime taÅ? atan çocukların kelepçelerinden öpüyorum acılarını
KoÄ?uÅ?larında Ermenice bir aÄ?ıttır ela gözlerim, kırık dökük
Kederlerinin röntgenini çekmeye yetmiyor buruk harflerim

Kızıl bir Laz takasıyım Kürdistan daÄ?larında yüzen
Kürt ve Türk canlarım yanıyor orada, hece hece düÅ?erek topraÄ?a
Dolar dolar üstüne haince yükselirken
Firavun silah Å?irketlerinin kr marjı piramitleri
Koltukları, apoletleri palazlanırken obur bencilliÄ?in
Auschwitz’de milyonlarca kez yakıldık vicdanın öldüÄ?ü yerden
YetmiÃ…? iki bin kere süngülendi düÅ?lerimiz Dersim’de, arsız sırıtıÅ?ıyla vahÃ…?etin
Irak’ta hamburger üstü tatlı niyetine iÃ…?kence oyuncaÄ?ı olduk Amerikanca
MaraÃ…?’ta, Çorum’da sokak sokak vurulduk uygarlıÄ?ın kalbinden
Kosova’da görmezden gelindi yakamızda katledilen çiçekler
Filistin’de taÃ…?la kırdılar özgürlüÄ?ümüzün kollarını
Bir milyon kere yok edildi Ermenice ninnilerimiz, Ararat’ın kollarındaki
Hakkari’de çocukluÄ?umuzun kafasına dipçikle vurdular
Ruanda’da palalarla kestiler en çocuk heveslerimizi
Dolar dolar üstüne haince yükselirken
Firavun silah Å?irketlerinin kr marjı piramitleri
Koltukları, apoletleri palazlanırken obur bencilliÄ?in

BilmediÄ?imiz dillerde de öpebilsek ya birbirimizi
BaÃ…?ka dinlerde susabilsek usulca, dingin
DiÄ?er coÄ?rafyalarda aÄ?layabilsek koÅ?ar adım
Bir harf bile eklemesek savaÅ? çıÄ?ırtkanı tümcelerin kuyruÄ?una
Kalbimizi asla yaslamasak vahÅ?et çıÄ?lıklarının çaÄ?rısına
Neresinden ölmeye baÅ?lar acep savaÅ? ve kapitalizm
VahÅ?et neresinden ll olur barıÅ? senfonilerimizin önünde

: Harf harf seviyorum dünyanın tüm renklerini

Serkan Engin

Serkan Engin zaman: 14:50 Hiç yorum yok:

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SERKAN ENGIN BIOGRAPHY

FotoÄ?rafım Serkan Engin

A socialist Laz poet-author from Turkey, Serkan Engin was born in 1975
in Izmit, Turkey.

His poems and articles on poetry theory have been published in English
in The Tower Journal, Poetry’z Own, Belleville Park Pages, Far Enough
East, Spilt Infinitive Lit Magazine, Empty Mirror, The Writer’s
Drawer, Poetry Super Highway, Miracle E-zine, Industry Night Lit
Magazine, Typoetic.us Literary Magazine, Open Road Review, Shot Glass
Journal, Songsoptok, The Criterion and Mediterranean Poetry. Some of
his poems appeared in Japanese in the leading Japanese philosophy and
poetry journal Shi to Shisou.

His political articles have been published in many countries like USA,
Greece, Sweden, India, Armenia, France, Indonesia, etc.

Serkan Engin’s E-Books (In Turkish):

Poetry:

1- Shameless Acrostic (Art of Labour E-Publishing House)

2- Rhymeless of All Poems (Art of Labour E-Publishing House)

3- Hard Verses (Self Published)

4- First Poems (Self Published)

5- My Erotic Poems Atlas (Collected Erotic Poems of Serkan Engin)

(Art of Labour E-Publishing House)

6- Chatty Poems (Serkan Engin’s poems translated from Turkish to the
other languages of Turkey as Kurdish, Lazuri, Romaic, Zazaki, etc.)

