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

Asbarez: Armenian EyeCare Project Helps Save Armenian Soldier’s Sight

Emil Lazarian
by Contributor

 

 

 

in Armenia, Latest, News, Top Stories

Vahe Poghosyan


When Azerbaijan began their attacks on Armenia in 2020, Vahe Poghosyan was one of many brave young men in Armenia who volunteered to join the Armenian army to protect their homeland. He was sent to the border, an area constantly under heavy attack by Azerbaijan. During one of these attacks, a rocket hit the truck Poghosyan was riding in. Fourteen Armenian soldiers were killed that day; only three survived. One of those survivors was Poghosyan.

“I was covered in blood,” recalled Poghosyan. “I couldn’t see anything as there was shrapnel in both of my eyes.” Poghosyan spent the next eight and a half terrifying hours lying on the battlefield, bleeding and unable to see, until it was possible for someone to rescue him.

With only a few minutes left to live, Poghosyan was rescued and rushed to a hospital in Yerevan, where he was treated for almost one month. His eyesight was gone and all he could see was a sliver of light. Poghosyan thought he was going to be blind for the rest of his life. After escaping one traumatic experience of going through the war and losing his friends, Poghosyan was now experiencing another agonizing prospect: believing he would never be able to see again.

Vahe with his wife and daughter

“I remember so vividly the effects of the first Karabakh war in Armenia,” recalls Dr. Roger Ohanesian, Founder and President of the Armenian EyeCare Project (AECP.) “It was the unrest during that time that led to the beginning of the Armenian EyeCare Project. Now, 30 years later, I am happy to say that because of the AECP’s emphasis on medical education and training, doctors in Armenia are capable of performing complex surgeries and offering top-of-the-line eye care to their countrymen.”

Vahe visiting the Yerablur Military Memorial Cemetery in Yerevan

Dr. Georgi Grigoryan, one of AECP’s very first fellows, successfully performed two complex surgeries on Poghosyan’s eye, removing the shrapnel and replacing the lens. This allowed Poghosyan to be able to see again. “I can see my daughter’s beautiful smile now,” said Poghosyan with immense gratitude. After regaining his sight, life has drastically improved for Poghosyan as he is now able to work, drive and support his family once again.

“I am deeply grateful to all the donors of the AECP for saving my sight and allowing me to see again, to raise my child, to grow my family and to reach all my dreams,” said Poghosyan with a smile.

As Poghosyan walks up the hill to Yerablur, the burial site of Armenian soldiers who died protecting their homeland, the song praising the bravery of his fallen friends can be heard far and loud. He joins in on singing along to the patriotic song, honoring his fellow soldiers and feeling grateful to be alive.

Armenia’s PM: ‘We are not Russia’s ally’ in war against Ukraine

Emil Lazarian
Reuters
Feb 12 2024
Reuters
Feb 11 (Reuters) – Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said in an interview published on Sunday that his country was not Russia' ally in its war against Ukraine, but stressed its military cooperation projects were not directed against any single country.
Pashinyan also said he hoped that Armenia's neighbour and longstanding rival, Azerbaijan, remained committed to the conclusion of a durable peace treaty despite statements by its president about demarcating borders.
Armenia and Azerbaijan fought two major wars in the past 30 years over the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh. The region has long been recognised as part of Azerbaijan and Azeri troops secured full control over it last September.
Pashinyan has said in recent months that Armenia could no longer rely on Russia to ensure its defence needs as his country had not secured the help it had needed from Moscow.
In his remarks to Britain's Daily Telegraph, Pashinyan said he had said from the outset of Russia's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine that it could not stand alongside Moscow as an ally.
"I said, in the Ukraine situation, we are not Russia’s ally. And that’s the reality," Pashinyan told the daily.
"But I want to also tell you that with the U.S. or France or other partners, our security cooperation is not targeted against our other security sector partner."
He said Armenia was approaching the notion of relationships on its security alliances "by utmost transparently speaking with our partners about their shared agendas".
And Armenia, he said, had no intention of considering membership of NATO — as Ukraine has reaffirmed and Russia has denounced as unacceptable. Nato membership "is not a question we have discussed or are discussing".
He repeated that Armenia was considering whether to stay in the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organisation.
On the prospects for a long-term peace deal with Azerbaijan, Pashinyan said "the basic architecture" of an agreement had been reached last year "and at the end of last year, it seemed to us that we were very close, finally, to a final text of agreement".
But Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, re-elected in a landslide last week, raised questions in a January interview by saying his troops would not pull back from border areas. He also dismissed the use of Soviet-era maps in talks as he said territorial concessions had been made to Armenia last century.

Reporting by Ron Popeski; editing by Diane Craft

Armenpress: PM Pashinyan comments on delay in Armenia-Azerbaijan peace process

Emil Lazarian

 23:02,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 11, ARMENPRESS. The architecture and principles of the peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan have been agreed upon but Azerbaijan has been refusing to participle in negotiations, Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan has said in an interview with The Telegraph when asked on the Armenian-Azeri talks and why the process is delayed.

