Author: Emil Lazarian

“I should like to see any power of the world destroy this race, this small tribe of unimportant people, whose wars have all been fought and lost, whose structures have crumbled, literature is unread, music is unheard, and prayers are no more answered. Go ahead, destroy Armenia . See if you can do it. Send them into the desert without bread or water. Burn their homes and churches. Then see if they will not laugh, sing and pray again. For when two of them meet anywhere in the world, see if they will not create a New Armenia.” - WS

Azerbaijani troops still deployed at Karaglukh post adjacent to Parukh

Emil Lazarian

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 11:27, 29 March, 2022

STEPANAKERT, MARCH 29, ARMENPRESS. No significant ceasefire violations were recorded and the operative-tactical situation remained tense, with a certain positive trend of de-escalation at the entire frontline of Artsakh overnight March 28-29 and as of 10:00, the Artsakh authorities said.

The Azerbaijani troops are still deployed in their same post in the area of Karaglukh adjacent to Parukh, the Artsakh official InfoCenter said.

The Armed Forces of Artsakh continue reinforcing defensive positions and taking additional measures for suppressing the Azerbaijani troops.

Continuous works are done with the Russian peacekeeping contingent’s command aimed at preventing possible Azerbaijani provocations and withdrawing the Azerbaijani troops to their initial positions.

The Artsakh authorities are monitoring the situation and the Azerbaijani actions with all possible mechanisms  and will issue updates on the developments upon necessity.

F18News: NAGORNO-KARABAKH: Second ECtHR finding against Armenia on entity’s religious freedom