(Art of Labour E-Publishing House)

Essay:

1- Left Hook (Poetic Reviews) (Self Published)

2- Left Direct (Poetic Reviews) (Self Published)

3- Shadow Boxing (Collected Poetic Reviews) (Art of Labour
E-Publishing House)

4- Poemed Letters (Collected Letters to Poets) (Self Published)

Article:

1- Be a Dynamite (Collected Newspaper Politic Articles) (Self
Published)

Novella:

1- Mild Murders (Art of Labour E-Publishing House)

Dictionary:

1- Inconvenient Poetry Dictionary (Alternative Poetry Dictionary)

(Self Published)

Profilimin tamamını görüntüle

Don’t suppress the light you discover inside yourself: Lilit Khachatryan

19:39, 28 Jan 2015
Siranush Ghazanchyan

“Don’t suppress the light that you discover within yourselves ever. Go
and meet the light and it will lead to something interesting.” The
author of these words is Lilit Khachatryan, a former lawyer, who had
enough courage to step in into the world of art three years ago, and
succeed.

All of us have a hidden light inside ourselves, which probably can be
best described with the word “talent.” Sometimes we lack the courage
to discover it within ourselves and pass it to others. Three years ago
Lilit Khachatryan managed to cross the boundaries of the self-doubt
and internal fear. And there was the painting beyond those boundaries.

“I’m a lawyer by profession and I have worked in this field for years.
But at some point I discovered I have a desire to paint. At the
beginning I was trying to hold it back by just thinking: Start
painting? At 36? But then I understood that I am not able to resist
this (the word “desire” is too weak to describe) passion,” Lilit said.

And then came over 70 works within two years.

“I was putting on a silk everything that was coming out from my soul,
everything I was feeling,” she says. “The art has changed me and my
perception of the world. There were big changes in my inner world
after I started painting: I see the beautiful and the uniqueness in
everything. Even in the human relations I ignore everything negative.”

“There are positive and good things around us that need attention.
Intercourse with the Art can lead to great changes. I gave up my
lawyer’s career, quitted the job and fully dedicated myself to
painting. My husband’s support played a key role in this change and I
thank God that I have him next to me,” said the artist. “Painting is
my life and I found myself here.”

Lilit was among the artists selected by Pietro Franesi, the Director
of New York and Dubai Art Biennale to participate in these events.
Pietro Franesi will also be the curator of Lilit’s solo exhibition
that will open in Yerevan on February 5 in the Artists’ Union.
“Don’t suppress the light that you ever discover inside yourselves. Go
and meet it. And it will lead to something interesting.” This is
Lilit’s request.

European Human Rights Court Hears Genocide Denial Case – Video

Wednesday, January 28th, 2015

Representing Armenia at the European Court of Human Rights were from
left Amal Alamuddin Clooney, Geoffrey Ronald Robertson and Armenia’s
Prosecutor General Gevorg Kostanyan

EAFJD Welcomes the Hearing in the European Court of Human Rights
STRASBOURG, France’A first-rate legal team, which included renowned
human rights lawyers Geoffrey Robertson and Amal Allamudin Clooney, as
well as Armenia’s Prosecutor General Gevorg Kostanyan, represented
Armenia at the European Court of Human Rights Wednesday during an
appeals hearing on the court’s ruling in 2013 in favor of a Turkish
Armenian Genocide denier, in a case that is known as Perinçek v.
Switzerland.

The case concerns the criminal conviction of DoÄ?u Perinçek, Chairman
of the Turkish Workers’ Party, for publicly challenging in Switzerland
the existence of the Armenian Genocide. The government of Switzerland
has also joined the appeals process, as have two Turkish human rights
organizations that have submitted legal briefs in favor of Armenia.

Representatives of Armenian organizations from Switzerland, France,
Belgium were present, and a handful of them have provided the Court
with written notes, alongside the Human Rights Association from Turkey
and The [Turkish] Center for Truth Justice Memory, which focused on
the personality of Perincek, his nationalist, anti-Semitic,
anti-minority and anti-Armenian rhetoric, for the Court to fully
understand the entire context, something which Geoffrey Robertson
stressed `Perincek is a denialist window shopper, going from one
European country to another.’

In her arguments Clooney highlighted Turkey’s hypocrisy for defending
the Right to Freedom of Speech in Europe, while at the same time Hrant
Dink is murdered in Istanbul, and the same anti-Armenian sentiments of
a 100 years ago are still alive in the country.

