Former Macedonian Opposition Leader Becomes ODIHR/OSCE Representativ

FORMER MACEDONIAN OPPOSITION LEADER BECOMES ODIHR/OSCE REPRESENTATIVE IN ARMENIA

Vestnik Kavkaza
March 21 2012
Russia

Radmila Sekerinska Jankovska, aged 40, will present her mandate and
mission details as ODIHR/OSCE representative in Yerevan tomorrow,
Trend reports.

She was the Acting Prime Minister of Macedonia, a former state of
Yugoslavia, in November-December 2004. Then she became the opposition
leader as head of the Social-Democratic Union.

Radmila Sekerinska headed the ODIHR/OSCE mission to monitor the Kyrgyz
presidential polls in 2009. Now she will monitor elections in Armenia.

From: Baghdasarian

Orinats Yerkir Names Candidates On Majority List

ORINATS YERKIR NAMES CANDIDATES ON MAJORITY LIST

Vestnik Kavkaza
March 21 2012
Russia

Orinats Yerkir, an Armenian political party stressing on law
maintenance, held a meeting on March 20 to mark the 15th anniversary.

Its leader Artur Bagdasaryan said that over 160,000 people have joined
the party, News.am reports.

The party announced the list of candidates of the majority list
running for parliament. They are Eduard Madatyan, Karen Botoyan,
Armen Arutyunyan, Unan Petrosyan, Albert Ayvazyan, Artur Misakyan,
Deyzi Ovannisyan, Vage Vardapetyan, Ayk Ovanissyan.

Orinats Yerkir, the Republican Party of Armenia and Prosperous Armenia
are the ruling coalition of the country.

From: Baghdasarian

President Sargsyan: Tonino Guerra Was Armenia’s Good Friend

PRESIDENT SARGSYAN: TONINO GUERRA WAS ARMENIA’S GOOD FRIEND

PanARMENIAN.Net
March 21, 2012 – 20:56 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan extended
condolences on the death of the prominent Italian poet, writer and
screenwriter Tonino Guerra.

“We lost a renowned culture worker, whose works spread joy, admiration
and kindness not only in native Italy, but all over the world,”
the President’s telegram reads.

Serzh Sargsyan also dwelt on Guerra’s visits to Armenia, and relations
between him and the Armenian people.

“This Italian genius was a good friend of Armenia and the Armenian
people,” he noted.

“On behalf of the Armenian nation, I express my deepest condolences to
you, your family and the whole Italian nation. It’s a big and painful
loss. Tonino Guerra’s genius works that the eternal values are the
only consolation left,” Presidential message to Tonino Guerra’s
family reads.

Legendary Italian poet, writer and screenwriter Tonino Guerra died
in Italy on Wednesday, March 21 at the age of 92, Adriano del Asta,
RIA Novosti reported.

Guerra, who wrote more than 100 screenplays, worked with such
filmmakers as Federico Fellini, Michelangelo Antonioni, Andrey
Tarkovsky, Francesco Rosi and Theodoros Angelopoulos.

Among the films he wrote or co-wrote are L’avventura, Red Desert,
Blow-Up, Zabriskie Point, Amarcord, Nostalghia, Landscapes of the
Mist and Exquisite Corpses. He earned Oscar nominations for Amarcord,
Blow-Up and Casanova 70.

From: Baghdasarian

Yerevan Press Club Weekly Newsletter – 03/22/2012

YEREVAN PRESS CLUB WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

MARCH 16-22, 2012

HIGHLIGHTS:

YPC INTERIM REPORT ON MONITORING ARMENIAN BROADCAST MEDIA AHEAD OF
PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS (MARCH 1-10, 2012)

“FACE OF THE COUNTRY” – PRE-ELECTION DEBATES BETWEEN DPA AND “FREE
DEMOCRATS”

“PRESS CLUB+” ON AIR OF “HRAZDAN” TV

“E-CLUB” CYCLE: INTERNET AND SPACE

AMENDMENTS’ PACKAGE TO BROADCAST LEGISLATION SUBMITTED INTO CIRCULATION AT
RA NA

NCTR RELEASED METHODOLOGY OF MONITORING ON ENSURING EQUAL CONDITIONS FOR ALL
PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS’ PARTICIPANTS BY BROADCAST MEDIA

CEC REVISED JOURNALISTS’ ACCREDITATION PROCEDURE

PROVISIONS REGULATING ACTIVITIES OF MEDIA DURING STATE OF EMERGENCY ADOPTED

NCTR RESPONDED TO YPC QUERY ABOUT LITIGATIONS WITH ITS INVOLVEMENT

COURT RENDERED A RULING IN FAVOR OF GEGHARQUNIQ GOVERNOR

FOI CENTER SUIT VERSUS CREDIT COMPANY REVOKED

“ALTERNATIVE RESOURCES IN MEDIA” ONLINE NEWSLETTER

YPC INTERIM REPORT ON MONITORING ARMENIAN BROADCAST MEDIA AHEAD OF
PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS (MARCH 1-10, 2012)

On March 20 at Urbat Club YPC presented the Interim Report (March 1-10,
2012) on Monitoring Armenian Broadcast Media ahead of Elections to RA
National Assembly. The monitoring of Armenian broadcast media coverage of
elections to RA National Assembly in 2012 is implemented by Yerevan Press
Club. The support to this research is provided by OSCE Office in Yerevan in
frames of the “Empowering Armenian Civil Society to Monitor Electoral
Processes” project, financed by the European Union. The monitoring is
conducted within two stages: the first stage covers the period of March
1-31, 2012 (ahead of pre-election promotion); the second stage covers the
period of April 8 – May 4, 2012 (pre-election promotion).

Current phase of the monitoring, which has started since March 1, 2012,
includes the period preceding the official pre-election promotion. Yerevan
Press Club is planning to present interim reports once in every ten days.