Emil Lazarian 
FORUM 18 NEWS SERVICE, Oslo, Norway
The right to believe, to worship and witness
The right to change one's belief or religion
The right to join together and express one's belief
=================================================
Tuesday 29 March 2022
NAGORNO-KARABAKH: Second ECtHR finding against Armenia on entity's
religious freedom
On 22 March, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) found that
Nagorno-Karabakh had violated the rights of Jehovah's Witnesses by refusing
from 2009 to register their community in the entity. The ECtHR ordered
Armenia – as exercising "effective control" there - to pay compensation.
Jehovah's Witnesses and some Protestant communities are still denied
registration. Armenia's Representative to the ECtHR has not stated what
steps Armenia will take to end the violations.
NAGORNO-KARABAKH: Second ECtHR finding against Armenia on entity's
religious freedom
By Felix Corley, Forum 18
For the second time, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) in
Strasbourg has ruled that Armenia is responsible for a violation of the
right to freedom of religion or belief in the ethnic Armenian-controlled
unrecognised entity of Nagorno-Karabakh. A 22 March judgment found that
Nagorno-Karabakh had violated the rights of Jehovah's Witnesses by refusing
since 2009 to register their community in the entity under the local
Religion Law. The Court ordered the Armenian government to pay compensation
to the Jehovah's Witness community.
Some Protestant churches have since 2009 similarly been denied registration
in the entity. The leader of one such church told Forum 18 on 29 March 2022
from the entity's capital Stepanakert that although the church wants
registration, "it is not the time to discuss this", given the acute
military situation. "Everyone is helping to defend the country."
Although the registration denials in the ECtHR judgment related to 2009,
2010 and 2012, Jehovah's Witnesses told Forum 18 that they still do not
have the compulsory registration in Nagorno-Karabakh. However, neither
Protestant nor Jehovah's Witness communities have been raided or fined in
recent years (see below).
Denial of legal status denies communities the possibility to as communities
rent or buy properties for meetings for worship, employ clergy, or engage
in other normal community activities.
The ECtHR rejected Armenia's argument that it had "no jurisdiction" over
Nagorno-Karabakh. Among the cases the ECtHR cited to reject Armenia's claim
was a July 2021 judgment in the case of Jehovah's Witness conscientious
objector Artur Avanesyan, jailed in Nagorno-Karabakh in 2014 (see below).
In its 2021 judgment in Avanesyan's case, the ECtHR rejected Armenia's
claim that it had no jurisdiction over Nagorno-Karabakh, pointing out that
it exercised "effective control" there. "The obligation to secure the
rights and freedoms set out in the [European] Convention [on Human Rights]
in such an area derives from the fact of such control, whether it be
exercised directly, through the Contracting State's own armed forces, or
through a subordinate local administration," the ECtHR declared (see
below).
A 9 November 2020 tripartite agreement between Azerbaijan, Armenia and
Russia ended a bitter 44-day war between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces
over control of Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding territories which saw an
estimated 6,500 people killed and major Azerbaijani advances. Renewed
clashes broke out on 25 March 2022.
Ashot Sargsyan, the 63-year-old Head of the Religion and National
Minorities Department of the Culture and Youth Ministry, wrote the 2009
"expert opinion" justifying refusal of the Jehovah's Witness application
(see below).
Sargsyan claimed to Forum 18 from Stepanakert on 28 March 2022 that "we
respect all the rights of all citizens" and said Armenia would pay the
compensation. He then refused to discuss the registration denials since
2009, pointing to the heightened state of conflict with Azerbaijan. "We
have war now. I am at the General Staff with my gun" (see below).
Yeghishe Kirakosyan, Armenia's Representative to the European Court of
Human Rights, was not in the office in Yerevan on 28 March. Forum 18 asked
him in writing the same day whether Armenia will pay the compensation to
Nagorno-Karabakh's Jehovah's Witness community ordered by the ECtHR and
what steps the Armenian authorities will take to ensure that the
Nagorno-Karabakh authorities will end the violations of the community's
rights (see below).
Despite the 2021 ECtHR judgment that the jailing of Avanesyan for refusing
compulsory military service had violated his rights, Nagorno-Karabakh has
still not introduced a civilian alternative for those who cannot
participate in the military on grounds of conscience. Avanesyan had
declared his willingness to conduct such an alternative (see below).
Registration denials
Nagorno-Karabakh adopted a new Religion Law
(
 ) in December 2008,
which remains in force. The Law included a ban on unregistered religious
activity; state censorship of religious literature; the requirement for 100
adult citizens to register a religious community; an undefined "monopoly"
given to the Armenian Apostolic Church over preaching and spreading its
faith while restricting other faiths to similarly undefined "rallying their
own faithful"; and the vague formulation of restrictions, making the
intended implementation of many articles uncertain.
The Law gave religious communities six months to register or re-register
after it came into force in January 2009.
Nagorno-Karabakh's Jehovah's Witness community sought registration under
the Religion Law at least three times, firstly on 22 June 2009. On 6 July
2009, officials handed the community an "expert opinion" prepared by Ashot
Sargsyan 
(
 ), then Head
of the government's Department for Ethnic Minority and Religious Affairs.
Sargsyan claimed that Jehovah's Witness "ministers (preachers) use a number
of methods of psychological influence on believers" and that the activity
of certain "active members" in Nagorno-Karabakh "since 1993 (especially
during the war years) has amounted to weakening and disrupting the defence
of the country at war" because of their refusal to participate in any
military activity.
The State Registry Department of the Justice Ministry then rejected the
registration application on 3 August 2009 on the basis of the "expert
opinion".
The Jehovah's Witness community challenged the denial of registration in
the local courts but without success
(
 ). During one hearing,
Sargsyan told the court: "No one accepts Jehovah's Witnesses as a
[religious] organisation but as a sect, fake organisation." He added: "The
State Registry Department refused to register Jehovah's Witnesses based on
our conclusion, and I consider that that was right."
Case goes to European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR)
In July 2010, Nagorno-Karabakh's Jehovah's Witness community submitted its
case over the denial of registration to the ECtHR in Strasbourg
(Application No. 41817/10 
(
 )).
It had to lodge its case against Armenia as Nagorno-Karabakh – as an
unrecognised entity – cannot join the Council of Europe and is thus not
subject directly to the jurisdiction of the ECtHR.
At the same time the community pursued a second registration application,
again in vain. A third application in 2012 was also unsuccessful.
Particularly in 2010, officials raided and fined Jehovah's Witness
communities in several towns, as well as communities of Protestants
(
 ), for meeting for
worship without registration.
Neither Protestant nor Jehovah's Witness communities have been raided or
fined in recent years.
ECtHR finds registration denial a violation
In March 2018 the ECtHR asked the Armenian government about the case. After
considering the case in private on 1 March 2022, the ECtHR issued its
judgment (Application No. 41817/10
(
 )) on 22 March.
The ECtHR found that Armenia had violated the right of Nagorno-Karabakh's
Jehovah's Witness community by failing to ensure that it was not
arbitrarily denied registration.
"Relying on a number of cases decided by the International Court of
Justice, [the Armenian government] argued, in particular, that States
providing support to unrecognised entities could not be held responsible
for specific actions undertaken by agents of the local administrations of
those unrecognised entities." The ECtHR did not accept this, citing a
number of earlier judgments.
These included a July 2021 judgment in the case of Jehovah's Witness
conscientious objector Artur Avanesyan, jailed in Nagorno-Karabakh in 2014
(see below).
"The Court reiterates that a refusal by the domestic authorities to grant
legal-entity status to an association, religious or otherwise, of
individuals amounts to an interference with the exercise of the right to
freedom of association," the judgment declared. It rejected Armenia's
contention that denial of registration had not affected the community's
rights, pointing to the "instances of interference with the community
life", including with the 2010 fines.
The ECtHR said Sargsyan "openly showed his negative predisposition towards
the applicant". It added that his 2009 "expert opinion" used to deny
registration was "based on conjecture uncorroborated by fact".
"The Court observes that the expert opinion did not mention the name of a
single individual who had allegedly fallen victim to the techniques of
psychological manipulation indicated," the judgment noted. "Nor was there
any specific evidence to support the allegation that Jehovah's Witnesses