Clooney went on to accuse the court of being `simply wrong. It [the
court] casts doubt on the reality of Genocide that Armenian people
suffered a century ago.’

`Armenia must have its day in court,’ she added. `The stakes could not
be higher for the Armenian people.’

In her presentation, Clooney pointed out Turkey’s double standards on
freedom of expression, when the country has been notorious in
suppressing speech, jailing journalists and event going as far as to
ban social media platforms such as YouTube and Twitter.

`Armenia is not here to argue against freedom of expression any more
than Turkey is here to defend it. This court knows very well how
disgraceful Turkey’s record on freedom of expression is,’ she said.
`You have found against the Turkish government in 224 separate cases
on freedom of expression grounds.’

Clooney also made reference to Hrant Dink, who was prosecuted in
Turkey for expressing his view about the Armenian Genocide and
subsequently was gunned down by Turkish nationalists in 2007. For
eight years the Dink case lingers in Turkish courts.

`Armenia has every interest in ensuring that its own citizens do not
get caught in a net that criminalizes speech too broadly. As the
family of Hrant Dink know about all too well,’ said Clooney.

Switzerland has laws against the denial of all genocide as part of its
anti-racism laws but the ECHR ruled that Perinçek’s right to freedom
of speech was violated when he was convicted as a criminal by a Swiss
court for his claims.

Perincek, whose 2007 conviction by a Swiss court stemmed from
statements made in 2005 in Lausanne where he said the Armenian
Genocide was an `International lie,’ spoke in his own defense saying
he never incited hatred toward Armenians. He claimed that his comments
at the time were in reference to the Kurds.

`We are here for the liberty of Europeans,’ said Perincek. “Liberty
for those who criticise the established status quo.

`I share the pain of Armenian citizens, you cannot find a word of mine
that expresses antagonism against them. I hold the great powers
responsible for what happened in 1915. There should be no taboos for
the right to speak.’

Robertson fired back by saying Perincek specifically went to Europe to
deny the Genocide, adding that the Turkish politician was an admirer
of the Talaat Pasha, whom Robertson called the `Ottoman Empire’s
Hitler.’

`It [the statement] was made by a man who only came to Switzerland in
order to be convicted. That was his purpose. He went to Germany,
France, at the end of the day he tried to go Greece to expostulate but
was turned away. He is genocide denier forum shopper. He is an
incurable genocide denier, a criminal and a vexatious litigant,’ said
Robertson.

`The Armenian nation survived and overcame. It has never asked this
Court to pronounce on the sufferings it has witnessed. But nor did it
expect this Court to allow the deniers to find a safe haven in its
pronouncements, which are already used for propaganda purposes of
falsifying the history,’ Armenia’s Prosecutor General said in his
remarks.

Kostanyan said that Armenia’s role is to point to the principles,
under which this case should be decided and to indicate the errors
that affected the lower court judgment.

`We are here to ensure that such errors are never repeated by a Court
that speaks in the name of human rights,’ Kostanyan concluded.

EAFJD Welcomes the Hearing in the European Court of Human Rights
The European Armenian Federation for Justice and Democracy welcomed
the hearing and thanked the legal team representing Armenia for its
unwavering efforts to shed light on the truth at the international
forum.

`This is a Justice vs. Denial case, and we have confidence in the
European Court of Human Rights that they will overturn the initial
verdict, which acquitted Perinçek from any wrong doing and decided
that Switzerland was limiting his right of free speech,’ said the
EAFJD in a statement issued on Wednesday after the court adjourned.

`Denial of Genocides, inciting hate and making racist comments in
Europe are not a right, are crimes and shall be punished accordingly.’
said Bedo Demirdjian, the EAFJD’s Communications director, who
followed the Court hearings in Strasbourg.

`We welcome the participation of the Republic of Armenia, represented
by Prosecutor General Gevorg Kostanyan. The International recognition
and condemnation of the Armenian Genocide is not a matter of the
Armenian Diaspora only, as some mention, willing to divide us, but
it’s an all-Armenian issue and will be pursued as such,’ said
Demirdjian.