THE MONITORING included 6 national TV channels – First Channel of the Public
Television of Armenia (H1), “Armenia”, “Yerkir Media”, “Kentron”, Second
Armenian TV Channel (H2), “Shant”; two Yerevan TV channels – “Shoghakat”
(this channel was chosen because it is a part of Public TV and Radio Company
and as such has a special mission) and “ArmNews” (which is the only
broadcaster in Armenia which has a specific license of a news channel); as
well as Public Radio of Armenia. Main editions of news programs and main
current affairs/discussion programs broadcast at the evening airtime
(18.00-01.00) of the above-mentioned TV and radio channels were studied.

The object of the monitoring were pieces, which included references to those
13 political parties and movements, which either have expressed their
intention to participate in the upcoming parliamentary elections, or
currently hold an active position in the political life of the country.
Connotations of the references to this parties/movements as well as the
airtime allocated to them by the monitored media were also recorded. (See
the monitoring methodology in YPC Interim Report, Chapter “General
Information on Monitoring”, at in “Studies” section.)

THROUGHOUT THE FIRST TEN DAYS of March 2012, compared to the results of the
preliminary monitoring conducted by YPC in November-December 2011, a
tendency towards more balanced distribution of attention, paid by the
majority of broadcasters studied to various political forces, and towards
reduction of the share of connotational references was observed. The media
interest regarding political developments in the run-up to the elections
became more active, though there were also certain exceptions in this regard
(which will be presented further).

WITHIN THE PERIOD covered by this interim report the largest amount of
attention to internal political life was given by “Kentron” TV channel, both
in terms of the frequency of references to parties and of the volume of
airtime allocated to them (hereafter for the quantitative results of the
monitoring see the YPC Interim Report tables at in “Studies”
section). In terms of airtime volume, allocated to political forces,
“Kentron” was followed by Second Armenian TV Channel, which significantly
increased its coverage of pre-electoral processes, as compared with the last
months of 2011, and by “Yerkir Media”. In terms of the frequency of
references “Kentron” was immediately followed by Public Radio of Armenia.

“Shoghakat” throughout the period of study remained loyal to its profile – a
TV channel of spiritual and cultural orientation. There were no references
to political parties/movements within its programs studied.

Based on the news and discussion programs of the remaining 8 broadcasters,
“Shant” TV channel demonstrated the least interest to pre-election
processes. In terms of both frequency and volume of references to political
forces this channel was less active than it had been since November 16 to
December 15, 2011, when YPC carried out preliminary monitoring (the report
for that period is available at YPC website in “Studies” section,
). Holding a license of the same type
(general profile), in its programs of the same nature “Shant” gave 15 times
less airtime to political forces than “Kentron”, and 11 times less than
Second Armenian TV Channel and “Yerkir Media”. According to the programs
studied, “ArmNews” and PTA First Channel were relatively passive in their
coverage of political parties/movements, with the coverage of First Channel
remaining on approximately the same level as in November-December 2011.

IN TERMS OF THE CUMULATIVE INDICATORS of all 9 channels studied, compared to
the period of preliminary monitoring, in the first ten days of March the
interest towards political forces grew approximately twice. The largest
amount of media attention was allocated to five parliamentary parties –
Republican Party of Armenia (RPA), Armenian Revolutionary Federation
“Dashnaktsutiun”, “Bargavach Hayastan”/”Prosperous Armenia”,
“Zharangutiun”/”Heritage”, “Orinats Yerkir”, as well as the Armenian
National Congress (ANC). The latter, though it lagged behind “the
parliamentary five” in terms of volume of coverage, was ahead of one of the
parliamentary parties – “Orinats Yerkir” in terms of frequency of
references. Nevertheless, compared to the last months of 2011, at this stage
the advantage of RPA was not so obvious. Beside “the big six”, quite
extensive coverage was received by the “Free Democrats” and United Labour
Party. At the same time, the coverage of the “Free Democrats” was almost
completely focused on the perspective of forming an electoral bloc with the
“Heritage” party, and absolutely all references to United Labour Party
concerned its merger with “Prosperous Armenia”. A relatively large airtime
volume was allocated to the Democratic Party of Armenia, however, in fact
the party received all of its airtime because the DPA leader Aram Sargsyan
was a guest of the “Urvagits” program of “Kentron” TV channel.

Republican Party was the undisputed leader in terms of media attention on
PTA First Channel, “ArmNews” and “Armenia”, and had a more moderate
advantage on Second Armenian TV Channel, Public Radio and “Shant”. On the
above-mentioned channels no party had a clear second place.

On a given channel, the biggest gap between the leading party and all others
was recorded on “Yerkir Media”, where ARF “Dashnaktsutiun” received almost 6
times more airtime than RPA, which had the second place. The gap between
“Dashnaktsutiun” and all other parties was even larger. Smaller, but still
significant gap between the leading party and all other parties was recorded
on “Kentron”, where the leader was “Prosperous Armenia”. In terms of
frequency of references here, as on “Yerkir Media”, the Republican Party was
the second, but in terms of airtime volume the RPA was preceded by
Democratic Party of Armenia (as a result of the previously mentioned
participation of its leader in “Urvagits”), “Heritage” and United Labour
Party (because of interest to its merger with “Prosperous Armenia”).

The most balanced attention to political forces within the studied period
was demonstrated by Public Radio of Armenia and Second Armenia TV Channel.
At the same time, it is necessary to take into account that according to the
indicators, which describe the media interest towards certain political
forces, ten days is not an enough time period for making far-reaching
conclusions.

AS MENTIONED in the beginning of the report, during the first ten days of
March there was a positive tendency of reduction of the amount of
connotational references to parties/movements, which are potential
participants of the electoral process: 7.2% of the cumulative amount of
references on all channels monitored against the 9.6% recorded during the
preliminary monitoring (November 16 – December 15, 2011). At the same time,
the number of positive references was four times higher than the number of
negative ones: this might have been a cause for optimism, however out of 30
positive references, recorded in all programs studied, 29 were addressed to
the two largest parties of the ruling coalition – RPA and “Prosperous
Armenia”, while 6 out of 8 negative references were addressed to opposition
ANC.