were engaged in improper proselytism within the meaning of the Court's
case-law."
The ECtHR also stressed that "it is now the Court's settled case-law that
opposition to military service, where it is motivated by a serious and
insurmountable conflict between the obligation to serve in the army and a
person's conscience or his deeply and genuinely held religious or other
beliefs, constitutes a conviction or belief of sufficient cogency,
seriousness, cohesion and importance to attract the guarantees of Article
9" of the European Convention on Human Rights ("Freedom of thought,
conscience and religion").
The ECtHR noted that, despite Jehovah's Witness attempts, local courts
"never examined in substance" the grounds for refusal of registration.
Financial compensation, but will registration denials end?
The ECtHR ordered that Armenia pay Nagorno-Karabakh's Jehovah's Witness
community compensation of 4,500 Euros, plus 1,000 Euros in costs, a total
of 5,500 Euros (3 million Armenian Drams, 53,000 Norwegian Kroner or 6,000
US Dollars). The compensation is payable in the three months after the
court judgment is deemed final (three months from 22 March, unless Armenia
challenges the decision).
Ashot Sargsyan, Head of the Religion and National Minorities Department of
the Culture and Youth Ministry, wrote the 2009 "expert opinion". He claimed
to Forum 18 from Stepanakert on 28 March 2022 that "we respect all the
rights of all citizens". He said Armenia would pay the compensation. He
then refused to discuss the registration denials since 2009, pointing to
the heightened state of conflict with Azerbaijan. "We have war now. I am at
the General Staff with my gun".
Yeghishe Kirakosyan, Armenia's Representative to the European Court of
Human Rights, was not in the office in Yerevan on 28 March. Forum 18 asked
him in writing the same day whether Armenia will pay the compensation to
Nagorno-Karabakh's Jehovah's Witness community ordered by the ECtHR and
what steps the Armenian authorities will take to ensure that the
Nagorno-Karabakh authorities will end the violations of the community's
rights. Forum 18 had received no response by the end of the working day in
Yerevan of 29 March.
Jailed for refusing compulsory military service
Nagorno-Karabakh has jailed Jehovah's Witnesses for refusing compulsory
military service on grounds of conscience. It has also jailed Baptists for
refusing to swear the military oath or handle weapons on grounds of
conscience 
(
 ) while
serving in the military.
The Military Conscription Office in Askeran called up for military service
local Jehovah's Witness Artur Avanesyan
(
 ) in January 2014 when
he was 18 years old. That same month, he wrote to the Military Conscription
Office setting out his inability to conduct military service on grounds of
conscience. As alternative civilian service was not available in
Nagorno-Karabakh, he offered to do it in Armenia (like most ethnic Armenian
residents of Nagorno-Karabakh, he held an Armenian passport).
On the day he sent his letter, Avanesyan moved to the town of Masis near
Yerevan in Armenia, as he feared the Military Conscription Office would
reject his application and bring a criminal prosecution against him.
In February 2014, Askeran Regional Prosecutor's Office opened a case
against Avanesyan under Article 347, Part 1 of Nagorno-Karabakh's 2013
Criminal Code. This punishes: "Evasion from regular military or alternative
service call-up, training exercise or mobilisation, without any order
defined by Legislation as grounds for exemption, is punished with arrest
for a maximum term of two months, or imprisonment for a maximum term of
three years."
Following his move to Armenia and anticipating a positive resolution,
Avanesyan applied for alternative civilian service in February 2014 with
the Military Conscription Office in Masis.
While hoping to appear before Armenia's alternative service board,
Avanesyan was instead summoned on 14 July 2014 to report that day to
Yerevan's Central District Police Station. When he arrived at the station,
police from Nagorno-Karabakh were waiting for him. They arrested him and
took him to Nagorno-Karabakh.
Jehovah's Witnesses insisted to Forum 18
(
 ) that Avanesyan's
arrest by Nagorno-Karabakh police at Yerevan's Central District Police
Station and immediate deportation to Nagorno-Karabakh was illegal.
The next day, Avanesyan was placed in pre-trial detention and brought
before Mardakert Court.
At the end of his trial at Mardakert Court on 30 September 2014, Judge
Spartak Grigoryan rejected Avanesyan's insistence that he was innocent of
any crime and sentenced him to 30 months' imprisonment
(
 ) under Criminal Code
Article 347, Part 1. His appeal was rejected in November 2014. The Supreme
Court rejected his further appeal the following month.
Avanesyan was sent to serve his sentence in the prison in Shushi, a city
then under the control of Nagorno-Karabakh.
Nagorno-Karabakh's then Human Rights Ombudsperson described Avanesyan to
Forum 18 in November 2014
(
 ) as "a criminal who
must pay the price for his crime".
ECtHR finds jailing of conscientious objector a violation
Avanesyan lodged his case to the ECtHR in Strasbourg in March 2015
(Application No. 12999/15 
(
 )).
He had to lodge his case against Armenia as Nagorno-Karabakh – as an
unrecognised entity – cannot join the Council of Europe and is thus not
subject directly to the jurisdiction of the ECtHR.
On 6 September 2016, authorities in Nagorno-Karabakh released Avanesyan
from Shushi prison under a general amnesty, Jehovah's Witnesses told Forum
18. He had served 26 months of the 30-month prison sentence.
The ECtHR finally asked questions of the Armenian government in February
2018. 
After considering the case in private on 15 June 2021, the ECtHR issued its
judgment on 20 July 2021. The judgment became final on 20 October 2021.
The ECtHR found that Armenia had violated Avanesyan's rights by jailing him
for refusing to conduct military service.
The ECtHR rejected Armenia's claim that it had no jurisdiction over
Nagorno-Karabakh, pointing out that it exercised "effective control" there.
"The obligation to secure the rights and freedoms set out in the [European]
Convention [on Human Rights] in such an area derives from the fact of such
control, whether it be exercised directly, through the Contracting State's
own armed forces, or through a subordinate local administration," the ECtHR
declared.
The ECtHR found that, while Nagorno-Karabakh had – unlike Armenia -
chosen not to introduce a civilian alternative to compulsory military
service, "Armenia was responsible for the acts and omissions of the 'NKR'
authorities and was under an obligation to secure in that area the rights
and freedoms set out in the Convention".
The ECtHR ruled that Avanesyan's rights under Article 9 ("Freedom of
thought, conscience and religion") of the European Convention on Human
Rights had been violated.
The ECtHR ordered that Armenia pay Avanesyan compensation of 9,000 Euros,
plus 1,500 Euros in costs, a total of 10,500 Euros (5.6 million Armenian
Drams, 100,000 Norwegian Kroner or 11,500 US Dollars). The compensation
became payable in the three months after the court judgment was deemed
final on 20 October 2021.
Forum 18 was unable to find out from Yeghishe Kirakosyan, Armenia's
Representative to the European Court of Human Rights, what steps Armenia
will take to ensure that Nagorno-Karabakh protects the rights of
conscientious objectors to military service.
No alternative civilian service
Despite urging by local Jehovah's Witnesses and civil society organisations
in Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia, Nagorno-Karabakh has refused to introduce
a civilian alternative to compulsory military service. Officials argue that
such an alternative service would undermine the entity's need to defend
itself.
Since Avanesyan's release from prison in September 2016, no conscientious
objectors have been jailed in Nagorno-Karabakh, human rights defenders told
Forum 18.
After years of jailing conscientious objectors and judgments against it
from the ECtHR, Armenia finally introduced an alternative civilian service
(
 ) in May 2013.
Despite judgments against it from the ECtHR, Azerbaijan has rejected calls
for it to introduce a civilian alternative to compulsory military service
(
 ) and has repeatedly
jailed conscientious objectors. Azerbaijan committed to the Council of
Europe to introduce such a civilian alternative service by January 2003.
(END)
Full reports on freedom of thought, conscience and belief in
Nagorno-Karabakh
(
 )
A personal commentary by Derek Brett of Conscience and Peace Tax
International on conscientious objection to military service and
international law in the light of the European Court of Human Rights' July
2011 Bayatyan judgment
(
 )
Forum 18's compilation of Organisation for Security and Co-operation in
Europe (OSCE) freedom of religion or belief commitments
(
 )
Follow us on Twitter @Forum_18 
(
 )
Follow us on Facebook @Forum18NewsService
(
 )
All Forum 18 text may be referred to, quoted from, or republished in full,
if Forum 18 is credited as the source.
All photographs that are not Forum 18's copyright are attributed to the
copyright owner. If you reuse any photographs from Forum 18's website, you
must seek permission for any reuse from the copyright owner or abide by the
copyright terms the copyright owner has chosen.
© Forum 18 News Service. All rights reserved. ISSN 1504-2855.
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Tensions Escalate in Karabakh as Azerbaijan Demands Withdrawal of Armenian Armed Groups