“First of all, it should be noted that the principles of peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan have been agreed upon in three international formats. The first took place in 2022. On October 6, during the quadrilateral meeting held in Prague, which was attended by the President of France Emmanuel Macron, the President of the European Council Charles Michel, the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and me, and we, after long discussions, adopted a joint statement in which the following principle is recorded: Armenia and Azerbaijan recognize each other's territorial integrity based on the 1991 Declaration of Alma-Ata.

“What does this mean? The Declaration of Alma-Ata is about the following and it was signed by 12 republics that were part of the Soviet Union. By signing that declaration, they recorded several things. First, the Soviet Union ceases to exist and these republics, becoming sovereign states, recognize each other's territorial integrity, inviolability of borders and sovereignty. And thus, with the Alma-Ata declaration, the existing administrative borders between the republics of the Soviet Union become state borders. I say this because it is recorded in the Alma-Ata declaration that these republics accept the existing borders, that is, whatever border existed at that moment, they recognize the inviolability of those borders.

“And of course, there is a very important nuance here that I want to emphasize, the Alma-Ata declaration and the packages related to the Declaration were ratified by the Armenian parliament in 1992, the Azerbaijani parliament ratified it later. Many events took place after the signing and ratification, but in this context it is very important to record that in Prague on October 6, in the presence of the President of France and the President of the European Council, Armenia and Azerbaijan, in fact, after all those events, reaffirmed that they recognize each other's territorial integrity on the basis of the Alma-Ata Declaration.

“And the second important point is that the Alma-Ata declaration should become the basis for the demarcation and delimitation of the borders between the two countries. This is also a very important principle, which in this context means that in the process of demarcation between Armenia and Azerbaijan, no border has to be created, but the borders confirmed and reaffirmed by the Alma-Ata declaration should be expressed on the ground, on maps.

“This is the first fundamental agreement. After that, on October 30, the trilateral statement of the President of Russia, the President of Azerbaijan and myself was signed, in which Armenia and Azerbaijan acknowledged in a written statement that they recognize each other's territorial integrity and sovereignty and declare that they refuse to use force and the threat of force, and all issues will be resolved through negotiation. This agreement also became the basis for the formation and formulation of the third fundamental principle, which means that the opening and unblocking of regional communications, and the opening of roads for each other will take place within the framework of respect for the sovereignty and jurisdiction of countries, and this principle, together with the previous two principles, was recorded based on the results of the trilateral meetings held in Brussels on May 14 and July 15. Moreover, everything I'm talking about are public documents.

“What does all this have to do with your question? And the connection is that, essentially, the architecture and principles of the peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan have been agreed upon, and at the end of last year it seemed to us that we were very close to finally agreeing on the text of the final treaty, but from the beginning, Azerbaijan three times refused to participate in negotiations in different formats, after which presidential elections in Azerbaijan were scheduled. And, in fact, we are still on this point, and I assume that after the presidential elections, we will be able to achieve implementation of these points, if there is political will. I can record that the Armenian government, as before, has the political will to precisely go for peace in our region and to sign a peace treaty with Azerbaijan based on the above-mentioned agreements,” Pashinyan said.

“…the fact that we have lost so much time is not a very positive sign, because you see, on June 1, a five-party meeting was held in Chișinău with the participation of the President of France, the Chancellor of Germany, the President of the European Council, the President of Azerbaijan and me, and where an agreement was formulated and it was published in a written form that the next meeting in that same format would take place in Granada in autumn 2023. But Azerbaijan, in fact, refused to participate in that meeting, where in that context it was formulated that the next meeting would take place at the end of October, in Brussels, in a trilateral format. Azerbaijan again refused to participate in that meeting. And if we add to this the events that took place in Nagorno Karabakh, first military strikes were carried out against Nagorno Karabakh and, in fact, Nagorno Karabakh was completely depopulated as a result of ethnic cleansing,” Pashinyan added, emphasizing that “when we put these events side by side, in Armenia, for example, there are analysts who believe that all this means that Azerbaijan is retreating step by step and abandoning the agreements reached on international platforms and between us.”

Armenia: Appeal Court Upholds Conscientious Objector’s Jail Term

Emil Lazarian
Feb 11 2024
   

By F18News

By Felix Corley

On 7 February, a panel of three judges at Yerevan’s Criminal Court of Appeal rejected Davit Nazaretyan’s appeal against his two-year jail term imposed in October 2023 for refusing military service on grounds of conscience. He is considering a further appeal to the Cassation Court in Yerevan. The 20-year-old Baptist will not be required to go to jail until any further appeal is heard.

Nazaretyan is the only conscientious objector known to be currently facing jail under Criminal Code Article 461, Part 1 (“Avoidance of mandatory military or alternative service or conscription”). 

Despite Baptist conscientious objector Nazaretyan’s repeated requests from June 2022 onwards for alternative civilian service, officials of the Conscription Service and of the Alternative Service Commission refused his application. On 25 October 2023, Yerevan’s Kentron District Court handed him a two-year jail term for “Avoidance of mandatory military or alternative service or conscription” (see below).

