Monday,
Armenia’s Former Top Investigator Released In Russia After Brief Arrest
• Naira Bulghadarian
Vahagn Harutiunian, former head of the investigative group on 2008 post-election
events
A former senior investigator wanted in Armenia as part of a probe into the 2008
crackdown on the opposition has been released after a brief arrest in Russia,
his lawyer Mihran Poghosian said.
On Sunday, the Armenian prosecutor-general’s adviser Gor Abrahamian told
RFE/RL’s Armenian Service (Azatutyun.am) that Vahagn Harutiunian had been
arrested by the Russian police that informed Armenian law-enforcement agencies
about this.
The official added that Armenia planned to initiate a process for Harutiunian’s
extradition soon.
Harutiunian resigned as deputy chief of Armenia’s Special Investigation Service
(SIS) and left for Russia, ostensibly for medical treatment, in July 2018, three
months after Armenia’s “Velvet Revolution.”
He was first accused of forging factual evidence to cover up the Armenian army’s
alleged involvement in the post-election violence. Later, the SIS also charged
him with two counts of abuse of power also stemming from the long-running probe
of the 2008 unrest.
Harutiunian rejects all accusations leveled against him as baseless and illegal.
Eight protesters and two police servicemen died in Yerevan on March 1-2, 2008 as
security forces broke up opposition demonstrations against alleged fraud in the
February 2008 presidential election.
The former Armenian authorities accused the opposition of organizing the “mass
disturbances” in a bid to seize power. They jailed dozens of opposition figures,
including the country’s current Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian, on corresponding
charges.
The SIS radically changed the official version of events shortly after the 2018
revolution which brought Pashinian to power. It charged former President Robert
Kocharian and three retired army generals with illegally using the Armenian
armed forces against the protesters. Kocharian was taken into custody. All four
men, whose trial began last year, deny the accusations.
Armenian Referendum Delayed Due To State Of Emergency
Armenia -- Campaign banners urging Armenians to vote for constitutional changes
sought by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian, Yerevan, March 5, 2020.
A constitutional referendum originally scheduled in Armenia for April 5 will be
delayed after the country’s authorities declared a 30-day state of emergency
over the novel coronavirus outbreak on Monday.
“Under Armenian legislation, a referendum cannot take place in conditions of a
state of emergency. The referendum will take place no sooner than 50 and no
later than 65 days after the end of the state of emergency,” Prime Minister
Nikol Pashinian said in parliament today.
In the referendum Armenians are to be asked to vote on a constitutional
amendment that would lead to the dismissal of seven of the Constitutional
Court’s nine members installed before nationwide protests swept Pashinian to
power in 2018.
The seven, including Constitutional Court Chairman Hrayr Tovmasian, would be
replaced by judges to be confirmed by the National Assembly, in which
Pashinian’s My Step alliance holds a majority.
Originally, campaigning in Armenia’s referendum began on February 17. Prime
Minister Pashinian got actively engaged in street campaigning earlier this
month. He took a vacation on March 10 to start a series of campaign rallies in
provinces, but interrupted it and returned to work two days later after the
number of coronavirus patients in Armenia had risen to six.
Parliamentary opposition parties then called for the suspension of the campaign.
Edmon Marukian, the leader of the Bright Armenia party, also spoke in favor of
the government introducing a state of emergency.
On Sunday, Pashinian took a coronavirus test after one of the persons he had a
contact with on his campaign trip had tested positive. The Armenian prime
minister reported last night that the test came back negative.
As of March 16, Armenia’s health authorities have confirmed 45 coronavirus cases
in the country. One patient has recovered, and more than 300 people remain in
quarantine. There have been no deaths from the disease caused by the virus in
Armenia yet.
Armenia Declares State Of Emergency Over Coronavirus Outbreak
The Armenian Government convened for a special meeting on to
declare a month-long state of emergency
Citing the need to contain the further spread of a potentially deadly novel
coronavirus, the Armenian government on Monday declared a state of emergency,
introducing a range of limitations for Armenian citizens and partially
prohibiting entry into the country for foreigners.
According to the decision, the state of emergency will last for 30 days
beginning at 6:30 pm on March 16.
“The decision comes into effect upon the publication of its text,” said Prime
Minister Nikol Pashinian after his cabinet unanimously voted to endorse the
decision.
The government then presented the decision at a special session of parliament
dominated by members of Pashinian’s My Step alliance.