`Perincek’s defense tried to confuse the Court, by saying that he
doesn’t refute the massacres of Armenians, acknowledges the pain
suffered, and that Turks have also been killed, thus we cannot give
the Genocide characterization. This is unacceptable to us, equating
the victim and perpetrator, and this is the official line of the
Turkish state to whitewash their crime,’ said Demirdjian, and
concluded that the EAFJD and Armenians have full confidence that the
Court will issue the right and just verdict, especially this year, in
2015, when we commemorate the centennial of the Armenian Genocide.

PRESS RELEASE
January 28, 2015

FLORIDA ARMENIANS
Contact: Taniel Koushakjian
Email: [email protected]
Web:

Sayat Nova Dance Company of Boston Brings Armenian History and Culture to
Life in South Florida

By Mercedes Gechidjian
FLArmenians Miami Contributor

BOCA RATON, FL – What does it mean to be an Armenian? What have the
Armenian people been through in 3,000 years? How have we flourished as a
people and as a nation? These are some of the questions that Sayat Nova
Dance Company of Boston’s (SNDC) production A Journey Through Time
answered during their powerful performance on Saturday, January 24 at
Florida Atlantic University, in Boca Raton.

The event was held in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the 1915
Armenian Genocide, in which 1.5 million Armenians were brutally tortured
and killed by Turkish nationalists. The show took the audience on a magical
and heartfelt journey through Armenian history, in which the adoption of
Christianity, the genocide, and the creation of a free and independent
Armenia were portrayed.

The program was organized into two parts. Part one, consisted of a travel
through time, in which the audience met famed Armenian hero’s Saint Gregory
the Illuminator in Khor Virab and Vartan Mamigonian in the Battle of
Avarayr, among many others. Yet, the most agonizing encounter was with the
twenty brides of Adana in 1909, where the audience saw the gruesome
execution of twenty, innocent, young women. Part two, on the other hand,
celebrated the many cultural and melodic dances of the Armenian culture,
including crowd favorites, Kochari and Nare Nare. This part of the
production showed that, even amid tragedy, Armenians have always managed to
stay connected to their roots and the essence of being Armenian; in
addition to finding both peace and courage through the art of music and
dancing.

(According to the definition by SNDC: Kochari- `Is an ancient national,
ritual dance symbolizing movements that express the sense of `fighting the
battle of life.’ Nare Nare- `[is a] festive dance celebrating the spirit,
love, and allegiance of Armenians to their homeland.’)

This wonderful event would not have been possible without the Armenian
Genocide Commemoration, Inc. (AGC) and their efforts to raise awareness of
the Armenian Genocide in Florida. Their mission is to educate Armenian and
non-Armenians in the local community on a very dark time in world history.
`I
felt proud, relieved, wired,’ stated Arsine Kaloustian, the Public
Affairs
Director of Florida Armenians and Chairman of AGC. `A lot of people and a
lot of work went into bringing Sayat Nova to Florida. There were a lot of
moving parts to this and to watch it come together so seamlessly was
energizing. To know that it was the first official event in the USA that
was commemorating the centennial was very emotional for me,’ Kaloustian
said.

With over 700 tickets sold, Sayat Nova’s A Journey Through Time was a
great success for the Armenian community of Florida, and encouraged all of
us to help raise awareness and seek justice towards the atrocities that
occurred in 1915. As the Armenian proverb states, `If the village stands,
it can break a trunk (strength increases unity).’

Available online at:

Florida State Coach Mark Krikorian Wins Third National Title

By Tom Vartabedian on January 28, 2015

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.–Add the name to the venerable list of prominent
Armenian-American coaches who have made an imprint on the national
scene.

He’s Mark Krikorian and he just coached Florida State University to
its first-ever NCAA Division 1 women’s soccer championship.

Mark Krikorian

Krikorian joins such iconic coaches as Jerry Tarkanian, who led the
University of Nevada/Las Vegas to a national title in basketball in
1990. The Running Rebels that year defeated Duke in the finals,
103-73, representing the largest point difference in an NCAA final
ever.

And let’s not forget Ara Parseghian, who won two national football
titles with Notre Dame in 1966 and 1973 before turning to the
announcer’s booth.