Emil Lazarian
The Jamestown Foundation
March 29 2022

March 29, 2022 05:59 PM Age: 22 hours

On March 26, the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan called on the Russian side to complete the withdrawal of “the remnants of the Armenian army and illegal Armenian armed detachments” from the Azerbaijani territories temporarily under the control of Moscow’s peacekeeping mission (Mod.gov.az, March 26). As Azerbaijan has always contended, the fourth article of the trilateral (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia) agreement that ended the Second Karabakh War (September 27–November 10, 2020) unequivocally mandates the withdrawal of Armenian military forces from the region in parallel with the deployment of peacekeeping units (President.az, November 10, 2020). This was at least the second instance since the war’s end that the Azerbaijani defense ministry had publicly appealed to Moscow to ensure the full implementation of this article (see EDM September 22, 2021). This time, however, the appeal occurred against a background of intense political and geopolitical significance.

The security situation between Armenia and Azerbaijan along their shared state border, as well as in Azerbaijan’s Karabakh region, has been strained since the beginning of March, amidst the ongoing full-scale Russian-Ukrainian war (see EDM, March 16, 2022). Baku reported increasing numbers of provocations by the Armenian armed detachments while Russia has been distracted by the fierce conflict in Ukraine. Azerbaijani media published video evidence of the pullout of part of Russia’s military equipment from the Azerbaijani territories, where Russian peacekeepers are deployed (Caliber.az, March 27). The withdrawn equipment was allegedly transferred to Ukraine.

Against this backdrop, the clashes between Armenia and Azerbaijan—which in early March were mostly confined to areas along the interstate border—have now slowly been shifting to the region under the control of the Russian peacekeeping mission. The situation escalated further in mid-March, when Armenia blamed Azerbaijan for an explosion (March 7–8) involving the natural gas pipeline from Armenia proper to the Armenian-populated areas in Karabakh, which passes through the vicinity of Azerbaijani-controlled Shusha. Heavy snowfall in the region during this period aggravated the consequences of the explosion for local residents. According to Yerevan, Azerbaijan was “responsible” for the explosion that occurred in the Azerbaijani-controlled area (Armenpress.am, March 24). The Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs denied the charge and accused Armenia of exploiting “technical problems in gas pipelines due to severe weather in the region as a tool for political manipulation” (Twitter.com/LAbdullayevaMFA, March 25).

Meanwhile, clashes between Azerbaijan’s Armed Forces and the Armenian armed units in the Karabakh region have continued to multiply. On March 24, the local separatist regime accused the Azerbaijani side of violating the ceasefire regime and entering the village of Farrux (Khojaly district), which is inside the zone temporarily under the control of Russia’s peacekeepers (Armenpress.am, March 24). The next day, Yerevan claimed that three of its soldiers were killed in an Azerbaijani military operation involving Bayraktar TB-2 combat drones (Armenpress.am, March 25). In turn, the local separatist forces in Karabakh, which had previously declared support for Russia’s war against Ukraine, appealed to Russian President Vladimir Putin to deploy more peacekeepers and special equipment to their region (Arka.am, March 26).

On the evening of March 26, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced violations of the terms of the trilateral November 9, 2020, accord and, for the second time since the last such incident in August 2021, accused the Azerbaijani side of an incursion into the zone of responsibility of the Russian peacekeeping contingent (Mil.ru, March 26). The Russian Ministry called upon Azerbaijan to withdraw its troops to their initial positions—a call that was echoed by the other co-chairing countries of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s (OSCE) Minsk Group, France and the United States, in a rare show of unity with Russia (Diplomatie.gouv.fr, State.gov, March 25).

Baku holds to the fact that the area in question is part of the internationally recognized territory of Azerbaijan and the Armenian armed detachments in the region remain there in violation of the aforementioned trilateral agreement. Therefore, the Azerbaijani government harshly rebuked the calls by Moscow and the other Minsk Group co-chairs for the withdrawal of Azerbaijani troops from the village of Farrux (Mfa.gov.az, March 26).

Azerbaijan’s defense ministry, on March 26, expressed regrets “regarding the one-sided statement of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation” and countered the charges, saying that “members of [the] illegal Armenian armed detachments attempted to sabotage the Azerbaijan Army Units” but were forced to retreat thanks to immediate actions by the Azerbaijani side. Baku reiterated its earlier calls to Moscow to stop referring to the region by the name “Nagorno-Karabakh.” “There is no administrative and territorial unit called “Nagorno-Karabakh” in the territory of Azerbaijan,” the defense ministry protested (Mod.gov.az, March 26).