“The Criminal Court of Appeal left last October’s decision unchanged,” Nazaretyan’s pastor Mikhail Shubin told Forum 18 from Yerevan after the 7 February 2024 hearing. “He has one month to appeal. When he gets the decision in writing he will decide whether to appeal further” (see below)

Human rights defender Isabella Sargsyan of the Eurasia Partnership Foundation in Yerevan attended the appeal hearing. “This is very, very sad,” she told Forum 18 from Yerevan after the decision was announced. She said Nazaretyan was “very sincere” in setting out his position in court. “Davit set out very clearly that he does not consider himself guilty of any crime, that he has been in the church since childhood and that he is ready to perform alternative service” (see below).

“I am a Christian and I read the Bible,” Nazaretyan told Forum 18 from Yerevan on 7 November 2023. “Jesus Christ teaches us not to kill and he followed this also. We have to love one another, even our enemies, and not kill people.” He added that Jesus Christ also instructed his followers not to swear oaths. “If I was given alternative civilian service now, I would do it” (see below).

“The judges seemed to be prejudiced against the religious community,” Sarsgsyan said of the appeal hearing. “The court didn’t take into consideration any of Davit’s arguments about his right to alternative service, the decisions in similar cases of the European Court of Human Rights or anything else” (see below).

Sargsyan of the Eurasia Partnership Foundation noted that the prosecution did not attend the 7 February 2024 hearing. “The Court in its questioning of Davit stressed the expert opinion of the Theology Faculty of Yerevan State University, treating its opinion with some respect.” The Theology Faculty, led by an Armenian Apostolic Church Bishop, claimed that: “The creed of the Baptist Church and the analysis of the presented case materials allow us to state that Nazaretyan’s freedom of thought, conscience and religion would not be restricted by military service” (see below).

Nazaretyan’s Baptist pastor strongly disputes this claim by another religious community about his and his Church’s beliefs (see below).

Bishop Anushavan and a lecturer at the Theology Faculty repeatedly did not respond to Forum 18’s requests in November 2023 and on 8 February 2024 for comment. So Forum 18 was unable to find out why they offer views on beliefs they do not understand, and why they also offer views on a legally binding human rights obligation – the freedom of thought, conscience and belief – which they also do not understand (see below).

Forum 18 asked the three Appeal Court judges – Marine Melkonyan, Armen Bektashyan and Anna Matevosyan – on the afternoon of 8 February why they had not taken their decision in Nazaretyan’s case in the light of the jurisprudence (including in Armenian cases) of the European Court of Human Rights on the right to conscientious objection to military service, as part of the right to freedom of religion or belief. Forum 18 has not yet received any reply (see below).

Vahe Sarkisyan, head of Yerevan Garrison Military Prosecutor’s Office, defended the decision to bring the criminal case against Nazaretyan. “We have to respond if documents are sent to us,” he told Forum 18. “But it was the court which took the decision [to sentence him], not the Prosecutor’s Office.” He refused to answer any other questions by phone (see below).

Vardan Astsatryan of the government’s Department for Ethnic Minorities and Religious Affairs, who sits on the Alternative Service Commission, rejected suggestions that the Alternative Service Commission discriminated against conscientious objectors who are not Jehovah’s Witnesses. “We gave alternative service to a Molokan about five years ago,” he claimed to Forum 18 (see below).

Forum 18 asked the office of the Human Rights Defender Anahit Manasyan on 7 February about Nazaretyan’s case and what it is doing (if anything) to support him and others who cannot perform military service on grounds of conscience. An official said an appropriate colleague would respond with a comment. Forum 18 has received no reply (see below).

[UPDATE: In a statement sent to Forum 18 after 11 pm Yerevan time on 9 February, the Public Relations Department of the Human Rights Defender says that “no complaint has been submitted to the Human Rights Defender regarding the case of Davit Nazaretyan”. It notes that the Law On the Human Rights Defender states that “the Defender does not have the right to intervene in judicial proceedings or the exercise of judges’ powers in a specific case. Therefore, discussing the legality of the rendered judgment falls outside the scope of the powers assigned to the Human Rights Defender by law.” It insists that “the Defender stresses the importance of exercising the right to freedom of conscience and religion properly”, including “issues related to alternative service”. Despite talking of “daily activities” to resolve problems, it gives no information about any specific measures to defend the rights of all conscientious objectors to access alternative civilian service.]

The last known convicted conscientious objector, Maksim Telegin, a Molokan from Yerevan who had been refused alternative civilian service, was freed early from his one-year jail term in 2021 after three months. Jehovah’s Witnesses told Forum 18 that their young men do not have problems opting for alternative civilian service (see below).

Sargsyan of the Eurasia Partnership Foundation noted that Astsatryan of the Department for Ethnic Minorities and Religious Affairs is the only Commission member with expertise in the area of freedom of religion or belief. “So the Commission seems to follow his recommendation in each case. My experience suggests that government officials – except those who deal with human rights professionally – are not well educated in human rights issues, and often lead by their own perceptions and biases when dealing with matters related to minority rights,” Sargsyan noted (see below).

All men in Armenia are subject to conscription between the ages of 18 and 27. Deferments are available in strictly limited circumstances. Military service lasts for 24 months. Those subject to conscription can apply for service without weapons within the armed forces, which lasts 30 months, or for alternative civilian service, which lasts 36 months.