In comparison with preliminary monitoring results, “Shant” progressed from
the highest indicator of connotations (28.3%) among all channels studied
toward the lowest (no connotational references at all). Had this channel
demonstrated a higher and more balanced (in terms of volume and frequency)
interest towards political parties in the first ten days of March, it would
have been possible to speak about a case of exemplary coverage.

The highest share of connotational references was recorded on “Kentron”
(12%): 8 out of 10 positive references on that channel were addressed to
“Prosperous Armenia”. According to this indicator, the places on the scale
between “Shant” and “Kentron” were distributed in the following way: Public
Radio (3.5%), Second Armenian TV Channel (4.4%), “Yerkir Media” (5.5%),
“ArmNews” (7%), “Armenia” (8.2%), PTA First Channel (11.1%). At the same
time, all connotational references – exclusively positive – on the last
three channels (4 on “ArmNews”, 6 on “Armenia” and 5 on First Channel) were
addressed to Republican Party. In most cases these were statements by other
political forces about their support of RPA for the upcoming elections, as
well as praise addressed to the party in the context of the RPA congress,
which took place on March 10. No party received more than one connotational
reference in the studied programs of “Yerkir Media” and Public Radio.
Meanwhile, in case of “Yerkir Media”, “Dashnaktsutiun” only once received a
positive reference. This suggests that on this channel bias towards
“Dashnaktsutiun” is reflected mostly in terms of the volume of coverage, but
not in terms of evaluations.

THE FIRST TEN DAYS of March 2012 were also different in positive sense from
the period of preliminary monitoring of November 16 – December 15, 2011 in
one more respect: this time the monitors did not record on any of the
studied channels pieces that could be classified as hidden political
promotion. The reduction of the share of connotational references can be
explained by this factor as well.

The full YPC Interim Report (March 1-10, 2012) is available at
in “Studies” section.

The video on YPC Interim Report’s presentation, made by “A1+” TV company on
March 20, 2012, watch here

“FACE OF THE COUNTRY” – PRE-ELECTION DEBATES BETWEEN DPA AND “FREE
DEMOCRATS”

On March 22 the “Yerkri Demky” (“Face of the Country”) cycle of pre-election
debates went on the evening air of “Yerkir Media” TV company. The cycle is
produced by Yerevan Press Club under “Alternative Resources in Media”
project, supported by USAID.

The guests of talk show host YPC President Boris Navasardian were Jasmina
Ghevondian, Board member of Democratic Party of Armenia, and Armen
Arakelian, Board member of “Free Democrats” party. The participants
discussed the issues of healthcare system, the inclusion of civil society
members in parties’/blocs’ electoral lists, the foreign policy preferences
of DPA and “Free Democrats”, their possible membering of parliamentary
coalitions in case of being elected to RA National Assembly (ballot will
take place on May 6, 2012).

The next “Face of the Country” will be aired on “Yerkir Media” on Thursday,
March 29 at 18.15 (rerun – on Monday, April 2 at 16.15).

Watch the “Face of the Country” of March 22, 2012 here

“PRESS CLUB+” ON AIR OF “HRAZDAN” TV

In the evening of March 15 another talk show of “Press Club+” cycle went
live on “Hrazdan” TV company. The theme of the program was the coverage of
electoral processes in new media. The “Press Club+” is produced by Yerevan
Press Club in cooperation with regional TV companies under “Alternative
Resources in Media” project, supported by USAID. Upcoming parliamentary
elections were also discussed at the meeting with journalistic community,
NGO and political party representatives, held on the same day in Hrazdan.

Watch “Press Club+” of March 15, 2012 here

“E-CLUB” CYCLE: INTERNET AND SPACE

On March 20 another program of “E-Club” weekly cycle went on the online
broadcast of “A1+” TV company (). The “E-Club” is produced by
Yerevan Press Club in cooperation with “A1+” TV under “Alternative Resources
in Media” project, supported by USAID.

The program was devoted to Internet resources about space. Particularly, the
programs of Google Sky, Microsoft Worldwide Telescope, NASA website
() were presented. One of the plots told about the portable
digital planetarium, opened in Yerevan. The news bloc of “E-Club” informed
that while Apple head Steve Wozniak with his wife is in line at a store to
buy an iPad3, hackers have already found a way to jailbreak it. The ratings
of online sources and headlines of last week were presented by astrologist
Alina Dertsian. The web sources’ top list was headed by the
, while the most popular topic was the
protest actions to hinder cutting down of trees and construction at the
Mashtots Avenue park of Yerevan.

The next “E-Club” will be aired on “A1+” on Tuesday, March 27 at 15.50
(rerun – on Thursday, March 29 at 18.20).

AMENDMENTS’ PACKAGE TO BROADCAST LEGISLATION SUBMITTED INTO CIRCULATION AT
RA NA

The amendments’ package to RA Law “On Television and Radio” was submitted to
circulation at RA National Assembly. As it has been reported, the draft law
“On Introducing Amendments and Supplements to RA Law ‘On Television and
Radio'” was developed by the working group on reforming the broadcast
legislation, regulating the process of switching from analogue to digital
broadcast in Armenia, formed by the RA Human Rights Defender in 2010. On May
31, 2011 the document was submitted to the parliament, and the working group
stopped its activities. On June 15, 2011 the heads of the three media
NGO-members of the group, Nouneh Sarkissian, Managing Director of Internews,
YPC President Boris Navasardian and Arzuman Harutiunian, President of
Audio-Visual Reporters Association, released a statement. The latter noted
that the version of the draft, presented to the parliament, is imperfect,
and the shutdown of the WG activities is premature: “The draft contains a
number of important clauses that were not properly addressed and still
require a thorough discussion and analysis. Suggestions and recommendations
provided by the experts, including the feedback from the Council of Europe
and OSCE, were not considered in full and completely. Such a situation
questions the initial key objective of our activities, which is to
contribute to the adoption of a perfectly worked out law by the RA National
Assembly.” The statement authors emphasized that they will continue their
activities over the improvement of the draft and they would submit it to the
RA National Assembly in a separate package. In this regard, the heads of the
three media NGOs addressed to the RA NA Standing Committee on Science,
Education, Culture, Youth and Sport requesting to postpone any possible
discussion on the draft. On November 4, 2011 the revised amendments to the
Broadcast Law were presented to the Standing Committee, where on December
15, 2011 the draft was discussed (see YPC Weekly Newsletter, December 9-15,
2011).