With Krikorian, make that one better than Parseghian, when you
consider the two Division 2 national soccer crowns he secured in 1994
and 1995 while with Franklin Pierce College in rural Rindge, N.H., at
the advent of his coaching career.

The title game was a 1-0 nail-biter against fourth-ranked University
of Virginia. The Seminoles were ranked second in the polls going into
that showdown.

It was not only the talk of the Florida State campus but the entire
soccer scene in America. Krikorian is being hailed for such an
achievement at a time when the Seminoles were blown away by Oregon,
59-20, in the Rose Bowl.

“I’m truly honored to be mentioned in the same breath as Tarkanian and
Parseghian,” he said. “They are great leaders of their respective
sports and did it their way. It’s great to follow in their footsteps.
Women’s soccer is on the rise.”

Comparatively speaking, there’s no way women’s soccer is being
upstaged by men’s sports at FSU, Krikorian feels. And he likes to
think that perhaps he’s played a role in that perception.

The 54-year-old mentor was born and raised in Malden, Mass., and
graduated from St. Anselm’s College in Manchester, N.H., prior to
graduating from Pinkerton Academy in Derry, N.H., where he starred in
soccer, basketball, and lacrosse.

“Being from New Hampshire is essential to who I am today,” he
confirms. “I learned an awful lot from my high school coaches. A lot
of my success at FSU is tied to my direct roots in New Hampshire.”

He’s been inducted into the Saint Anselm’s Athletic Club Hall of Fame
as a former two-time captain and team Most Valuable Player, as well as
an All-New England First-Team selection. He helped guide the college
to a share of the Northeast-8 championship his senior year.

“By winning the national championship at Florida State, Mark is as
good a coach as anyone in the country,” says his former coach Ed
Cannon. “He has been one of the best coaches in America at any level.”

Krikorian started coaching soccer in 1990 and the Seminoles are his
fifth team. In 2004, he piloted the United States Women’s Under-19
team prior to joining FSU.

He led that 2004 team to a world championship in Thailand. With 10
years of Top Ten finishes, it’s as close to a dynasty as you’ll ever
find in his sport.

“I appreciate the support from my family and being at FSU where they
value excellence as much as I do,” Krikorian adds. “My Armenian
heritage taught me a great work ethic and family mentality.”

Krikorian and his wife Linda are parents to two children, Allie, 14,
and Michael, 12. They live in Tallahassee not far from the school and
remain bullish toward campus activity.

As far as women’s sports are concerned, he sees an open window of opportunity.

“The best opportunity to coach at the college level was on the women’s
side,” he notes. “That’s why I got into it. I hope to be here until I
retire.”

***

PERSONAL FAVORITES

Armenian coaches: Jerry Tarkanian and Ara Parseghian

American coach: Bobby Bowden (retired FSU football coach)

Athlete: Larry Bird

TV show: “NCIS”

Movie: “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”

Screen star: Jack Nicholson

Hobby: Reading

Singer: Whitney Houston

Vacation spot: Maine

Pet peeve: Apathy

Book: Five Dysfunctions of a Team

Proudest accomplishment: Birth of my children and three national championships

Something that may surprise others: I was previously a high school teacher.

Quote: “Seek first to understand, then be understood” by Stephen Covey

Armenian Folk Band Performed at the Largest Folklore Festival of Argentina

Agencia Prensa Armenia

The Armenian Folk Band Kusan performed for the first time in history
at the National Folklore Festival of Cosquin (),
Argentina, on Monday, January 26. “Despite the genocide, they are
here. They kept their identity and cultural legacy and transmitted it
to humanity,” said the presenter of the most important festival of
folk music in Argentina and Latin America.

“From the beginning, people connected with us. When we spoke about the
genocide people joined us. We perceived a feeling of solidarity,” said
Enrique Avakian, director and creator of Kusan after the show. At the
end, they played traditional Argentinean songs like Carnavalito and
Zamba para olvidar with the typical Armenian instruments.

The Cosquin Folk Festival lasts nine days and gathers the most
important folklore musicians and bands of the continent.