For many years, Armenia jailed those unable to perform military service on grounds of conscience, despite a commitment to the Council of Europe to introduce a civilian alternative to military service by January 2004. In May 2013, amendments to the 2003 Alternative Service Law and to the 2003 Law on Implementing the Criminal Code were passed, and a fully civilian alternative service was created. By November 2013, the authorities had freed all the then-jailed jailed conscientious objectors. All were Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Jehovah’s Witnesses told Forum 18 on 6 February 2024 that their young men do not have problems opting for alternative civilian service. Since 2013 hundreds of their young men have undertaken alternative civilian service.

The United Nations (UN) Human Rights Committee has stated in its General Comment 22 that conscientious objection to military service comes under International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) Article 18 (“Freedom of thought, conscience and religion”). General Comment 22 notes that if a religion or belief is official or followed by a majority of the population this “shall not result in any impairment of the enjoyment of any of the rights under the Covenant .. nor in any discrimination against adherents to other religions or non-believers.”

In relation to conscientious objection to military service, General Comment 22 also states among other things: “there shall be no differentiation among conscientious objectors on the basis of the nature of their particular beliefs; likewise, there shall be no discrimination against conscientious objectors because they have failed to perform military service.”

This has been reinforced by the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) recognising “the right of everyone to have conscientious objection to military service as a legitimate exercise of the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion”. The OHCHR has also noted in its Conscientious Objection to Military Service guide that ICCPR Article 18 is “a non-derogable right .. even during times of a public emergency threatening the life of the nation”.

In 2022 the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention stated (WGAD-HRC50) that “the right to conscientious objection to military service is part of the absolutely protected right to hold a belief under article 18 (1) of the Covenant, which cannot be restricted by States”. The Working Group also stated: “States should refrain from imprisoning individuals solely on the basis of their conscientious objection to military service, and should release those that have been so imprisoned.”

Various judgments (including against Armenia) of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) in Strasbourg have also defined states’ obligations to respect and implement the right to conscientious objection to military service, as part of the right to freedom of religion or belief.

Human rights defender Isabella Sargsyan of the Eurasia Partnership Foundation questions whether the Alternative Service Commission is competent to evaluate who should or should not be given alternative civilian service. “It is meant to be a public body, but in reality it is a fully government body, staffed mainly with deputy ministers not always knowledgeable or sensitive to human rights and minority issues,” she told Forum 18 in November 2023.

Sargsyan noted that Vardan Astsatryan of the Department for Ethnic Minorities and Religious Affairs is the only Commission member with expertise in the area of freedom of religion or belief.

“So the Commission seems to follow his recommendation in each case. My experience suggests that government officials – except those who deal with human rights professionally – are not well educated in human rights issues, and often lead by their own perceptions and biases when dealing with matters related to minority rights,” Sargsyan noted.

Davit Nazaretyan submitted his appeal against his two-year jail term imposed in October 2023 for refusing military service on grounds of conscience to Yerevan’s Criminal Court of Appeal. On 7 February 2024, a panel of three judges – Marine Melkonyan, Armen Bektashyan and Anna Matevosyan – rejected Nazaretyan’s appeal.

Nazaretyan will have one month from receiving the appeal court decision in writing to lodge a further appeal to the Cassation Court in Yerevan. He is considering a further appeal, and will not be required to go to jail until any further appeal is heard.

“The court left last November’s decision unchanged,” Nazaretyan’s pastor Mikhail Shubin told Forum 18 from Yerevan after the hearing. “He has one month to appeal. When he gets the decision in writing he will decide whether to appeal further.” The pastor added that about a dozen church members attended the appeal hearing in Nazaretyan’s support.

Human rights defender Sargsyan of the Eurasia Partnership Foundation in Yerevan also attended the appeal hearing. “This is very, very sad,” she told Forum 18 from Yerevan after the decision was announced. “Davit set out very clearly that he does not consider himself guilty of any crime, that he has been in the church since childhood and that he is ready to perform alternative service. He was very sincere.”

Sargsyan said the whole hearing was over in about 40 minutes, including 10 minutes while the judges withdrew to consider their decision. “It was all very rapid. The Judges didn’t get into the essence of the case. The judges seemed to be prejudiced against the religious community,” she added. “The court didn’t take into consideration any of Davit’s arguments about his right to alternative service, the decisions in similar cases of the European Court of Human Rights or anything else.”

Sargsyan noted that the prosecution did not attend the 7 February 2024 hearing. “The Court in its questioning of Davit stressed the expert opinion of the Theology Faculty of Yerevan State University, treating its opinion with some respect.” The Theology Faculty, led by an Armenian Apostolic Church Bishop, claimed that: “The creed of the Baptist Church and the analysis of the presented case materials allow us to state that Nazaretyan’s freedom of thought, conscience and religion would not be restricted by military service” (see below).

Nazaretyan’s Baptist pastor strongly disputes this claim by another religious community about his and his Church’s beliefs (see below).

Forum 18 asked the three Appeal Court judges – Melkonyan, Bektashyan and Matevosyan – on the afternoon of 8 February in writing why they had not taken their decision in Nazaretyan’s case in the light of the jurisprudence (including in Armenian cases) of the European Court of Human Rights on the right to conscientious objection to military service, as part of the right to freedom of religion or belief. Forum 18 had received no reply by the end of the working day in Yerevan of 8 February.