Yerevan Press Club will soon comment on the draft law submitted into
circulation.

NCTR RELEASED METHODOLOGY OF MONITORING ON ENSURING EQUAL CONDITIONS FOR ALL
PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS’ PARTICIPANTS BY BROADCAST MEDIA

On March 16 National Commission on Television and Radio (NCTR) released the
methodology on monitoring the ensuring by Armenian TV and radio companies of
equal conditions for candidates and parties/blocs running in the election to
RA National Assembly by majoritarian or proportional systems. The NCTR
monitoring is implemented in compliance with RA Electoral Code. Results of
the monitoring and NCTR conclusions are to be published and presented to the
Central Electoral Commission on the 10th and 20th days of pre-election
promotion (e.g. on April 17 and 27, 2012), as well as two days before of the
announcement of the official ballot results (before May 11, 2012).

The methodology particularly envisages a scanning of the TV and radio
programs, study of information provided by broadcasters, received from
candidates/parties (blocs), state bodies, public and international
organizations, as well as analysis of media pieces on electoral legislation
violations by broadcasters.

During the monitoring of paid and free airtime, allocated to
candidates/parties (blocs) for pre-election promotion, NCTR will asses: the
invariability of tariffs, announced by broadcasters for political
advertising, throughout the whole official campaign; broadcasters’
compliance with the non-discrimination principle while allocating air and
time for broadcasting promotional materials of candidates/parties (blocs);
lawfulness of justifications for airtime denial of broadcasting promotional
materials.

NCTR will also track the broadcasters’ compliance with other legislative
provisions:

– the ban imposed on employees of TV and radio companies, registered as MP
candidates, to cover the electoral campaign or host any program;

– the obligation of unbiased and factual reporting on promotional events, as
well as the requirement to respect the principles of equality and
non-discrimination towards all candidates/parties (blocs) at all news and
current affair programs;

– during the pre-election promotion, while reporting on the activities of
candidates’, who hold political, discretionary, civil offices, respect the
provisions of Article 22 of RA Electoral Code that oblige these candidates
not to use the office to their advantage;

– providing equal conditions for airtime allotment to all candidates/parties
(blocs);

– ensuring journalistic impartiality at programs hosting candidates/parties
(blocs), or their representatives;

– the presence of promotional elements (reference to candidates/parties
(blocs), their activities, pre-election platforms, calls on voting “for” or
“against”, etc.), as well as demonstration of parties’ slogans and symbols
at programs not covering the elections (films, video clips, audio tapes,
commercial advertising, etc.);

– the compliance with legislative requirements while publishing/releasing
survey results on candidates/parties(blocs) ratings, including with the ban
on releasing exit poll results before the closure of electoral precincts;

– the prohibition of broadcasting promotional materials on the ballot day
and the day preceding it;

The full version of NCTR monitoring methodology is available in Armenian at

CEC REVISED JOURNALISTS’ ACCREDITATION PROCEDURE

On March 15 at the session of RA Central Electoral Commission the
Journalists’ Accreditation Procedure at the CEC (approved on January 31,
2012) was amended. As it has been reported, on March 7 five journalistic
organizations, including YPC, released a statement calling CEC to revise
some provisions of the Procedure. Particularly, the media community was
concerned with the two reasons for denying or terminating accreditation,
prescribed in Articles 9 and 11 of the Procedure: if a journalist “has
disseminated untrue information about the activities of the electoral
commissions (official figures)” or “was condemned for premeditated crime and
his/her convictions are not expired or expunged” (see details in YPC Weekly
Newsletter, March 2-8, 2012).

At the March 15 session CEC held the above-mentioned provisions invalid. As
the CEC informed YPC, at the moment the new text of the Procedure is sent to
RA Ministry of Justice for official registration. At the same time, CEC
noted that none of the journalists was denied accreditation.

PROVISIONS REGULATING ACTIVITIES OF MEDIA DURING STATE OF EMERGENCY ADOPTED

On March 21 RA National Assembly approved the final package of the draft
laws “On Legal Regime of State of Emergency”, “On Introducing Supplements to
RA Code of Administrative Offences”, and “On Introducing A Supplement to ‘RA
NA Regulations'”. As it has been reported, the package, passed in first
hearing on March 1, specifically the draft “On Legal Regime of State of
Emergency” set as a measure of state of emergency “the restriction of
freedom of expression, particularly, a ban on some publications, programs in
media” (P.12, Art.7). The RA Code of Administrative Offences was suggested
to supplement with a new Article 182.2. Point 8 of this Article imposed a
fine in the amount of the 500-fold to 800-fold of a minimum wage for issuing
a banned publication/program during state of emergency (see YPC Weekly
Newsletter, March 2-8, 2012).

YPC will return to the approved amendments after their official publication.

NCTR RESPONDED TO YPC QUERY ABOUT LITIGATIONS WITH ITS INVOLVEMENT

On March 16 Yerevan Press Club received the response of National Commission
on Television and Radio to its query of March 5 on provision of information
about two legal cases in which NCTR is involved.

One of the suits was lodged by NCTR against the founder of “ArpaInform”
regional TV company, “ArpaInform” LLC (Vayots Dzor). On December 22, 2011
NCTR had filed the RA Administrative Court of Vedi demanding to cancel the
broadcast license granted to “ArpaInform” LLC on January 10, 2011, since the
company has not been broadcasting throughout six months. The suit was
submitted to consideration on January 9, 2012 and was secured on February 6.
YPC demanded NCTR to inform whether the ruling was contested. The NCTR
letter noted that as of March 12 (date of response) “RA Administrative Court
of Appeal has not notified NCTR about any appeal”.