After several hours of debate none of the three parliamentary factions raised
any objections to the state of emergency or proposed amendments to the decision
on its introduction. Parliament Speaker Ararat Mirzoyan said this meant that the
decision was considered approved by parliament and no vote was needed to be
taken.
Addressing Armenian lawmakers, Pashinian said that at this moment the greatest
risk is connected with the most recently identified coronavirus patient, who is
employed by a large production enterprise in Yerevan. “I think we’ve managed to
outline the scope of his contacts, but you cannot be absolutely sure in such
cases and this is one of the reasons for declaring a state of emergency,” the
prime minister said, without naming the enterprise.
“I want to assure you that the government of Armenia will refrain from applying
any restrictions not emanating from the situation and that we will do everything
for the state of emergency, which will last until April 14, to be as justified
and efficient as possible in terms of curbing the spread of the coronavirus,”
Pashinian added.
Under the constitution, referendums cannot be held in conditions of a state of
emergency, meaning that the constitutional referendum scheduled for April 5 will
have to be delayed.
In presenting the decision Justice Minister Rustam Badasian said that
Vice-Premier Tigran Avinian, who has so far led government efforts to contain
the spread of the disease, will be placed in charge of coordinating measures
connected with the state of emergency.
According to the declared state of emergency, Armenian citizens will be allowed
to leave the country only by plane on condition that upon their return they will
be placed under quarantine or self-quarantine. Entry for foreigners is to be
restricted upon recommendations of the Health Ministry based on the current
epidemiological situations in countries or territories in question. All arrivals
in Armenia will be screened for their health condition and placed under
quarantine if they exhibit coronavirus-like symptoms.
Under the decision, authorities are also empowered to set up checkpoints around
Armenia, restricting travel of citizens based on the results of medical
screenings for coronavirus-like symptoms.
Assemblies and strikes are to be prohibited throughout Armenia. “Mass events”
involving more than 20 people, including religious ceremonies, concerts,
exhibitions, displays, theater performances, sports, cultural, educational and
entertainment events, celebrations and memorial services, can also be banned
under the provisions of the state of emergency.
The measure also implies the possibility of regulation of attendance at family
occasions like weddings, birthday parties and funerals upon decisions by the
authorities.
The coordinator of the state of emergency is also empowered to prohibit the
activities of public catering facilities, trade and entertainment centers in
designated communities.
Schools, universities and kindergartens will remain closed, with remote learning
options allowed.
Under the terms of the state of emergency, limitations are also introduced for
visits and parcels sent to prisons and military units to preclude the spread of
the virus inside these closed institutions.
Citing the need to prevent “panic-mongering”, the government has decided that
media reports and posts in social media on some specific aspects of the
coronavirus-related situation will have to reflect official reports, and that
information reported “in violation of the provisions of this clause must be
subject to immediate removal by persons who reported it.”
The measure come after the number of cases originally brought to Armenia from
Iran, Italy and France reached 45 on March 16, with about two dozen of them
linked to a single community.
Late on Sunday Armenia’s authorities already stepped up control in Vagharshapat
(Echmiadzin), a town with a population of some 45,000 situated about 20
kilometers to the west of capital Yerevan.
Exits from Vagharshapat have been limited to only three, with medical screening
of commuters conducted at checkpoints to prevent the possible spread of the
disease.
Armenia - Medical workers screen citizens for coronavirus-like symptoms before
allowing exit from Vagharshapat,
Traffic congestions were reported in Vagharshapat’s streets leading outside the
town on Monday morning.
Vagharshapat’s mayor Diana Gasparian called on local residents to stay at home
and travel only if absolutely necessary.
Earlier today Armenian Prime Minister Pashinian called on citizens to remain
calm. He said that the country has a sufficient supply of food to last it for at
least a month even in the unlikely event of all supply chains being cut because
of the global pandemic. He asked citizens not to resort to “panic buying.”
The prime minister also assured the public that, if necessary, his government
has the capacity to provide more means and effort to ensure due quarantines for
those suspected of having been affected by the virus.
Earlier on March 16, 67 Armenian citizens evacuated on a charter flight from
coronavirus-hit Italy were placed under 14-day quarantine in addition to about
300 already being quarantined in Armenia.
At the government meeting today Prime Minister Pashinian also announced that
Armenia and Russia have decided to limit mutual travels of citizens for a period
of two weeks.
Earlier, Armenia also tightened controls at its borders with Iran and Georgia.