Vahe Sarkisyan, head of Yerevan Garrison Military Prosecutor’s Office, would not discuss with Forum 18 why no prosecutor had been sent to the appeal hearing.

Forum 18 asked the office of the Human Rights Defender Anahit Manasyan on 7 February about Nazaretyan’s case and what it is doing (if anything) to support him and others who cannot perform military service on grounds of conscience. An official said an appropriate colleague would respond with a comment. Forum 18 had received no reply by the end of the working day in Yerevan of 8 February.

Davit Tigrani Nazaretyan (born 23 July 2003) is the only conscientious objector known to be currently facing jail under Criminal Code Article 461, Part 1 (“Avoidance of mandatory military or alternative service or conscription”).

The last known convicted conscientious objector, Maksim Mikhaili Telegin (born 15 November 1998), a Molokan from Yerevan who had been refused alternative civilian service in 2016, was jailed for one year by Judge Tatevik Grigoryan at Yerevan City Court on 23 March 2021, according to court records. He was freed early from his jail term after about three months.

Molokans are followers of a Christian church which emerged in the Russian Empire in the late 18th century, and which is often compared to Protestant churches. Molokans conscientiously object to military service in any country they live in.

Telegin had applied for alternative civilian service on 23 August 2016, explaining that he is a Molokan and that his faith does not allow him to take up weapons. The Alternative Service Commission rejected his application, claiming that he “did not justify that his duty to undergo compulsory military service is in serious and weighty conflict with his conscience or deep and true religious belief or other beliefs”, according to the 2021 court verdict. The Commission claimed he sought alternative civilian service “for reasons of personal interest or convenience”.

Vardan Astsatryan, head of the Department for Ethnic Minorities and Religious Affairs, was one of the five Commission members who unanimously rejected Telegin’s application for alternative civilian service.

On 14 June 2018, the Administrative Court rejected Telegin’s challenge to the Alternative Service Commission rejection.

Military prosecutors had already launched a criminal case against Telegin under Article 327, Part 1 of the then Criminal Code. (A new Criminal Code came into force on 1 July 2022.) On 12 July 2019, Yerevan Garrison Military Prosecutor’s Office finally sent the case to court. In 2020 the judge in the case was removed and Judge Grigoryan took over the case.

Telegin set out in court his objection to serving in the military. “Defendant Maksim Telegin testified during the trial that his religion forbids taking up arms and swearing an oath, so he cannot go to military service,” the 2021 verdict – seen by Forum 18 – notes. “He himself is guided by the Gospel, where it says that it is forbidden to carry weapons or to take an oath. He stated that since he is a faithful Christian, he cannot violate the message in the Gospel.”

Astsatryan of the Department for Ethnic Minorities and Religious Affairs would not discuss Telegin’s case. But he insisted that decisions to accept or reject applications for alternative civilian service are taken by the Alternative Service Commission which listens to the cases presented to it.

Astsatryan rejected suggestions that the Commission discriminated against conscientious objectors who are not Jehovah’s Witnesses. “We gave alternative service to a Molokan about five years ago,” he told Forum 18 on 8 February 2024. He was unable to give the young man’s name or say exactly when he was given alternative civilian service.

Vahe Sarkisyan, head of Yerevan Garrison Military Prosecutor’s Office, refused to discuss with Forum 18 on 8 February 2024 why his office had brought the criminal case against Telegin.

Davit Nazaretyan lives in the capital Yerevan and is a member of a Council of Churches Baptist congregation in Arinj, a town next to Yerevan. The congregation – which chooses not to seek state registration – is led by Pastor Mikhail Shubin.

Despite his repeated requests for alternative civilian service, officials of the Conscription Service and of the Alternative Service Commission refused Nazaretyan’s application. On 25 October, Judge Gagik Pogosyan of Yerevan’s Kentron District Court handed the 20-year-old a two-year jail term for “Avoidance of mandatory military or alternative service or conscription”.

“Davit asked for alternative civilian service,” Baptist Pastor Shubin – who attended the trial and the appeal hearing with other Baptists – told Forum 18. “If the law allows this, why didn’t they give it to him? If an individual’s conscientious views do not allow him to carry weapons or swear the oath, why didn’t they give him alternative service?”

Judge Pogosyan’s assistant refused to put Forum 18 through to the Judge to find out why he jailed an individual who could not serve in the military on grounds of conscience and who is ready to perform alternative civilian service. “Everything is written in the verdict,” the assistant – who did not give his name – told Forum 18.

“I am a Christian and I read the Bible,” Nazaretyan told Forum 18. “Jesus Christ teaches us not to kill and he followed this also. We have to love one another, even our enemies, and not kill people.” He added that Jesus Christ also instructed his followers not to swear oaths. “If I was given alternative civilian service now, I would do it.”