It should be noted that one of the points of Article 48 of RA Law “On
Television and Radio” binds NCTR to publish the full list of frequencies
“upon necessity, but at least once a year” and announce competitions for
free frequencies. Thus, once the court ruling on canceling the broadcast
license of “ArpaInform” enters into force, a competition for regional TV
channels of general profile in Vayots Dzor region must be announced.

The second suit was lodged versus NCTR by 14 students of Law Faculty of
Yerevan State University. The matter of the suit became the results of
monitoring some Armenian TV channels, implemented by the students in 2011.
The study had revealed violations of advertising legislation, particularly
by “Armenia” TV channel. The plaintiffs demanded to uphold the inaction of
NCTR as unlawful, oblige it to make an official warning to the “Armenia”
founder, “Armenia TV” CJSC, as well as prohibit the broadcasting of unfair
advertising. The suit was taken into consideration by RA Administrative
Court on May 18, 2011, hearings started on July 12, 2011. The ruling had to
be released on February 15, 2012, however YPC did not manage to get an
official information about it. In the request to NCTR, YPC demanded to
provide information on the substance of the ruling. As the NCTR response
stressed, as of March 12 “the Commission has not been duly notified about
the ruling rendered by RA Administrative Court”. NCTR also noted that the
issue of filing an appeal will be considered after receiving the court
ruling. Meanwhile, reportedly the suit has been secured.

COURT RENDERED A RULING IN FAVOR OF GEGHARQUNIQ GOVERNOR

On March 20 Gavar court of general jurisdiction of Gegharquniq region
partially secured the suit of Gegharquniq Governor Nver Poghosian versus
“Zhoghovurd” founder, “Editorial Office of ‘Zhoghovurd’ Daily” LLC, and
newspaper correspondent Anna Torosian. As it has been reported, Nver
Poghosian had contested the article “The Governor Took a Bribe”, published
in “Zhoghovurd” on October 7, 2011. The plaintiff demanded to refute the
information that discredited his honor and dignity, as well as to compensate
2,5 mln AMD (over $ 6,500): 2 mln – as a moral damage compensation, and
500,000 – court costs. The hearings on the case started on November 17,
2011. On November 28, 2011 founder of “Zhoghovurd” lodged a counter-suit on
the protection of honor, dignity and business reputation, demanding the
Governor to apologize and compensate the moral loss with 1 luma, the
smallest Armenian currency (see YPC Weekly Newsletter, November 25 –
December 1, 2011).

At the March 20 session court revoked the counter-suit and partially secured
Nver Poghosian’s suit. The court obliged “Zhoghovurd” to publish a
refutation, abridging the amount of financial claims to 200,000 AMD (by
100,000 from each – the moral loss and court expenses).

FOI CENTER SUIT VERSUS CREDIT COMPANY REVOKED

On March 15 court of general jurisdiction of Kentron and Nork-Marash
administrative districts of Yerevan revoked the suit of Freedom of
Information Center versus universal credit company “Small and Medium
Investments” CJSC (“SMB Investments”). As it has been reported, on December
23, 2011 FOI Center went to law, when the “SMB Investments” denied providing
full information on legal and physical entities that received loans from
state funds, alleging a commercial secret. The plaintiff demanded to bind
the respondent with providing the requested information fully and imposing a
fine on the head of “SMB Investments” in the amount of 50,000 AMD (see
details in YPC Weekly Newsletter, March 2-8, 2012).

FOI Center announced about its intention to appeal the court ruling.

“ALTERNATIVE RESOURCES IN MEDIA” ONLINE NEWSLETTER

On March 16 another issue of the online newsletter of “Alternative Resources
in Media” project was released. The program is jointly implemented by
Internews Network (USA), Eurasia Partnership Foundation, Yerevan Press Club
and Internews Media Support public organization with the assistance of
USAID. Launched in 2010, the four-year project aims at enhancing and
improving access to pluralistic and unbiased information in Armenia through
traditional and alternative media using new information technologies.

The sixth issue of the newsletter introduces to the activities administered
within the “Alternative Resources in Media” project
(
&e=78f2e5eada).

When reprinting or using the information above, reference to the Yerevan
Press Club is required.

You are welcome to send any comment and feedback about the Newsletter to:
[email protected]

Subscription for the Newsletter is free. To subscribe or unsubscribe from
this mailing list, please send a message to: [email protected]

Editor of YPC Newsletter – Elina POGHOSBEKIAN
____________________________________________
Yerevan Press Club
9B, Ghazar Parpetsi str.
0002, Yerevan, Armenia
Tel.: (+ 374 10) 53 00 67; 53 35 41; 53 76 62
Fax: (+374 10) 53 56 61
E-mail: [email protected]
Web Site:

From: Baghdasarian

http://www.ypc.am/media_research/ln/en
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xsyhD4a35Kc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOW_u3yaBgQs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wxo7n1ju9Hw
http://nashavselenaya.blogspot.com
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Turkey’s Allies In Washington Try To Mute Criticism Anti-Christian A

TURKEY’S ALLIES IN WASHINGTON TRY TO MUTE CRITICISM ANTI-CHRISTIAN ABUSES

PanARMENIAN.Net
March 22, 2012 – 10:35 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – A major national publication has revealed the
inner-workings of how allies of Ankara in Washington twist arms
to mute legitimate criticism of Turkey’s anti-Christian abuses,
Asbarez reports.

Nina Shea, a member of the U.S. Commission on International Religious
Freedom, which recently placed Ankara on its “black list,” has publicly
shared a troubling revelation about the Obama Administration pressuring
commissioners to sweep criticism of Turkey’s anti-Christian policies
and practices under the rug.

