Author: Emil Karabekian

Asbarez: ARF Will Not Take Part in Artsakh Government

Emil Karabekian

Armenian Revolutionary Federation

The Armenian Revolutionary Federation Central Committee of Artsakh on Monday issued an announcement, in which it explained that the party did not find it suitable to take part in the government being formed by the new president of the Artsakh Republic.

Below is a translation of the announcement published in the Stepanakert-based ARF publication Aparaj.

Based on the results of the first-ever simultaneous parliamentary and presidential elections in Artsakh, the executive and judicial branches of the government are being formed.

In the April 9, 2020 statement we announced our assessment of the Artsakh National Assembly elections and delineated our position on the run-off presidential elections.

Taking into consideration the outcome of the state elections, as well as the results of our consultations with the elected president, we do not find it suitable to take part in the government that is being formed.

Based on the priorities and pre-election plans of the ARF’s political unity agenda publicized on on July 7 and August 30, 2019, we will develop our relations with the authorities of the Artsakh Republic in the same manner as we will with political forces.

It is our hope that the new leadership will spare no effort in advancing the points that we emphasized the most during our political consultations: strengthening of [Artsakh’s] statehood, guaranteeing security, the international recognition of Artsakh, constitutional reforms, the signing of a military-strategic partnership agreement with the Republic of Armenia, economic development, establishment of social justice, repopulation and population growth.

With its global structure, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation steadfastly will continue to have input in advancement of the homeland. The ARF’s fundamental aspirations have been and remain the strengthening of freedom, justice, national and human values, as well as securing national accord.

Czech Senate issues resolution condemning Armenian genocide

Emil Karabekian
Expats, Czech Republic
The Czech Senate has condemned Nazi crimes against humanity during WWII and the Armenian genocide in the Ottoman Empire
Prague, May 20 (CTK) – The Czech Senate has condemned the crimes against humanity committed by Nazis during World War Two and the Armenian genocide in the Ottoman Empire 105 years ago in a resolution issued today.

The Senate has also condemned the annihilation of ethnic and religious groups anywhere in the world today.

The resolution was passed on the 75th anniversary of Victory Day at the instigation of Senate deputy chairman Milan Štěch (Social Democrats, ČSSD).

The upper house did not comply with the efforts of Tomáš Jirsa (Civic Democratic Party, ODS) to condemn the persecution of Christians in countries with a different religion in the same manner.

TOP 09 deputy chairman Tomáš Czernin demanded that Communist reprisals in the former Soviet Union countries be also condemned, but this proposal was also rejected.

Štěch said the addenda had not corresponded with the intentions of the resolution in question.

The Senate passed the same resolution as the Chamber of Deputies three years ago. At that time, the Chamber of Deputies condemned the genocide of Armenians just like Nazi crimes against the Jewish, Slav and Roma populations.

President Miloš Zeman, too, has labelled the massacre of Armenians a genocide.


Turkey protested at the time, to which the Czech Foreign Ministry replied that the evaluations were not legally binding.

Turkey, the successor to the Ottoman Empire, refuses to interpret the events as a genocide. It says the information about 1.5 million killed Armenians is overblown and that the dead were victims of a civil war, not genocide.

Armenpress: Armenia reports 163 coronavirus cases in past 24 hours

Emil Karabekian

Armenia reports 163 coronavirus cases in past 24 hours

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 11:04, 6 May, 2020

YEREVAN, MAY 6, ARMENPRESS. 163 coronavirus cases and 24 recoveries have been recorded in Armenia in the past 24 hours, the NCDC reported.

The total cumulative number of infections reached 2782, with 1135 recoveries.

1600 are active cases, as of 11:00 May 6.

The number of fatalities stands at 40.

Reporting by Lilit Demuryan; Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

Azerbaijani press: Letter on so-called “elections” in Nagorno-Karabakh published as UNGA, UNSC document

Emil Karabekian
NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT24 April 2020 14:45 (UTC+04:00)

BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 24

By Leman Zeynalova – Trend:

The letter dated 15 April 2020 from the Permanent Representative of Azerbaijan to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General on the so-called “elections” held by Armenia in Azerbaijan’s occupied lands has been published as the document of the UN General Assembly and the UN Security Council, Trend reports.