This controversy between the ministries of defense of Azerbaijan and Russia further increased on March 27, after the Russian side announced that the Azerbaijani troops withdrew from Farrux “as a result of negotiations” (Mil.ru, March 27). Countering this statement, the Azerbaijani defense ministry immediately reacted and declared that its positions in Farrux and surrounding heights have not changed. The Azerbaijani Ministry again accused Russia of disrespecting the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan by continuing to call the region “Nagorno-Karabakh” (Mod.gov.az, March 27). In fact, Yerevan also disputed the Russian defense ministry statement: the Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted that Moscow’s assertion does not reflect the situation on the ground and that Farrux remains under Azerbaijani control (Armenpress.am, March 28).

In response to the Farrux village controversy—and quite contrary to the spirit of the recently signed Azerbaijani-Russian declaration on allied cooperation (see EDM, February 25)—Russian State Duma (lower chamber of parliament) deputy Mikhail Delyagin appeared on television and threatened Azerbaijan with “harsh and unequivocal punishment” if the country disobeys Moscow’s demands and sides more closely “with Turkey, an ally of the United States” (YouTube, March 29). On Telegram, Delyagin asked his followers whether they thought Russia should attack Baku’s oil industry infrastructure with nuclear weapons in response to Azerbaijani “aggression” in Karabakh (Twitter.com/visegrad24, March 29).

While Russian peacekeepers reported that the situation in Karabakh had stabilized by March 28 (Mil.ru, March 28), the Armenian government continued to warn that conditions were “extremely tense” (Armenpress.am, March 28). Azerbaijan remains on alert for more Armenian provocations. According to Dr. Farid Shafiyev, who chairs the Baku-based Center of Analysis of International Relations, the full implementation of the November 9, 2020, trilateral accord is the only way to assuredly prevent new escalations in the region (Author’s interview, March 28). In turn, Armenia’s and Russia’s unwillingness or inability to ensure the withdrawal of the Armenian armed groups from Karabakh undermines the larger peace process and jeopardizes regional stability.

Top British official visits Baku to talk "unresolved Armenia-Azerbaijan issues"

Emil Lazarian
PanArmenian
Armenia – March 30 2022
March 30, 2022 – 17:34 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Britain’s Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Armed Forces James Heappey is visiting Baku, in what the local media describes his first trip to Azerbaijan.

Heappey has already held meetings with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Defense Minister Zakir Hasanov.

According to a report from Trend, “unresolved issues between Armenia and Azerbaijan” and peace processes in the region are on the table.

Azerbaijan has broken into Nagorno-Karabakh, and the incursion has left three Armenian soldiers dead and at least 14 others injured. On March 24, Azerbaijan stormed into the zone of the responsibility of the Russian peacekeepers stationed in the area and is refusing to completely withdraw its forces from strategic heights.

New Caucasian leopard caught on camera in Armenia

Emil Lazarian
Public Radio of Armenia
March 30 2022
March 30, 2022, 10:43

 1 minute read

A new leopard has been identified in camera trap footage by the Foundation for the Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural Assets (FPWC) in Armenia’s Caucasus Wildlife Refuge (CWR).

Foundation for the Preservation of Wildlife Cultural Assets camera traps captured a male adult leopard which has been compared with the only other male recorded in the area and confirmed as a new individual․ Within the same day, with only about 2 hours’ interval and about 3 kilometers direct airline distance at CWR, Neo (the resident male leopard of this habitat) was been captured by FPWC camera traps as well․

The third individual, Nova, is six kilometers away from the other leopards, again in the Caucasus Wildlife Refuge․ The fact that three different leopards use the same area of the Caucasus Wildlife Refuge almost simultaneously is unprecedented.

“The population of leopards around the world has significantly decreased due to several human factors, in particular, due to cross-border tensions, new borders, and barriers in our region. This species is on the verge of extinction. Since 2011, FPWC has been operating in the area, this is the 6th individual leopard that was filmed through our cameras,” said FPWC Director Ruben Khachatryan, adding that this is evidence of the fact that the Caucasus Wildlife Refuge is an effective conservation measure.

FPWC made it possible to identify this new leopard using trained rangers with upgraded knowledge on tracking leopard trails and locating the best possible place for camera trapping.  It also reveals the urgent need for focused studies on the leopard trails and corridors for understanding the most relevant population estimation as well as threats that leopards can face within these corridors.

FPWC has announced a competition to name a leopard.

The Foundation for the Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural Assets (FPWC) has been operating since 2002. The Foundation is a member of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The key activity of the foundation is the preservation of the unique fauna and flora of Armenia, using the latest technologies and modern models.

Watch video at 

Turkish press: Orthodox Church slams partial takeover of historic hotel in Jerusalem by Israeli settlers

Emil Lazarian
Mahmoud Barakat   |30.03.2022

Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos III (C) arrives as Greek Orthodox Church leaders and European diplomats gather to protest takeover of the part of historic Petra Hotel by Jewish settlers under protection of Israeli police, in the old city, East Jerusalem on March 29, 2022. The hotel has been owned by the church and operated by Palestinians. ( Mostafa Alkharouf – Anadolu Agency )

ANKARA

The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem has condemned the seizure of a historic hotel in the occupied city by a settlers group.

On Sunday, Israeli police forces and members of Ateret Cohanim group forced their way into the historic Petra Hotel and seized a part of it.

The hotel, which the church says it owns, is usually used by Christian pilgrims as it falls on their pilgrimage route.

The historic hotel is located at the entrance to Bab Al-Khalil (Gate of Hebron), one of the gates of Jerusalem’s Old City, which leads to the Christian and Armenian quarters in the city and to Christian holy sites, including the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, which is considered one of the most sacred religious sites for Christians around the world.

“The seizure of the Little Petra Hotel by the radical extremist group Ateret Cohanim is a threat to the continued existence of a Christian Quarter in Jerusalem,” the patriarchate said in a statement carried by Orthodox Times website.