“Turkey’s Ambassador Tan predictably protested the listing as
‘unfair.’ More surprisingly, after the State Department was tipped off
by a USCIRF commissioner who was appointed by Pres. Obama, assistant
secretary for human rights Michael Posner ‘reached out’ on Turkey
to another commissioner, resulting in his changing his mind after
the report was put to bed. The Turkey decision resulted from a new
analysis that will stir controversy,” said Shea in a revealing new
piece in the National Review Online.

“These days, Turkey uses more sophisticated, subtler measures that
are resulting in the elimination of its Christian and non-Muslim
minorities. The cudgel is a dense tangle of bureaucratic restrictions
that thwart the ability of churches to perpetuate themselves and,
in some cases, even to meet together for worship,” added Shea.

“As Uscirf chair Leonard Leo explained, ‘some of the countries we
recommend for CPC designation maintain intricate webs of discriminatory
rules, requirements and edicts that can impose tremendous burdens
for members of religious minority communities, making it difficult
for them to function and grow from one generation to the next,
potentially threatening their existence,'” explained Shea.

From: Baghdasarian

Azerbaijan: Between Iran And A Hard Place

AZERBAIJAN: BETWEEN IRAN AND A HARD PLACE
By Ariel Cohen

Tert.am
22.03.12

Republished from The National Interest

The Former Soviet Republic of Azerbaijan is a small country sandwiched
between Russia and Iran along the coast of the Caspian Sea, which
is in fact the largest salt lake on earth, not a sea. Americans
should not feel bad if they can’t find it on a geography quiz. But
due to its unique location, the country is playing an increasingly
important role in the West’s confrontation with Iran. So far this
year, Azerbaijani security services have arrested three groups of
Iranian agents planning terrorist attacks against American businesses,
Western oil companies, Israeli diplomats and prominent members of the
Jewish community. Just last week, a network of twenty-two Iranian
agents trained by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps was rolled
up in this Caspian Sea country.

Theocrats in Tehran also have a problem with the Azerbaijani
leadership’s secular nature. This is not surprising, as millions
of ethnic Azeris live in northern Iran-or Southern Azerbaijan-under
ethnic and linguistic discrimination and may want a freer life like
their brethren in Azerbaijan.

Iran is attempting to undermine secular Azerbaijan by paying off
preachers in mosques, stirring up religious extremism in the country’s
South, beaming in Shiite Islamist propaganda broadcasts and supporting
radical organizations. The government in Azerbaijan’s capital, Baku,
is guarding against radical Shiite organizations that may try to gain
political power.

The Larger Neighborhood

Yet the animosity is not only about religious observance but also
about geopolitics. Relations between Iran and Azerbaijan have steadily
deteriorated as Azerbaijan continues to develop its ties to its
“older sister” Turkey, the United States, NATO and Israel.

Azerbaijan is caught between the rock of the Iran nuclear-program
sanctions and the hard place of the Iranian reaction. The United
States and the West, with Israel’s encouragement, have led the effort
to impose sanctions to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.

As the 2010 U.N. Security Council vote demonstrated, even Russia and
China may agree to support such sanctions under proper conditions-even
if the critics say that the sanctions were massively diluted. As
sanctions start to bite, Iran may grow more wary of its small northern
neighbor-and become more aggressive.

Azerbaijan is not the only country in the region that Iran targets.

The Iranian intelligence and its Hezbollah subsidiary last month
conducted operations against Israeli targets in Tbilisi, Georgia as
well as in New Delhi and Bangkok. According to some experts, Iran
is wary of a major confrontation, but wants to provoke Israel into
smaller confrontations because it needs an external threat around
which it can organize its increasingly dissatisfied population.

Common interests have led to stronger ties between Azerbaijan and
the West. For Baku, this partnership has meant more options for
countering Iranian influence in the region. For example, Israel has
supplied Azerbaijan with $1.6 billion worth of arms while reportedly
building a drone factory there. Iran’s ally Armenia, embroiled in a
long conflict with Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh, is livid. And
a glance at a map reveals that should Washington or Jerusalem decide
to execute an air strike against Iranian nuclear targets, Azerbaijan
may become prime real estate.

It is highly unlikely Baku would agree to provide air bases for such
a strike. The operation would end, but the neighborhood won’t change:
geography condemns Iran and Azerbaijan to be neighbors. It is up to
them to define the quality of their neighborhood.

Tensions Rise

Azerbaijan’s ministers of foreign affairs and defense recently went
out of their way to point out that relations between Baku and Tehran
are good, reiterating that Azerbaijan will not allow its territory
to be used for a strike against Iran. But the ayatollahs appear not
to be listening.

During the recent visit to Iran by the Azerbaijani defense minister
Safar Abiyev, the national flag of Azerbaijan was hung upside down-with
the green strip symbolizing Islam up top. Iran wants Shiite Azerbaijan
to fall in line with its version of religion and not to emphasize
Turkic identity, which brings it closer to Turkey. (This wasn’t the
first time the Iranians have offended their neighbors to the north
by disrespecting their flag; a similar incident occured during a 2005
Tehran visit by President Ilham Aliyev.)

Iranians are not only operating terrorist networks on Azerbaijani
territory. Senior ayatollahs were also allegedly behind the 2006 murder
of Rafiq Tagi, a prominent Azeri writer against whom a senior cleric
issued a fatwa sentencing him to death. Though Baku kept relatively
quiet about the murder, the third wave of antiterrorist arrests since
the beginning of the year is seen as a reprisal by Baku, signaling
Iran to “play by the rules.”

The United States has a clear national-security interest in keeping
Baku safe. Washington should lead the West’s efforts to boost
cooperation with Azerbaijan, including counterterrorism, intelligence
cooperation and border-security improvements. The White House is also
likely to ask for relaxation of tough domestic political controls.

To facilitate the relationship, however, the Obama administration
should appoint a new, highly visible U.S. ambassador to Baku after
Matthew J. Bryza’s recess appointment expired at the end of 2011.