Forum 18 was unable to ask Serop Armenakyan of Yerevan’s No. 2 Regional Division of the Conscription Service why he had refused to accept Nazaretyan’s application for alternative civilian service in July 2022. The duty officer told Forum 18 that Armenakyan was out of the office. He insisted that “all here work according to the law”. He added that decisions on whether to grant alternative civilian service are taken not by the local office of the Conscription Service but by the Alternative Service Commission.

In early 2023, while the criminal investigation was already underway, officials summoned Nazaretyan to the Alternative Service Commission. This is a state body made up of deputy ministers from a range of ministries, as well as Vardan Astsatryan of the Department for Ethnic Minorities and Religious Affairs. On 23 January, it accepted all the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ applications for alternative civilian service, but rejected Nazaretyan’s.

Arkady Cherchinyan, head of the Territorial Management and Infrastructure Ministry’s Administrative Control Department, who officials said was in charge of alternative service issues at the Ministry, told Forum 18 that he had not participated in the 23 January meetings with applicants for alternative civilian service and refused to discuss anything.

Asked why the Commission rejected Nazaretyan’s application, Astsatryan of the Department for Ethnic Minorities and Religious Affairs said he does not remember the name. “If he has these views he should have presented them,” he told Forum 18 in November 2023.

On 8 February 2024, Astsatryan claimed to Forum 18 that the Commission rejected Nazaretyan’s application as it had not been convinced by his case. “Why couldn’t he present his views convincingly?”

Forum 18 told Astsatryan that in November 2023, Nazaretyan had clearly and logically explained his conscientious reasons why he could not serve in the military and his readiness to perform alternative civilian service. Yet Astsatryan claimed again that Nazaretyan had not been able to explain this to the Commission

Investigator Arsen Topchyan handed documents on Nazaretyan’s case to the Theology Faculty of Yerevan State University and asked it to review his religious views. The Theology Faculty is led by Bishop Anushavan Jamkochyan of the Armenian Apostolic Church.

On 17 April 2023 the Faculty claimed that the case materials on Nazaretyan’s religious affiliation were allegedly “contradictory”. Despite admitting that Nazaretyan regularly attends a Baptist Church with his family, the Theological Faculty claimed: “We conclude from all this that Nazaretyan’s religious worldview is either not clearly formed, or he himself does not clearly know what religious affiliation he has. We also do not rule out that his statements are opportunistic.”

The Theology Faculty also claimed: “The creed of the Baptist Church and the analysis of the presented case materials allow us to state that Nazaretyan’s freedom of thought, conscience and religion would not be restricted by military service.”

However, Pastor Shubin says that he and his Church think that decisions on whether or not church members should serve in the military are “a personal decision for each church member based on their conscience”, he told Forum 18 in November 2023. “We support Davit in his decision.”

Bishop Anushavan and a lecturer at the Theology Faculty repeatedly did not respond to Forum 18’s requests in November 2023 and on 8 February 2024 for comment. So Forum 18 was unable to find out why they offer views on beliefs they do not understand, and why they also offer views on a legally binding human rights obligation – the freedom of thought, conscience and belief – which they also do not understand.

Investigator Topchyan confirmed to Forum 18 that he had been the investigator in Nazaretyan’s case. But he refused to explain why he handed case materials to and asked for an assessment of Nazaretyan’s religious beliefs from the Theology Faculty, which is led by a member of another religious community. It also remains unclear why he sought views on the implementation of Armenia’s legally binding human rights obligations from a group which does not understand Armenia’s obligations.

As Investigator Topchyan refused to discuss the case in October 2023 and on 8 November 2024 did not answer his phone, Forum 18 was also not able to ask him why he thought Armenia’s international human rights obligation to respect the rights of conscientious objectors to military service should not apply in Nazaretyan’s case.

Anna Barsegyan of Yerevan Garrison Military Prosecutor’s Office, who led the case, including in court, did not in November 2023 answer Forum 18’s questions about why she brought the criminal case against Nazaretyan when he cannot serve in the armed forces because of his conscientious beliefs.

Forum 18 believes that religious freedom is a fundamental human right, which is essential for the dignity of humanity and for true freedom.

Book: The Sheikhs’ Inheritors: A family saga without a plot

Emil Lazarian
Egypt – Feb 11 2024
Hesham Taha, Sunday 11 Feb 2024

Warathit Aal Al-Shaikh (The Sheikhs' Inheritors) is not only a novel but also a family saga written by Ahmed Al-Qarmalawi, published by Al-Dar Al-Arabiya Lil-Kitab in 2020.

Ahmed Al-Qarmalawi constructed his fifth novel on a vision passed from one generation to another about a hidden treasure in the form of seven tall clay jars full of gold, buried underneath the family house and guarded by a fallen hair monkey, which will give it to the rightful descendent, named Mohammed, among seven descendants bearing the same name!

It is not just a novel but rather a family saga, intertwined with the efforts of the narrator Ahmed, who works as an engineer like the author, to emigrate from Egypt to Australia after the failure of the 2011 Revolution.

This thinly veiled semi-autobiography is so packed with numerous characters to a confusing extent and comprises some vignettes with varying degrees of quality. One unforgettable vignette is when Nashaat, an army officer, who is almost one of the narrator’s grandfathers, returned wounded from Palestine during WWI, taking full pride in defeating the Turks. Being a Turk, his mother had ambivalent feelings towards this; she was happy for her son’s return. At the same time, he trounced those who are symbolically his forefathers! Another vignette was when an aunt of the narrator’s father brought from between her legs a bat which she caught and which deprived the narrator of sleep in the country house.