The patriarchate warned against the repeated illegitimate Israeli actions which “followed a pattern of intimidation, violence, and lawless action to drive Christians and Muslims from the city that we share.”

Ateret Cohanim, a group that works to establish a Jewish majority in Jerusalem’s Old City, claims that it had bought Little Petra hotel.

Israeli courts are still looking into the dispute between the two parties and have not decided on the ownership.

The Israeli move “will lead to instability and tension at a time when all are trying to de-escalate and build trust, to build toward justice and peace,” the patriarchate warned.

“Acts of coercion and violence cannot lead to peace,” it said, demanding a halt of “criminal activities on the Christian pilgrim route and in our beloved Old City.”

Asbarez: ANCA-Glendale Announces Endorsements for June Municipal Elections

Emil Lazarian
 by Contributor

 

 March 30, 2022

 

in Community, Latest, News, Top Stories
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ANCA-Glendale announced endorsements for City Council and GUSD Board races

GLENDALE—After weeks of interviews, discussions, and consultations, the Armenian National Committee of America – Glendale Chapter has completed its comprehensive endorsement of candidates process for the June, 2022 Glendale municipal elections, which include races for City Council, City Clerk and school board.

For the June, 2022, Glendale City Council elections, ANCA – Glendale has endorsed incumbents Ara Najarian and Vrej Agajanian, as well as Elen Asatryan.

“Among an impressive pool of candidates, these three individuals stood out as having the most cohesive, focused, and longest track record of service in the best interests of the entire community of Glendale,” said the Glendale ANCA in its endorsement announcement.

For years, Najarian has been responsive to the voices of all Glendale residents from the City Council dais and ANCA – Glendale is completely confident that he will continue to exemplify this important leadership trait.

Since his first election in 2017, Agajanian has worked hard to nurture his relationship with ANCA – Glendale while working for the interests of our entire community. From our experience partnering with him to expand affordable housing and keeping our city government accessible and transparent, we are certain that Agajanian is the type of leader the City of Glendale needs.

“ANCA – Glendale strongly supports the reelection of both Councilmembers Najarian and Agajanian because they have never failed to be responsive to voices of our community’s stakeholders.” said ANCA – Glendale Chairperson Lucy Petrosian. “Both have shown an impressive dedication to the service of our Jewel City.”

The organization announced its endorsement of Elen Asatryan, who has been a long-time member of the ANCA family. From her time as the Executive Director of ANCA – Western Region to serving local constituents as an elected member of the Los Angeles County Democratic Party – Central Committee, Asatryan has shown what it truly means to work directly towards the betterment of our community.

ANCA – Glendale has Greg Krikorian for the position of Glendale City Clerk. Krikorian has been a tireless servant to the students and parents of our city as a member of the Glendale Unified School District (GUSD) Board of Education for over 20 years. Mr. Krikorian has displayed his commitment to our community throughout his career. Whether it was organizing the first commemoration of the Armenian Genocide at Glendale schools, in the early years, or the hands-on work that he does today, through the HyeHopes Organization, he has never wavered in his commitment.

“We are excited to support Greg in this new chapter of his civic service,” said Petrosian. “We are absolutely confident that Greg shares our goals and will have an immediate impact on the office of Glendale City Clerk.”

ANCA – Glendale also announced the endorsements of Dr. Armina Gharpetian (incumbent – Area C), Shant Sahakian (incumbent – Area D), and Lerna Amiryans (Area B ) in the respective races for a seat on the Glendale Unified School District, Board of Trustees. All three candidates have demonstrated the qualities that the school district expects and needs in governance to ensure that all our students are provided with the best resources available on their way to academic excellence.

“All three candidates have incomparable strengths and are individuals who have always responded to the priorities of Armenian American students,” noted Petrosian. “In every realm of their work, they have all displayed the exact leadership that all students need to access the learning experience of their dreams.”

While serving almost a decade as a GUSD Board of Education member, Dr. Gharpetian has consistently proven that she puts our students and parents first and advocates for the enrichment of public education. She has been a voice of solidarity within our community and has worked closely with all students in the district.

Sahakian, is running to again represent Trustee Area D. First elected in 2017, as the youngest School Board member, Sahakian has an established history of leadership that prioritizes securing access to opportunities and resources for all students. From ensuring that school community members return safely to in-person instruction to advancing legislation on term limits, this long-time community servant is a candidate that all students, parents, teachers, and staff look for in a candidate.

“Armina and Shant represent the exact qualities that we are seeking for in school board governance,” said Petrosian. “Most importantly, both have an unwavering commitment to being the support system that our students need to reach their greatest academic potential.”

Amiryans, a GUSD alumna, already has a long and laudable history of working directly with our district’s students, parents, faculty, and staff. Most specifically, during her term as Executive Vice President of Glendale Council PTA, she has tirelessly advocated for the needs of the district’s underrepresented and immigrant communities. During the recent, unprecedented, two years, Amiryans organized school-based support groups that addressed the mental health needs of our school community. At the same time, Ms. Amiryans worked to address the students’ needs during the Artsakh war when she initiated a forum that brought discussion and insight on generational trauma.

“The hands-on experience that Lerna brings and the number of ways which she has already served the District are highly commendable,” responded Petrosian. “She has been a servant-leader as a parent and we trust her to guide the future of our students and are confident that the impact that she will bring to our school board will be unparalleled.”

For the open seats in the upcoming Glendale Community College Board of Trustees election, ANCA Glendale reaffirms its support for incumbents Dr. Armine Hacopian, Yvette Vartanian Davis, and Ann H. Ransford and congratulates them for the uncontested race.