Before Bryza’s appointment, the ambassador’s residence in Baku
was empty for over a year, which immensely annoyed the Azeris. The
United States also lacked an Ambassador in Ashghabad, on the other
side of the Caspian, for many years. That’s no way to win friends
and influence gas-rich countries.

Finally, it is time to facilitate an agreement over the
Nagorno-Karabakh issue and engage Azerbaijan as a true strategic
partner in the region-rather than a supply outpost for Afghanistan
or an alternative “gas station” beyond the Persian Gulf.

Azerbaijan will play a significant role in how the West deals with
Iran in the future. It provides a unique and tolerant secular Shia
Turkic model which should be a guiding light to other majority-Muslim
countries. It is a major oil and gas supplier. No matter what happens
in Iran, it is and should remain a long-term partner and friend of
the United States.

From: Baghdasarian

Le Nouvel An Kurde Donne Lieu A De Nouvelles Violences En Turquie :

LE NOUVEL AN KURDE DONNE LIEU A DE NOUVELLES VIOLENCES EN TURQUIE : 15 BLESSES
Stephane

armenews.com
mercredi 21 mars 2012

Des heurts entre Kurdes et forces de securite turques ont fait 15
blesses, dont un grave, mardi a Batman (sud-est), a l’occasion des
celebrations du Nouvel an kurde, le Newroz, en dehors des dates
autorisees par Ankara, a-t-on indique de source de securite locale.

Plus de 10.000 personnes ont brave les interdictions des autorites et
manifeste dans un quartier central de Batman, provoquant une violente
riposte de la police anti-emeute qui a fait usage de canons a eau et
de gaz lacrymogène, a-t-on precise.

Les manifestants ont lance des pierres et attaque les forces de
l’ordre avec des bâtons.

Quinze blesses sont a deplorer parmi les manifestants dont un
hospitalise avec une blessure a la tete et qui serait dans un etat
grave. Parmi les blesses se trouve aussi un depute kurde du Parlement
turc, Ahmet Turk.

Les manifestants ont scande des slogans en faveur du chef rebelle
kurde emprisonne, Abdullah Ocalan, chef historique du Parti des
travailleurs du Kurdistan (PKK), en lutte armee contre les forces
d’Ankara depuis 1984.

Les celebrations du Newroz, qui coïncident avec l’arrivee du printemps,
sont l’occasion pour la communaute kurde de revendiquer davantage de
droits et d’afficher son soutien au PKK.

Cette annee, les autorites ont rejete les demandes du principal parti
pro-kurde BDP (Parti de la democratie et de la paix) qui souhaitait
organiser les celebrations le dimanche et ont designe le mercredi 21
mars comme etant la seule date autorisee pour ces fetes.

Des heurts se sont produits dimanche dans le sud-est a majorite kurde
et Istanbul, première metropole de Turquie qui abrite une grande
communaute kurde.

Cette epreuve de force intervient dans un climat de tensions,
la justice ayant arrete ces derniers mois plusieurs centaines de
suspects accuses de collusion avec le PKK.

From: Baghdasarian

Les Fonctionnaires De L’Etat Recompenses

LES FONCTIONNAIRES DE L’ETAT RECOMPENSES
Stephane

armenews.com
mercredi 21 mars 2012

Le gouvernement armenien a decide de genereusement recompenser les
fonctionnaires de l’Etat en charge de reguler l’economie et d’empecher
les monopoles après la recente condamnation d’une societe important
du carburant pour avoir violer les règles de competition en vigueur
dans le pays.

La Commission d’Etat pour la Protection de la Competition Economique
(SCPEC) a condamne a une amende la societe City Petrol Group de 100
millions de drams (258000 $) pour avoir etrangler et faire disparaître
les petits detaillants avec la politique de vente a perte.

S’exprimant après une rencontre presidee par le Premier ministre
Tigran Sarkissian, le president de la SCPEC, Artak Shaboyan,
a demande que presqu’un quart de la somme lui soient verse ainsi
qu’a six autres membres de l’organisme de regulation au titre d’un
bonus. Le gouvernement a approuve la demande.

” M. Shaboyan, vous allez continuer avec le meme tempo, n’est-ce pas ?

” a dit Sarkissian.

La decision sans precedent signifie que les membres de la SCPEC
recevront 3,5 millions de drams (9000 $) chacun. Les bonus seront
payes au cours de cette annee.

Le salaire mensuel courant de Shaboyan est 290000 drams (750 $), tandis
que les autres membres de la commission gagnent 227000 drams par mois.

” Naturellement, la recompense encourage la commission a mieux
travailler ” a dit Shaboyan aux journalistes après la reunion du
cabinet.

La SCPEC a nie tout lien direct entre les bonus et la sanction
antimonopole prise contre l’importateur de carburant. ” Nous avons
impose de telles sanctions auparavant “.

Anahik Bakhshian, depute du parti d’opposition Zharangutyun (Heritage),
a critique la decision du gouvernement, disant que les membres de la
commission n’aurait pas dû recevoir de compensation complementaire
pour l’execution de leurs devoirs. ” Ce n’est pas certainement honnete
en ce qui concerne notre societe et notre peuple ” a-t-elle dit au
service armenien de RFE/RL (Azatutyun.am).

From: Baghdasarian

ISTANBUL: Police Officers Posed With Murderer Samast After Offence

POLICE OFFICERS POSED WITH MURDERER SAMAST AFTER OFFENCE

BIAnet.org

March 20 2012
urkey

Police officer Yakup Kurtan who had his picture taken with Ogun
Samast, murderer of Turkish-Armenian journalists Hrant Dink, holding
the Turkish flag after the offence was promoted to Deputy Chief of
the Malatya Police.

Istanbul – BİA News Center20 March 2012, Tuesday

Former Head of the Samsun Public Order Department, Yakup Kurtaran
(left) together with Dink murderer Ogun Samast (middle) one day after
the offence.