( Link -> )
Agencia de Noticias Prensa Armenia
Armenia 1366, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina
Tel. (5411) 4775-7595
[email protected]
twitter.com/PrensaArmenia

European Court holds hearing on Perinçek v. Switzerland case

13:02, 28 Jan 2015
Siranush Ghazanchyan

The hearing of the case Perinçek v. Switzerland has started at the
European Court of Human Rights.

Armenia is represented at the Court by Amal Clooney, Geoffrey
Robertson, Toby Collis and Armenia’s Prosecutor General Gevorg
Kostanyan.

A group of Armenians is protesting in front of the European Court, the
European Federation for Justice and Development reports.

The applicant, DoÄ?u Perinçek, is a Turkish national who was born in
1942 and lives in Ankara (Turkey). Being a doctor of laws and the
Chairman of the Turkish Workers’ Party, he participated in various
conferences in Switzerland in May, July and September 2005, during
which he publicly denied that the Ottoman Empire had perpetrated the
crime of genocide against the Armenian people in 1915 and the
following years. He described the idea of an Armenian genocide as an
`international lie’.

The association `Switzerland- Armenia’ filed a criminal complaint
against him on 15 July 2005. On 9 March 2007 the Lausanne Police Court
found Mr Perinçek guilty of racial discrimination within the meaning
of the Swiss Criminal Code, finding that his motives were of a racist
tendency and did not contribute to the historical debate. Mr Perinçek
lodged an appeal that was dismissed by the Criminal Cassation Division
of the Vaud Cantonal Court.

In that court’s view, the Armenian genocide, like the Jewish genocide,
was a proven historical fact, recognised by the Swiss legislature on
the date of the adoption of Article 261bis of the Criminal Code. The
courts did not therefore need to refer to the work of historians in
order to accept its existence. The Cassation Division emphasised that
Mr Perinçek had only denied the characterisation as genocide without
calling into question the existence of the massacres and deportations
of Armenians. The Federal Court dismissed a further appeal by Mr
Perinçek in a judgment of 12 December 2007.

Relying on Article 10 (freedom of expression) of the European
Convention on Human Rights, Mr Perinçek complains that the Swiss
courts breached his freedom of expression. He argues, in particular,
that Article 261bis, paragraph 4, of the Swiss Criminal Code is not
sufficiently foreseeable 3 Under Article 43 of the European Convention
on Human Rights, within three months from the date of a Chamber
judgment, any party to the case may, in exceptional cases, request
that the case be referred to the 17-member Grand Chamber of the Court.
In that event, a panel of five judges considers whether the case
raises a serious question affecting the interpretation or application
of the Convention or its protocols, or a serious issue of general
importance, in which case the Grand Chamber will deliver a final
judgment. If no such question or issue arises, the panel will reject
the request, at which point the judgment becomes final. Otherwise
Chamber judgments become final on the expiry of the three-month period
or earlier if the parties declare that they do not intend to make a
request to refer.5 in its effect, that his conviction was not
justified by the pursuit of a legitimate aim and that the alleged
breach of his freedom of expression was not `necessary in a democratic
society’.

In its Chamber judgment of 17 December 2013 the Court held, by five
votes to two, that there had been a violation of Article 10 of the
Convention. It took the view that the grounds given by the Swiss
authorities to justify Mr Perinçek’s conviction were not all pertinent
and that, taken as a whole, they proved insufficient. The Court
observed that the domestic authorities had not shown, in particular,
that the applicant’s conviction met a `pressing social need’ or that
it was necessary in a democratic society for the protection of the
honour and feelings of the descendants of the victims of the
atrocities which dated back to 1915 and the following years.

The Court therefore found that the domestic authorities had
overstepped the margin of appreciation afforded to them in the present
case, which had arisen in the context of a debate of undeniable public
interest.

On 2 June the case was referred to the Grand Chamber at the request of
the Swiss Government.

“Localization” of War: Who Do They Think in Moscow?

Igor Muradyan, Political Analyst
Comments – 28 January 2015, 13:32

The Minsk Group Co-Chairs Called on Azerbaijan to Observe its
Commitments to a Peaceful Resolution of the Conflict

OSCE Chairperson-in-Office DaÄ?iÄ? voices concern over recent
developments on Armenian-Azerbaijani border and Line of Contact

Seiran Ohanyan: Peace Requires Confidence Building

Azerbaijan Filled with Panic

Conclusion of Forensic Examination of Karen Petrosyan Has Been Received

Cooperation of any country of Eastern Europe and Central Asia with
NATO and the United States has an anti-Russian vector, and Moscow
perceives it this way.