For Trustee – Area 3, the organization is grateful that they will be expanding their partnership with life-long educator Dr. Hacopian, who has served on GCC’s Board of Trustees since 2001 and as president, for five years. It is through her leadership that students are given all the resources to prosper in all aspects of their academic needs. Under her term in office, residents of Glendale were mobilized to pass bond measures that expanded numerous student-centric services and she also worked closely with Senator Anthony J. Portantino on Senate Bill No. 568 which allows the institution to observe April 24 as Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day.

Davis, being the first Armenian American woman to be elected to California Community College Trustees’ (CCCT) Board of Directors, is a trailblazing public servant and educator who has never failed to meet the needs of our local college students. On the CCCT level, Davis is able to represent the priorities and interests of GCC students on a state-level.

Furthermore, ANCA – Glendale commended Ransford for continuing to represent Trustee – Area 2. Ransford has a strong connection with the college as she has been on the Board of Trustees for 14 years and, previously, served as an administrator for over three decades. As president of the CCCT, she has persistently stood up for the advancement of much needed policies and has been a strong force during the various improvements made to the campus’ facilities.

“Our ANCA- Glendale team is strongly appreciative of having the opportunity to work alongside these three exceptional leaders through our shared goals,” said Petrosian. “Armine, Yvette, and Ann are only going to amplify all the phenomenal work that they are putting in for our college students.”

Individuals interested in supporting ANCA Glendale’s city-wide GOTV efforts, please refer to [email protected].

ANCA Glendale advocates for the social, economic, cultural, and political rights of the city’s Armenian American community and promotes increased civic participation at the grassroots and public policy levels.

AW: Russian peacekeepers deployed to Parukh after Azerbaijani advance on Artsakh

Emil Lazarian
March 30, 2022 Lillian Avedian News 0

Russian peacekeeping contingent in village of Parukh, March 28, 2022 (Photo: Telegram/RUS_Peacekeeper)

The Russian peacekeeping force in Artsakh says that it has taken control of Parukh after an attack by Azerbaijan last week, while Armenian authorities say that Azeri troops maintain strategic positions near the village.

Conflicting reports have emerged over who maintains control of Parukh since Azerbaijani forces crossed the line of contact into territory under the jurisdiction of the Russian peacekeeping contingent in Artsakh on March 24. Azeri forces advanced on the region of Askeran and seized the village. Three members of the Artsakh Defense Army—David Mirzoyan, Ishkhan Ohanyan and Ararat Tevosyan—were killed and at least 15 Armenian soldiers were wounded in intense fighting that continued for the next two days. 

On March 27, the Ministry of Defense (MoD) of Russia reported that the Azerbaijani soldiers had retreated from Parukh following negotiations. The MoD recorded two violations of the ceasefire agreement by Azerbaijan’s military, as a result of which two people were wounded from either side. 

The previous day, the MoD of Russia had issued a rare reprimand of Azerbaijan, accusing the Azerbaijani military of “violating the provisions of the tripartite statement.” The MoD of Russia said that Azeri forces had “entered the zone of responsibility of the Russian peacekeeping contingent” in Artsakh and “set up an observation post.” The MoD also said that the Azerbaijani military had used a Turkish-produced Bayraktar TB-2 drone to deliver four strikes on the Artsakh Defense Army. The statement refers to the village as Furukh, a Russianized version of the Armenian spelling. 

The Artsakh Defense Army reported that no ceasefire violations had been registered as of March 27. It said that Parukh had been placed under the control of the Russian peacekeeping troops. However, while the Defense Army maintained control of the “main part of the Karaglukh height,” a strategic peak near Parukh, Azerbaijani troops kept fortified positions on one of its slopes. 

“Works with the command staff of the Russian peacekeeping contingent to make the Azerbaijani units return to their starting positions are ongoing,” the Defense Army said.

On March 30, Artsakh State Minister Artak Beglaryan tweeted that “Parukh village and a part of the Karaglukh mountain of Artsakh/Nagorno-Karabakh remain occupied.” 

The nearly 400 residents of Parukh and the nearby village Khramort have not been able to return to their homes since they were evacuated at the start of the attacks. Some have been staying with their relatives, while others have been provided with temporary accommodation in Stepanakert by the government of Artsakh. 

Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry dismissed the statement from the Russian MoD that its troops had retreated from Parukh. The MoD of Azerbaijan did not deny that Azerbaijani troops had entered Askeran, stating instead that there have been “no changes in the positions of the Azerbaijan Army in the Farrukh village and on the surrounding high grounds, which are part of the sovereign territory of Azerbaijan.” 

The MoD of Azerbaijan had previously blamed the Armenian side for violating the ceasefire agreement, stating that the “withdrawal of the remnants of the Armenian army and illegal Armenian armed detachments from the territory of Azerbaijan in accordance with article 4 of the [joint] statement has not yet been completed.” 

The ceasefire agreement states that Russian peacekeepers would be deployed “in parallel with the withdrawal of the Armenian armed forces.” The agreement does not explicitly refer to the Artsakh Defense Army. 

The MoD further said that there is “no village called ‘Furukh,’” writing in all caps that the correct name of the village is “FARRUKH.” 

On March 25, the Artsakh Security Council issued an open letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin stating that the current number of Russian peacekeeping forces is “insufficient for the full implementation of the peacekeeping mission in Artsakh, taking into account the nature of the growing and expanding military aspirations of Azerbaijan.” The letter asks Putin to “increase the quantity of military personnel and military equipment” deployed in Artsakh while “returning the Azerbaijani armed forces to their original positions.” 

Under the trilateral ceasefire agreement ending the 2020 Artsakh War, 1,960 Russian troops were deployed to Artsakh along the line of contact and the Lachin corridor connecting Artsakh and Armenia. 

Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan also held a phone call with Putin that day. Pashinyan “raised the need to investigate the actions of Russian peacekeepers” and “stressed the need for returning the Azerbaijani armed forces to their initial positions with the efforts of the Russian peacekeepers.” 