Ogun Samast, convicted murderer of Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant
Dink, was arrested on 20 January 2007, one day after he had shot
the editor-in-chief of the Armenian Agos newspaper in bold daylight
in front of his office in Istanbul. Samast was then taken to the
Anti-Terror Branch of the Samsun (Black Sea coast) Police Directorate.

The photographs taken there now leaked to the press.

Gendarmerie and police officers posed for a photograph taken together
with Samast holding the Turkish flag. The picture and related video
footage now leaked to the media.

It turned out that Yakup Kurtaran, then Head of the Samsun Public
Order Department and on the left of the photograph, was promoted as
Deputy Chief of the Malatya Police later on. According to the Radikal
newspaper, Kurtaran was first appointed to Amasya and then to the
traffic registration branch in Malatya.

After a short stay at the traffic registration branch, Kurtaran
advanced quickly. He was promoted to 4th class superintendant and
then to 2nd class superintendent before he became Deputy Chief of
the Malatya Police this year.

When the photograph emerged within the police, Yakup Kurtaran and
several police officers were deposed from office on 5 February 2007.

Pursuant to the corresponding investigation, police inspectors
recommended to punish Kurtaran with the discontinuation of his
seniority-based pay for 16 months. Despite that proposal, Kurtaran
was punished by a salary cut of one day only.

Kurtaran brought the decision before the Samsun 1st Administrative
Court and effected the cancellation of the penalty. A prosecution of
the police officer was not required.

Kurtaran was a 4th class superintendant when the picture was taken. He
made his career from 4th to 2nd class superintendant and eventually
Deputy Chief of the Malatya Police within five years.

Moreover it turned out that an investigation had been launched about
the un-identified person(s) who gave these pictures to the press. The
related file no. 2007/9251 was opened under charges of “violating the
confidentiality of an investigation by publishing the photograph and
camera footage in the media”.

According to the report of the State Supervisory Council (DDK), this
file is going to become time-barred on 21 May 2015. It was said that
until this date, the document would permanently be on the agenda. In
contrast to the report, procedures with regard to the Flag Trial were
opened against two police officers only who were acquitted later on.

DDK report In the DDK report it was said that taking such a picture
with holding the Turkish flag represented a marginal mindset. Yet,
the report emphasized that the paradigms leading to this kind of
understanding should be faced. It was also suggested to prosecute
the responsible public officials.

“Hold the flag nicely” Samast and police and gendarmerie officers had
the following conversation at the Samsun Police Directorate when the
photograph was taken:

Officer: (addressing Samast) Come here, let’s have a picture taken of
both of us together. You don’t have to be uncomfortable, I am sincere
(hugging Samast).

Samast: I am not uncomfortable anyways. Let’s do it.

Officer: (talking to Samast) Ogun, have it your own. We call it
our own archive. We will put it in the file (pointing with his hand
holding the camera to the people in the back). This guy is from the
crime scene investigation and this guy is his assistant.

Officer: (to Samast) Come on, pose nicely and give this guy a smile.

Officer: Put it to the foreground (referring to the flag). Unfold and
hold it. Hold it nicely. Hold it nice and low so that we can see your
face. Look at us.

Officer: (his face is not visible) My brave man.

Officer: (on the left, wearing a tie, his mobile phone rings) Yes,
brother? How? (At that time, Samast starts rolling up the flag he
is holding.)

Officer: You know what to do with that [flag] in your hand, don’t you?

(Thereupon, Samast kisses the flag and puts it back to the pocket of
his denim jacket.)

Officer: (the one on the phone) I don’t know anything about that.

Wait, I will call you back… (In the meantime, Samast lights a
cigarette and somebody else comes to his side.)

Officer: (looks at his mobile phone. Then he shows it to Samast and
passes the phone to him. He pads his back. Tea is being served.) Look
here, you look very bad, you lift your eyes.

Officer: The last one is nice, you are smiling. (Gendarmerie and police
officers take a picture side by side in front of Ataturk’s speech.)

Samast: (turning to the gendarmerie officer) I want to remove this,
brother. I will remove it. (The gendarmerie officer does not reply
and poses with a flag in his hand.)

Officer: (to Samast) You are looking at the wall, my friend. Look at
the opposite wall, look here. (A police officer turns him into the
other direction.)

Officer: And now Salih, come as well and we’ll go together.

“We take pictures for the archive” (A different place, a sofabed)

Officer: This is only for our own archive, did I make myself clear,
only for our archive.

Samast: What should I tell.

Officer: No, no… I mean you buy a ticket in Trabzon, take the bus
and go – this is only for our own archive, that means for the archive
of the Gendarmerie and the Police Directorate.

Officer: I tell you. If this would leak to one single newspaper or
one single media institution I would… My son, do you understand
me? This is why I tell you that this is for our own archive, did I
make myself clear?

Officer: In any case we would be responsible if we gave this to
anybody.

Officer: We would be ridiculed, not you.

Officer: We passed that and we are pleased. We passed that and now
kindly answer the questions asked by this brother… Start asking.

From: Baghdasarian

http://www.bianet.org/english/minorities/137070-police-officers-posed-with-murderer-samast-after-offence

Armenian Defense Minister Visits US

ARMENIAN DEFENSE MINISTER VISITS US

Vestnik Kavkaza
March 20 2012
Russia

Armenian Defense Minister Seyran Oganyan has arrived in the US,
Armenia Today reports.

He plans to meet Governor of State Kansas Sam Brownback, Senate
President Stephen Morris, Speaker of the House of Representatives
Michael O’Neil and Adjutant General Lee Tafanelli.

Ogrnyan will meet Pentagon Chief Leon Panetta, CIA Director David
Petreus, Deputy Defense Secretary McMillan, Deputy Secretaries of
State Philipp Gordon and Andrew Shapiro in Washington.

The sides will discuss defense and regional security. Meetings are
planned with the Supreme Representative of UN Secretary General for
Disarmament, Angela Keini, and acting head of the Department for
Peacekeeping Operations, Dmitry Titov.

From: Baghdasarian