The present problems have occurred recently, some experts think they
have always existed but now they have become more tangible and acute
due to the rapprochement between NATO and Armenia.

The content of NATO-Armenia relations is not inferior to NATO-Georgia
relations, for example. The NATO-Georgia topic has become more common
in the strategic context, hence it is hardly possible to `blackmail’
Russia with the Georgian topic. Armenia is a `fresh’ topic that has
not been elaborated. Therefore, Armenia is currently seen as an
important lever of pressure on Russia, to thwart Russia’s attempts at
the strategic level.

The opportunities to combine cooperation with NATO and CSTO are
categorically rejected, though in this case it causes doubts and
expresses the position of not only the Russian political leadership
but also the military command and military circles.

In answer to the question how Russia perceives Armenia’s willingness
to cooperate with NATO the Russian experts suggested the following:

– Armenia would like to get assistance from Russia and NATO simultaneously;

– Russian foreign policy on Azerbaijan and Turkey causes doubts in
Armenia, which is wrong and is explained by the lack of political
experience of Armenian leaders;

– If formerly NATO-Armenia relations were `under control’ and were
understood by Moscow, now these relations have crossed the line, which
is evidence to Armenia’s involvement in NATOs’ strategic plans;

– Armenia has no real guarantee of security from NATO and will not get
that guarantee, at least in the format which would allow expecting
military assistance in case of a military conflict.

In answer to the question how `normal’ it is for Russia to supply
weapons to Azerbaijan, they state clearly: it’s normal. In addition,
arguments are brought, such as otherwise Azerbaijan will buy weapons
from other countries, and military technical cooperation with Armenia
is quite successful.

Then what attitude would Russia have to the supply of weapons to
Armenia by NATO member states? Russia knows about these intentions, it
is Armenia’s sovereign affair but these supplies will hardly be
large-scale and comprehensive, experts think.

At the same time, the Russian leadership has expressed its negative
attitude to this, questioning military technical cooperation with
Azerbaijan. Unfortunately, this opinion has not been taken into
account, explaining that the ministry of defense needs money and this
money is raised from export of weapons. This also causes doubts but
such is the decision of the political leadership.

In this situation Armenia must take care of its military potential and
may hope for Russia’s assistance which is not interested in weakening
of Armenia and change of balance of forces in the region in prejudice
of Armenia, experts say.

Parity in relations with Armenia and Azerbaijan does not mean equal
relations, it is impossible in both political and strategic terms. The
geopolitical setting in the region is quite different, and Armenia
remains the only military partner.

Do the Russian experts consider the Russian-Armenian relations as
strategic? The notion `strategic’ is not legal, it is figurative
rather. Important agreements have been signed and are implemented
between Russia and Armenia, and they need to be amended with new
content instead of considerations how to describe these relations as
strategic.

The opinion on `localization’ of the war between Armenia and
Azerbaijan is interesting. These arguments cause doubts but they do
express Russia’s stance and policy.

By supplying weapons to Azerbaijan Russia is trying to set framework
conditions, namely limitation of possible military actions by
Azerbaijan. Localization of military actions within the area of the
Karabakh conflict and not shifting it to the territory of Armenia is
taken into account.

Hence, Russia intends to create a wall between itself and a possible
military conflict. The Russian political leadership rules out Russia’s
involvement in regional military conflicts, and it concerns not only
the South Caucasus but also Central Asia.

To what extent is Russia conducting a policy of `localization’ of
possible conflicts with regard to Turkey? With regard to risk
assessment and attitude to conflicts broader relations have formed
between Russia and Turkey. Russia has Turkey’s perception on a
possible Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict in terms of unacceptability of a
military solution of the issue.

At the same time, it is assumed that resumption of the
Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict is seen as the result of large scale and
serious movement of policies of foreign parties on the region. Despite
immense procurement of weapons, Azerbaijan is not ready for a modern
war, and the great powers, including Turkey, are trying to explain
this.