Armenians Evacuated From Coronavirus-Hit Italy
Emergency services at standby at Zvartnots Airport in Yerevan ready to receive
Armenian citizens arriving on a charter flight from Rome, Italy,
Armenia has evacuated dozens of its citizens from coronavirus-hit Italy on board
a plane operating a charter flight that arrived in Yerevan from Rome early on
March 16.
The Armenian government published a video on Monday showing passengers, all of
them wearing protective masks, getting off the plain in Yerevan’s Zvartnots
Airport.
Medics in protective gear and other emergency services met the 67 passengers, of
all whom are said to have been placed under 14-day quarantine.
Another video published by Armenian Health Minister Arsen Torosian late on
Sunday showed that all passengers had been given protective masks before
boarding the plane in Rome.
In announcing the arrangement of the charter flight last week, the Armenian
government said all of its passengers would be immediately isolated and
quarantined to prevent the possible penetration of more of the potentially
deadly virus into Armenia from Italy.
“The plane arrived at Zvartnots several hours late, but all was good. There had
been no emergencies during the flight. No one had fever upon arrival. The rest
will be according to the initially announced plan,” Minister Torosian said.
According to the Armenian government’s decision, from now on all passengers
arriving in Armenia from European countries, including Italy, where the
coronavirus risks are assessed as high will also have to be placed under
quarantine or quarantine themselves at their homes.
Last month the Armenian government also evacuated dozens of citizens from Iran,
which has also been hit hard by the new coronavirus declared by the World Health
Organization a global pandemic last week.
So far Armenia has confirmed 30 cases of the new coronavirus also known as
COVID-19, with one patient declared cured.
Most of the cases transmitted locally are linked to a woman who had come from
Italy earlier this month and presumably spread the virus at a family occasion in
Echmiadzin, a town of 45,000 residents situated some 20 kilometers to the west
of capital Yerevan.
The Armenian government blocked most of the exits from Echmiadzin late on
Sunday, saying that medical screening will be conducted at the remaining three
exit points and those having fever will be asked to return home and temporarily
isolate themselves from the public.
In a live broadcast on Facebook early on Monday Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian
said his government will hold consultations later today on the possibility of
introducing a state of emergency in Armenia or in parts of the country most
affected by the novel coronavirus.
“If as a result of these consultations we decide that it is necessary to declare
a statement of emergency in the republic or in parts of it, this decision will
be made,” the prime minister said.
Pashinian Again Tests Negative For Coronavirus
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian during a live broadcast on Facebook,
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian has decided to end his self-isolation in
Sevan and return to Yerevan after testing negative for the novel coronavirus for
the second time within two days.
Pashinian underwent another test for the highly contagious and potential deadly
disease after one of the persons he had contacts with during his trip to a
southern Armenian province as part of a constitutional referendum campaign last
week had tested positive.
“The answer to our tests is negative again. Coming back to Yerevan in the
morning,” Pashinian wrote in a Facebook post during the night referring to the
results of his test and the test of his wife Anna Hakobian.
The couple had first decided to isolate themselves in a government villa at Lake
Sevan late on Friday and undergo coronavirus tests after local media raised
concerns about Hakobian’s contacts with the wife of President of Brazil Jair
Bolsonaro during a visit to that Latin American country on March 7. The
Brazilian leader has since said he tested negative for the virus after it was
discovered that an aide and another senior government official were infected.
Pashinian’s and Hakobian’s first tests also came back negative.
Earlier last week, citing risks to public health posed by the novel coronavirus
infection, Pashinian suspended his political campaign ahead of next month’s
constitutional referendum. He said his government will be in discussions on what
to do about the referendum scheduled on April 5 and the possibility of declaring
a state of emergency in some parts of the country over the coronavirus outbreak
on Monday and in the coming days.
“No political goal can be above public health,” Pashinian said.
In the referendum Armenians are to be asked to vote on a constitutional
amendment that would lead to the dismissal of seven of the Constitutional
Court’s nine members installed before nationwide protests swept Pashinian to
power in 2018.
The seven, including Constitutional Court Chairman Hrayr Tovmasian, would be
replaced by judges to be confirmed by the National Assembly, in which
Pashinian’s My Step bloc holds a majority.
As of Sunday, Armenia’s health authorities confirmed 28 coronavirus cases in the
country. They said the first patient hospitalized on March 1 had recovered from
the disease.
Reprinted on ANN/Armenian News with permission from RFE/RL
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