A third one, the most harrowing episode, is when the Cairo Police Commissioner Sedqi Bek, who is also almost one of the narrator’s grandfathers, went to his brother-in-law’s palace along with a company of soldiers, tied him, killed his horses, and seized his precious horse in revenge for strangulating Neamat, his sister, to satisfy his sadistic desires. The bright side is when Neamat, who was below 18 years old when she got married and remained unmarried until her death, resided in the country house (the one with the aforementioned vision). During his life, her father bequeathed her a large piece of land, upon which she built this house. Then, she started to rent lands to peasants and thrived when her nephew came and managed these lands.

After that comes the love affair of epic proportions between Nashaat, the wounded army officer, and Lilit, a neighbouring Armenian girl, who fled with her mother after the reported Armenian genocide in Turkey. His commanding officer gave him a gift: two telephone sets, a leftover from the British troops at the end of WWI, which was a wonder at the time. He used them in talking to his lover after training her how to use them. He used to accompany her to Port Said by train with all his military regalia pretending to be a high-ranking military officer escorting a princess visiting the city, which became a reception point for Armenians fleeing the Turks. Although Armenians were wary of Nashaat, being a Muslim officer, he gained their trust when he recounted his victory against the Turks. Unfortunately, this affair did not end in marriage because the Armenian Orthodox priest, who wanted to terminate this relationship, told Lilit to ask Nashaat to convert to Christianity.   

A tragic episode occurred when one of Mohammed's family burnt down the hut of Ephraim, a Jewish photographer, which he used as a studio, in revenge for refusing to return photos he took for Zubeida, his beloved cousin. Ephraim instructed a group of Jewish youth to start a brawl with Mohammed, through harassing his sister, which resulted in losing an eye.

Zubeida, who used to look down upon her female cousins viewing herself as much more refined and who eagerly wanted to be a fashion model in the West, was an enchanting beauty who did not care a bit for her cousin’s love. She got married to Shaher, a truly smart engineer, who provided her with a velvet dreamlike life, only to be shaken to the core by his premature death. She never got married again!

On the other hand, Fadel, Mohammed’s father, suffered a psychological breakdown when his wife humiliated him for not executing a severe punishment upon his son’s attackers. As a result, he left the house and used to return to it occasionally. He became a Sufi and led an ascetic life, roaming about many mosques.

Being the only child, Ahmed, the narrator, was torn between leaving his mother and father, who are cousins, and his home country while his financial fortunes were dwindling monthly and emigrating. He was also struggling with his wife and father-in-law, who was a former high-ranking police officer and viewed the 2011 Revolution as a conspiracy against the state.

Ahmed was also striving to persuade his wife of the idea of emigration, which he finally decided to embark on solely.   

The final pages show that the hidden treasure was the oil discovered and excavated by the government in the family land!

As a conclusion, the number of successes in this family saga is outweighed by the tragedies. Although the novel is comprised of 43 chapters, the author put number 44 on a blank page, alluding to an open end or denoting that the narrator/author did not write it because he did not live it to relate it!

Al-Qarmalawi won the Sheikh Zayed Book Award in 2017 for his novel “Summer Rains.”

The novelist was so keen to tell the story apparently of his family at the expense of a robust novel. One felt that certain episodes should have been excluded totally or at least abridged.   

Armenpress: World leaders react to King Charles III cancer diagnosis

Emil Lazarian

 10:02, 6 February 2024

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 6, ARMENPRESS. UK’s King Charles has been diagnosed with a 'form of cancer' and will postpone public engagements to undergo treatment, Buckingham Palace said on Monday, but added he remained 'wholly positive' about the scare less than 18 months into his reign.

Several world leaders expressed their best wishes and hopes for the king to make a speedy recovery.

Charles, 75, who became king in September 2022 following the death of his mother Queen Elizabeth, has begun a series of treatments, the palace said, adding he was looking forward to returning to fulltime duties as soon as possible.

The cancer revelation comes after Charles spent three nights in hospital last month where he underwent a corrective procedure for a benign enlarged prostate, Reuters reports. 

The palace said a separate issue of concern had been spotted during that hospital stay, but did not given any further details beyond saying tests had revealed the king had a "form of cancer".

"No further details are being shared at this stage, except to confirm that his majesty does not have prostate cancer," the palace said.

UK PM Rishi Sunak sent his best wishes to the King on X. "I have no doubt he'll be back to full strength in no time and I know the whole country will be wishing him well," he said.

The leaders of Australia and Canada, where Charles is also head of state, expressed their best wishes and hopes for the king to make a speedy recovery, while U.S. President Joe Biden said he was concerned by the news and planned to call Charles later.

"Navigating a cancer diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship takes hope and absolute courage," Biden said. "Jill and I join the people of the United Kingdom in praying that His Majesty experiences a swift and full recovery."

French President Emmanuel Macron also sent best wishes to the King on X.