The letter says it is not a coincidence that these so-called “elections” took place on 31 March – the Day of Genocide of Azerbaijanis, commemorated in Azerbaijan in memory of those thousands of civilians killed as a result of Armenian offensives in 1918.

“No doubt, such an ostentatious and cynical action will serve for nothing but to deepen mistrust and narrow the already elusive prospects of peace and reconciliation,” reads the document.

The document says that these so-called “elections” were held despite the unprecedented spread of the coronavirus pandemic across the globe, thus once again vividly demonstrating that Armenia subordinates the well-being and safety of residents under occupation to political expediency, in total disregard of public morality and in violation of international humanitarian law.

“As a consequence, the first coronavirus cases in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan were reported immediately after these so-called “elections”. The “elections” were held in an environment of total illegitimacy, which stems from the continuing military occupation and ethnic cleansing of the territories of Azerbaijan and a clear violation of the Constitution and legislation of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the norms and principles of international law. The international community once again has overwhelmingly reaffirmed its consistent and principled position of collective non-recognition of the situation resulting from the occupation of the territories of Azerbaijan by rejecting and invalidating the so-called “elections”, which thus have no effect whatsoever,” reads the letter.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on the withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding districts.

This tragedy has not been forgotten – Lithuanian MP about Armenian Genocide

Emil Karabekian

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 18:15,

YEREVAN, APRIL 23, ARMENPRESS.   Guoda Burokienė, head of the Lithuanian Seimas’ Group for Inter-Parliamentary Relations (Friendship Group) with the Republic of Armenia issued a message on the occasion of the 105th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, ARMENPRESS was informed from the Embassy of Armenia in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. 

‘’On the 24th of April annually, for more than one hundred years now, Armenians all over the world and the entire advanced society commemorate a sad date – Armenian Genocide Memorial Day. In 1915–1916, some 1.5 million Armenians fell victim to mass murders and expulsions. It was one of the biggest mass atrocities in the 20th century inflicting incalculable damages to the Armenian nation as a whole.

This tragedy, however, has not been forgotten. Lithuania, like many other countries, has recognized the genocide of the Armenian nation. Humankind must be aware of the tragedy to ensure that similar history does not repeat itself. The Armenians, who have been scattered around the world by the tragedy, build active communities that foster close links and keep history alive.

In this difficult time of the global fight against the pandemic and of the deepening social isolation, we should maintain unity, demonstrate international solidarity, and foster our historical memory. I take this opportunity to express to you, Dear Friends, my wishes of strong health, hope, and perseverance”, reads the message.

Reference: The Lithuanian Seimas friendship group with the Parliament of Armenia was formed after the 2016 Parliamentary elections and with its 46 members is considered one of the largest groups.

The Lithuanian Seimas has officially recognised the Armenian Genocide in December 15, 2005.

Turkish Press: OIC rejects elections in ‘occupied’ Nagorno-Karabakh

Emil Karabekian
Anadolu Agency, Turkey
April 1 2020
OIC rejects elections in ‘occupied’ Nagorno-Karabakh

Zehra Nur Düz   | 01.04.2020

ANKARA

The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Wednesday slammed so-called presidential and parliamentary elections held Tuesday in Upper Karabakh, also known as Nagorno-Karabakh — a region illegally occupied by Armenia. 

“OIC views the holding of elections in the occupied region of the Republic of Azerbaijan on March 31, 2020 as in contravention to the relevant UN Security Council resolutions concerning the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,” the international organization said on Twitter.

The OIC also highlighted the importance of resolutions and decisions of the OIC and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe to encourage a “peaceful solution to the conflict on the basis of sovereignty, territorial integrity and inviolability of the internationally recognized borders of Azerbaijan”.

Azerbaijan and Armenia, two former Soviet republics, fought a war over the disputed region in 1988-1994. The two signed a cease-fire in 1994, but never reached a peace deal. Upper Karabakh remains unrecognized internationally as a separate state.

Turkey maintains that any resolution of the Upper Karabakh conflict should take into account Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity.

