Author: Emil Lazarian

Russian peacekeepers visit Dadivank

 09:45, 8 February, 2022

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 8, ARMENPRESS. The servicemen of the Russian peacekeeping force in Nagorno Karabakh visited the Dadivank Monastic Complex, the Russian Ministry of Defense said in a press release.

The abbot introduced the history of the 12th century monastic complex to the peacekeepers.

The Russian Ministry of Defense noted that Dadivank is one of the biggest complexes of medieval Armenia. It is named Dadivank after St. Dadi, a disciple of Thaddeus the Apostle who spread Christianity in eastern Armenia.

 10:02, 8 February, 2022

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 8, ARMENPRESS. US figure skater Nathan Chen set a new world record in the short program at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, reports TASS.

Chen scored 113.97 points. The previous world record was set during the 2020 Four Continents Figure Skating Championships by Japan’s Yuzuru Hanyu (111.82 points).

 10:30, 8 February, 2022

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 8, ARMENPRESS. Human Rights Defender Arman Tatoyan had a meeting with Ambassador of the United Kingdom to Armenia John Gallagher, discussing a number of issues relating to human rights, the Ombudsman’s Office said.

Arman Tatoyan introduced the Ambassador on the problems existing in the judiciary.

Protection of rights of women and children were also discussed. The Ombudsman said that during the COVID-19-related restrictions in Armenia a working group has been formed at his Office dealing with the protection of women’s, children’s rights, the prevention of domestic violence. He also presented the current challenges in the field of the protection of rights of children.

The meeting sides also highlighted the role of reporters in guaranteeing freedom of speech and ruling out hate speech.

Tatoyan also presented to the Ambassador the violations of rights of Armenia’s border residents by the Azerbaijani armed forces, with concrete facts and examples. He emphasized the urgency of the return of Armenian captives illegally held in Azerbaijan, as well as the fact that those people are held there for political and military interests, for trade purposes.

The Ombudsman said the Azerbaijani armed forces must be withdrawn from the roads near to the Armenian villages, sometimes even near to the houses of the residents, and stressed the necessity of creating a demilitarized security zone.

Arman Tatoyan highlighted UK’s role in the field of human rights, as well as the cooperation with the British human rights institutions.

In his turn the UK Ambassador highly appreciated the high quality of the cooperation with the Armenian Ombudsman, as well as expressed readiness for further joint work.

 11:23, 8 February, 2022

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 8, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Minister of Defense Suren Papikyan visited several military bases in the southern parts of the country on February 7.

Papikyan inspected the ongoing construction works and the training of the on-duty personnel.

The Defense Minister particularly focused on the social conditions at the barracks, and the food supply.

On the same day, Papikyan visited the Zangezur Garrison Hospital, which is equipped with modern medical devices and necessary medications.

The Defense Minister talked with servicemembers who are receiving treatment at the hospital and wished them speedy recovery.

 13:14, 9 February, 2022

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 9, ARMENPRESS. NATO’s military build-up on the territory of neighboring countries creates threats to Belarus and Russia and impacts security of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), CSTO Secretary General Stanislav Zas said at the Valdai International Discussion Club, reports TASS.

“NATO is substantially building up its forces on the western borders of the zone of the CSTO’s responsibility and developing military infrastructure on adjacent territories”, the CSTO chief said at the Valdai Club’s conference titled: “Collective Security in a New Era: the CSTO’s Experience and Prospects.”

“Military activity is increasing and militarization of the whole region is actually underway. This creates threats not only to Belarus and Russia but adversely affects the provision of security of our entire organization, the CSTO,” Zas said. “I have the audacity to state this on behalf of the entire organization because this is what is written in the CSTO’s development strategy through 2025,”, the post-Soviet security bloc’s chief said.

 14:46, 9 February, 2022

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 9, ARMENPRESS. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev signed into law the bill on adopting new media restrictions in the country, with many experts viewing it as a crackdown on independent press.

The bill has received criticism from journalists who fear that it will restrict the freedom of the press and its access to public information.

The new law requires journalists to fit specific criteria (lack of criminal record; higher education, etc.)

The law stipulates that a centralized state registry will be created to register journalists and media outlets.

The registration of journalists and media entities is voluntary — however, those who refuse to register forfeit the right to access information from public authorities or attend government events and press conferences, according to OC Media.

Moreover, political parties can from now on only run printed press, while local news outlets are banned from receiving foreign funding.

According to a December article in Eurasianet, the new law will also require owners of media outlets to live in Azerbaijan, “which would effectively ban many of the country’s independent media which are run by Azerbaijanis who fled the country’s already repressive media environment.”

 17:17, 9 February, 2022

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 9, ARMENPRESS. Denmark’s Queen Margrethe has tested positive for coronavirus but is only showing mild symptoms, Reuters reports citing the statement of the royal court.

The 81-year old Queen, who has sat on the throne for half a century, had cancelled her planned winter holiday in Norway which should have started on Wednesday and was isolating in a wing of the Amalienborg Palace in the heart of Copenhagen, the court said.

 12:58, 8 February, 2022

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 8, ARMENPRESS. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia responded to President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko’s remarks on Armenia. 

“Surely, the Belarusian president’s unique geopolitical analyses are aimed first of all at serving domestic political agenda and have nothing to do with Armenia and its foreign policy,” Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Vahan Hunanyan said in a statement.

In a recent interview, Lukashenko said the Union State between Russia and Belarus should expand and include most of the ex-Soviet republics. Particularly, speaking on Armenia, he said “Armenia has nowhere to run…..what, you think anyone needs them? They have already seen it, Nikol Vovayevich [Pashinyan] has already seen it.”