The monarch told his immediate family personally about his cancer diagnosis, and Prince Harry, his younger son, will travel to the UK to see him in the coming days, Reuters cited a source close to the Duke of Sussex as saying.

Armenian Embassy in Greece hosts Army Day reception

Emil Lazarian

 16:42,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 10, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian Embassy in Greece on February 9 hosted a reception on the occasion of the 32nd anniversary of the establishment of the Armed Forces of Armenia.

In his remarks, Ambassador of Armenia to Greece Tigran Mkrtchyan underscored that the Armenian military’s modernization and reformation are unavoidable. He said that the purpose of the military reforms is to ensure the security of Armenia. The Ambassador attached great importance to the defense cooperation with Greece and Cyprus because “Armenia needs reliable partners,” the embassy said in a press release.

Lieutenant Colonel Armen Mirzabekyan, the Armenian Ministry of Defense representative in Greece and Cyprus, also delivered remarks at the event. Noting the inevitability of military reforms in the context of current security developments, the military official attached importance to international cooperation, including in the Armenia-Greece and Armenia-Greece-Cyprus formats. Mirzabekyan underscored the presence of Armenian cadets in Greek military academies in the context of their mission in the Armenian military reforms.

Armenia seeks to have direct flights with Hungary, ambassador recaps President Khachaturyan’s visit

Emil Lazarian

 09:56, 9 February 2024

BUDAPEST, FEBRUARY 9, ARMENPRESS. Armenian President Vahagn Khachaturyan’s official visit to Hungary was highly important for the bilateral relations between the two countries, according to Armenian Ambassador to Hungary Ashot Smbatyan.

Khachaturyan was in Hungary February 5-7. He was received by President Katalin Novak. 

Armenia and Hungary agreed to restore diplomatic relations in 2022, ten years after the ties were severed by the Serzh Sargsyan Administration after Budapest extradited Ramil Safarov, the convicted murderer of Armenian officer Gurgen Margaryan, to Baku.

“President Vahagn Khachaturyan’s official visit will play an important role and will be significant for the relations of the two countries. I believe that with the Armenian President’s official visit, the Hungarian side signaled that the relations between the two countries should become stronger,” the Ambassador said.

Khachaturyan met with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on February 7. He also met with Speaker of Parliament László Kövér. 

Smbatyan said that two agreements in the sector of education and culture were signed during the visit.

President Khachaturyan visited the Pázmány Péter Catholic University in Budapest.

The Armenian State Pedagogical University and the Pázmány Péter Catholic University, which has a Department of Armenian Studies, signed an agreement on cooperation. Ambassador Smbatyan said that the Pázmány Péter Catholic University has plans on opening a Center of Hungarian Studies in the Armenian university, which was welcomed by the latter.

The Ambassador highlighted President Khachaturyan’s meeting with members of the Armenian community in Hungary. Hungary is one of the two countries in Europe where the Armenian community has a special role and status on a legislative level, the other being Romania.

“I think that historical commonalities are very deep, and the Armenians of Transylvania have a unique role in the history of Hungary, which Hungary values,” the Ambassador said.

Smbatyan noted that the Hungarian Wizz Air airline has a very active flight schedule in Armenia. The Armenian government is now working to achieve direct flights between Hungary and Armenia, furthermore not only from Budapest to Yerevan but also to Gyumri. “The Armenian side is now working in this direction. But of course, this depends on what decision the airline will make.” Direct flights between the two countries would boost tourism, he added.

Hungarian President Katalin Novák said at a joint press conference with Armenian President Vahagn Khachaturyan that Hungary plans to open a consulate in Yerevan. The Armenian Ambassador commended the announcement and said, “I think and I hope that there will be a corresponding step from the Armenian side as well.”

The Armenian Ambassador attached importance to Khachaturyan’s visit to Hungary also in terms of developing ties with the EU, given that Budapest will assume the EU presidency on July 1, 2024.

“President Khachaturyan, during the joint press conference, invited the President of Hungary to visit Armenia, and the Hungarian side accepted the invitation. I think that this year we will also see Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan’s official visit to Hungary,” the Ambassador said, adding that the Hungarian Speaker of Parliament has invited his Armenian counterpart to pay a visit.

“These bilateral, high-level visits will definitely have a significant role in deepening the relations between the two countries,” Ambassador Smbatyan said.

Armenia ready for EU-mediated talks with Azerbaijan – lawmaker

Emil Lazarian

 12:15, 9 February 2024

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 9, ARMENPRESS. Armenia has reiterated its readiness to resume negotiations with Azerbaijan under EU mediation, Member of Parliament representing Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s Civil Contract Party Artur Hovhannisyan has said.

The MP, however, emphasized that there is no clarity at this moment on the resumption of talks.

“Naturally, the Republic of Armenia also favors the resumption of the talks in that format because the Armenian agenda’s priority is the establishment of peace in the region,” Hovhannisyan said. 

Azerbaijan has recently refused to participate in EU and US mediated talks with Armenia, despite having reached several agreements under EU mediation in the past. However, on February 8, President of the European Council Charles Michel said on X that he called Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to congratulate him on his re-election and that he welcomes Azerbaijan’s commitment to take part in trilateral talks in Brussels.