Upper Karabakh is an internationally recognized territory of Azerbaijan which has been illegally occupied since 1991 by Armenian military aggression.

Four UN Security Council and two General Assembly resolutions, as well as decisions by many other international organizations, refer to this fact and demand the withdrawal of Armenia’s occupation forces from Upper Karabakh and seven other occupied regions of Azerbaijan.

The OSCE Minsk Group – co-chaired by France, Russia and the U.S. – was formed to find a peaceful solution to the conflict, but has yet to get any results.




"Wow Things" Media Company Purchases "The Armenian Reporter"

Emil Karabekian
The Union Journal
April 3 2020
By Eman Selim
April 2, 2020

The Armenian Reporter was founded by Edward K. Boghosian in New York. It’s an independent weekly that is published in the United States in the English Language. The Armenian Reporter was first published in 1967, and the ending operations were in 2014.

Then, in May 2006, the newspaper was sold to CS Media, a big Armenian media project. After that, Sylva Boghossian, Mr. Boghossian’s daughter was a publisher until March 2009. And finally, Wow Things Media Company purchased it.

The Armenian Reporter has released in two American editions: Eastern U.S. edition, published in Paramus, New Jersey and Western U.S. edition, published in Burbank, California.

Besides, presently, it’s also published in the Armenian language in Western Armenian in 2009 However, The Armenian Reporter is only publishing online since 2010.

CoE Commissioner warns against undermining media during pandemic

Emil Karabekian
Panorama, Armenia
April 3 2020

Council of Europe Human Rights Commissioner Dunja Mijatovic warned on Friday that the measures imposed in a number of countries during the coronavirus pandemic are limiting media freedom and obstructing journalists.

“The global health problems caused by COVID-19 require effective measures to protect people’s health and lives. This includes combating disinformation that may cause panic and social unrest. Regrettably some governments are using this imperative as a pretext to intro-duce disproportionate restrictions to press freedom; this is a counterproductive approach that must stop. Particularly in times of crisis, we need to protect our precious liberties and rights,” Mijatovic is quoted as saying in a press release.

She warned that the authorities in some CoE member states have introduced regulations hampering journalists and restricting the public’s right to receive information.

“Journalists covering the pandemic in Hungary and the Russian Federation are facing a variety of sanctions, including the risk, under new laws, of prison terms of up to five years for spreading “false information”, while in Azerbaijan, recent amendments impose an obligation on owners of internet news outlets to prevent the dissemination of “harmful information” online,” read the statement.

In reference to Armenia the Commissioner notes that number of newspapers and websites had to delete some information, following the adoption of strict rules prohibiting the publication of information of a medical and epidemiological nature about the virus outbreak describing not fully consistent with official sources.

“I therefore urge all Council of Europe member states to preserve press and media freedom and ensure that measures to combat disinformation are necessary, proportionate and subject to regular oversight, including by Parliament and national human rights institutions. Measures to combat disinformation must never prevent journalists and media actors from carrying out their work or lead to content being unduly blocked on the Internet,” the statement concluded.

Sports: What are Armenia national squad footballers doing during mandatory break?

Emil Karabekian
News.am, Armenia
April 3 2020

The players of the Armenian national football team continue to maintain their fitness during the mandatory break due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Hovhannes Hambardzumyan’s Time-Lapse, Gevorg Ghazaryan trained with his son, Artem Simonyan presented his “career collage,” Edgar Babayan raffled a jersey, Henrikh Mkhitaryan urged to stay home, Gegham Kadymyan took part in the launch of the new kit of his club Neman Grodno, and Aleksandr Karapetyan trained under music.

Even Armenia’s Greco-Roman wrestling Olympic champion Artur Aleksanyan showed his freestyle football skills.

#Corner has posted a respective video on its Facebook page.

Number of coronavirus cases in Armenia reach 424

Emil Karabekian
Aysor, Armenia

As of March 29, 10 am, the number of coronavirus infected people in Armenia reached 424, the Center of Prevention and Control of diseases reports.

The source says 30 citizens have already recovered, 391 are getting factual treatment.

The number of coronavirus deaths reached 3 after two patients a woman, 55, and a man 73 died earlier today.