Artsakh President Arayik Harutyunyan declared a state of martial law on March 26. The decree instituted a temporary restriction on the right to freedom of assembly, strikes, demonstrations and “propaganda” activities “spearheaded against the defense capacity and security of the Artsakh Republic.” 

The Armenian Security Council issued a statement on March 28 offering to “immediately start negotiations on a comprehensive peace treaty” with Azerbaijan. According to the Security Council, Azerbaijan is “paving the way for new provocations and attacks” on Artsakh by inventing “imaginary justifications,” including accusing Armenia of obstructing negotiations on a peace treaty. 

“The Security Council, drawing the attention of the international community on the chances for armed clashes in Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh) and on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, considers it necessary to launch international containment mechanisms to prevent further military escalation and ethnic cleansing in the region,” the statement reads. 

The other co-chair countries of the OSCE Minsk Group, which consists of Russia, France and the United States, have also commented on the attacks by Azerbaijan’s military. The French Foreign Ministry released a statement on March 25 stating that France “deplores the incidents which occurred in Nagorno-Karabakh, particularly the armed incidents and troop movements in the Parukh and Khramort regions.” Deputy spokesperson for the US State Department Jalina Porter said that the United States is “deeply concerned about Azerbaijan troop movements,” which it called “irresponsible and unnecessarily provocative.” “The United States, as a co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, remains deeply committed to working with the sides to achieve a long-term political settlement of the conflict,” Porter said during a press briefing. 

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) of Armenia welcomed the “clear assessment of the latest escalation” in Artsakh from the OSCE Minsk Group co-chair countries as a “consequence of the movement of Azerbaijani troops.” However the MoFA said that while the Russian MoD had reported that Azerbaijan had withdrawn its troops from Parukh, the “incursion of Azerbaijani units into Nagorno-Karabakh in the area of responsibility of the Russian Federation’s peacekeeping contingent is ongoing.” 

“We expect that the peacekeeping contingent of the Russian Federation in Nagorno Karabakh will take concrete measures to stem the incursion of Azerbaijani units into the area of peacekeepers’ responsibility and to withdraw the Azerbaijani armed forces. We consider it important to conduct a proper investigation into the actions of the peacekeeping contingent during this entire period of the incursion of Azerbaijani units, and answer a number of questions,” the March 28 statement from the Armenian Foreign Ministry reads. 

Meanwhile, on March 28, the natural gas supply to Artsakh was restored. The gas supply was disrupted for the second time in two weeks on March 21, after the section of the natural gas pipeline that traverses Azerbaijani-controlled territory was damaged on March 8. Artsakh authorities blame the halt on gas supply, which deprived residents of Artsakh of heating amid freezing temperatures, on interference by the Azerbaijani military.

  •  Bio
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Lillian Avedian is a staff writer for the Armenian Weekly. Her writing has also been published in the Los Angeles Review of Books, Hetq and the Daily Californian. She is pursuing master’s degrees in Journalism and Near Eastern Studies at New York University. A human rights journalist and feminist poet, Lillian’s first poetry collection Journey to Tatev was released with Girls on Key Press in spring of 2021.


“Relatively calm” – Artsakh Speaker of Parliament on frontline situation

Emil Lazarian

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 11:49, 30 March, 2022

YEREVAN, MARCH 30, ARMENPRESS. The situation at the Artsakh frontline is currently relatively calm, the Speaker of Parliament of Artsakh Artur Tovmasyan said during a parliament session on March 30.

“We can now initiate in an unconstrained manner and in calm conditions the bills which I will now present to you for approval,” the Speaker said.

Earlier on March 30 the Artsakh authorities also issued a statement noting that no significant ceasefire violations were recorded overnight March 29-30 at the line of contact. However, the Azerbaijani troops haven’t yet withdrawn from Karaglukh.

WHO reports 43% growth in COVID-19 fatalities worldwide in past week

Emil Lazarian

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 14:14, 30 March, 2022

YEREVAN, MARCH 30, ARMENPRESS. Over 10 million people contracted the novel coronavirus infection worldwide over the past week, more than 45,000 patients died, TASS reports citing the World Health Organization (WHO).

The number of new infections declined by 14%, while the number of fatalities grew by 43% compared to the previous seven-day period.

“During the week of 21 through 27 March 2022, the number of new cases declined again with a 14% decrease as compared to the previous week. On the other hand, during the same period, the number of new weekly deaths has increased by 43%, driven by changes in the definition of COVID-19 deaths in countries in the Region of the Americas (Chile and the United States of America) and retrospective adjustments reported from India in the South-East Asia Region,” the global organization said in its COVID-19 Weekly Epidemiological Update,

Overall, a total of 10,805,132 new cases and 45,711 deaths were reported to the global organization on March 21-27.

The decline in case incidence was reported by all the six WHO global regions, particularly Eastern Mediterranean (down 32%), Africa (down 29%) and Western Pacific (down 24%). In Europe, which accounts for 49% of all new cases registered worldwide in the past week, the case count declied by 4%.

Mortality grew in America (up 182%) and Southeast Asia (up 116%), but declined in other regions, including Africa (down 30%), Eastern Mediterranean (down 22%) and Europe (down 17%).

The biggest number of infections was reported by the Republic of Korea (2,442,195), followed by Germany (1,576,261), Vietnam (1,127,716), France (845,119) and Italy (503,932). Chile accounts for the biggest number of fatalities in the past seven days (11,858), followed by the United States (5,367), India (4,525), Russia (2,859) and the Republic of Korea (2,471).

As of 19:10 Moscow time on March 29, the WHO cumulative global statistics indicated 481,756,671 cases and 6,127,981 fatalities registered worldwide since the start of the pandemic. The number of new cases grew by 1,342,231 in the past day, while fatalities increased by 2,841.