Turkey’s military objectives relating to Azerbaijan are aimed at
prevention of bigger military conflicts than the Karabakh conflict in
which Turkey may be involved.

What is the cause of irritation of the Russian political leadership on
Armenia, Armenia’s aspiration to cooperate with the Euro-Atlantic
community, the reserved attitude towards the Eurasian project,
Armenia’s domestic problems? Experts find that rapprochement with NATO
and the EU has a key role in lack of confidence. Nevertheless, it is
impossible to ignore the Eurasian project in strategic terms.

This is personal insult because this initiative is personally Putin’s
initiative. Besides, the intactness of Russia’s positions abroad is
linked to the Eurasian project.

The western bloc of states is trying to prevent recovery of Russia’s
influence in the post-Soviet space, and rejecting the Eurasian project
may be considered as unfriendly policy on Russia in terms of its
strategic interests.

Armenian army is the people’s army – Bako Sahakyan

09:50 * 28.01.15

President of the Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) Republic Bako Sahakyan has
offered his congratulations to the president and the defense minister
of Armenia on the Day of the Army.

His address to President Serzh Sargsyan is below:

“Respected President Sargsyan,

“On behalf of the people and authorities of the Artsakh Republic and
personally myself, I sincerely congratulate you on the Day of the
Army, a dear and important holiday to all the Armenians.

“You have been standing at the very foundation of the national army’s
formation, and today, as a Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Republic
of Armenia Armed Forces, you do all your best to increase the
Fatherland’s defense capacity.

“The Armenian Army is a people’s army. The best sons of our nation
contributed to the establishment of the Army, and today. their brave
sons devotedly carry out the sacred duty of defending the Fatherland.
We render homage and glory to all those whose have contributed to the
formation of a strong and efficient army, to those who maintain our
Fatherland’s borders steadfast, safeguard our people’s tranquility and
peaceful life.

“I once again congratulate you and the entire Armenian nation on this
memorable day, wishing you all peace, sound health, success and all
the best on the way towards the continuous strengthening and
prosperity-building of the independent Armenian statehood”.

Police Keep Teenage Witness in Custody for 2 Days Before Murder Case Hearing

01.27.2015 13:50 epress.am

The witnesses in the case of Vanadzor resident Karen Kungortsev, who
was charged with murdering 15-year old Davit Hovakimyan, are
continuing to give their testimonies in court. During the
interrogation process in the preliminary investigation, the rights of
a few minors were violated, especially the right to give testimony
with the presence of a lawyer or parent.

A minor, R.S., who gave testimony in court yesterday, was kept at the
police station for 2 days. According to Kungortsev’s lawyer, Helsinki
Association lawyer Arayik Papikyan, they “worked on him” while he was
in the police precinct. During his testimony, R.S. slightly changed
his original testimony, stating that he had been at the site of the
incident and had seen Kungortsev there. The latter, however, denies
the claim. According to the lawyer, there are other witnesses that
claim that R.S. was not present in the location during the fight. The
other two witnesses who gave testimonies against Kungortsev, went to
the court yesterday and said that the investigator wrote their
testimonies for them. When they were shown the testimonies, the
witnesses said that they were wrong and did not remember well;
confirming that the testimony was written in their handwriting. They
also claimed that, they were not present at place of the incident and
were informed of it by friends.

Recall, that in one of the previous hearings Gevorg Avagyan, a
witness, said that he was pushed by the police to testify against
Kungortsev. According to Avagyan, at the police station they showed
him a photo of Karen Kungortsev and stated that he has to testify
against him. “They said we’ll show you four photos, this person’s
photo will be in it as well and you’ll point him out,” explained
Gevorg Avagyan. One other witness took back his testimony, saying that
he had made up everything.

Recall, Karen Kungortsev does not admit guilt, and human rights
defenders and his attorney indicate violations recorded during the
preliminary investigations.

While behind bars, the accused has resorted to self harm, as well as
beginning a hunger strike. His mother said that her son was beaten by
police while under police custody and forced to confess.

The charges against Kungortsev were changed from murder to attempted
murder last August. At the same time, the investigation accused and
detained Vanadzor Medical Center company doctor Vladimir Ghukasyan for
unfair treatment and improper implementation of professional duties.