Author: Hagop Kamalian

US-based StopAntisemitism organization ‘horrified’ by article published in Azerbaijani newspaper

Hagop Kamalian

 17:44, 28 July 2023

YEREVAN, JULY 28, ARMENPRESS. An article published by the Azerbaijani AzerNews media outlet has been strongly condemned by StopAntisemitism, a US-based organization fighting and exposing anti-Semitism.

“StopAntisemitism is horrified to see a newspaper in Azerbaijan publish this. Adolf Hitler massacred 6 millions Jews and 5 million others. The word “humanist” and his name do not belong in the same sentence. Shame on you AzerNews,” StopAntisemitism tweeted after the Azeri media outlet published the anti-Armenian article with the outrageous headline ‘Hitler is more humanist than any Armenian leader in history’.

Armenia’s Permanent Representative to the Council of Europe Arman Khachatryan, reacting to the headline, called on the Council of Europe to urge Azerbaijan to take decisive measures to cease state-sponsored hate speech, racial, ethnic and religious intolerance towards Armenians.

 “This is deplorable display of hate speech, clearly racist content and praisal of Nazism. Council of Europe should urge Azerbaijan to take decisive measures to cease state sponsered hate speech, racial, ethnic&religious intolerance towards Armenians,” Khachatryan tweeted.

Nagorno-Karabakh crisis puts the spotlight on EU ties with Azerbaijan

Hagop Kamalian
POLITICO
July 27 2023

Brussels has a key gas deal with Baku, but reports of a food and fuel shortage in Nagorno-Karabakh are increasing calls for it to take action.

BY GABRIEL GAVIN
JULY 27, 2023

Azerbaijan is accused of throttling the ethnic-Armenian enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh — setting off a crisis in relations with the European Union just as the country becomes an increasingly important fossil fuel supplier to replace imports from Russia.

Members of the European Parliament are demanding action, and late Wednesday the EU's chief diplomat Josep Borrell said that the bloc is "deeply concerned" about the worsening humanitarian situation in the region.

Worry is growing over the risk of famine in Nagorno-Karabakh, a breakaway region inside Azerbaijan's internationally recognized borders. The Armenian population declared independence after a brutal war in the early 1990s, but Azerbaijan reversed many of those gains in a lightning campaign in 2020.

Since December, the only road in or out of the mountainous territory has been under the control of Azerbaijan's armed forces and, for the past two weeks, local officials say a checkpoint on the Lachin Corridor linking Karabakh with Armenia has been closed to civilian traffic and supply trucks.

In a statement Tuesday, the International Committee of the Red Cross, which has been bringing food and medicine to the tens of thousands of Armenians in Karabakh, said that "despite persistent efforts, we are currently unable to deliver aid."

"People lack life-saving medication and essentials like hygiene products and baby formula. Fruits, vegetables, and bread are increasingly scarce and costly. Other food items such as dairy products, sunflower oil, cereal, fish, and chicken are unavailable," it added. Miscarriages have tripled in the past month as a result of malnutrition, one doctor told local media.

A day earlier, the president of the unrecognized local Armenian administration, Arayik Harutyunyan, declared that it had become a "disaster zone" and called on international organizations, foreign nations and the U.N. to urgently intervene.

Over the weekend, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan warned that a repeat of the 2020 war is now "very likely." He accused Baku of laying the foundations for "genocide" in the region.

Azerbaijan denies it is blockading Nagorno-Karabakh, and has offered to provide aid by a road from Aghdam, a regional hub it regained in 2020, almost totally leveled during three decades of Armenian control.

Azerbaijan’s foreign ministry called Borrell's statement "regrettable" and said it was driven by “propaganda and political manipulations spread by Armenia."

Responding to a question from POLITICO, Harutyunyan insisted that his government is unable to accept the offer because, "Azerbaijan created this crisis and cannot be the solution to it."

Local officials fear that becoming dependent on Baku for supplies would effectively end their independence and make them vulnerable to future shut-offs.

However, Azerbaijan's foreign policy chief, Hikmet Hajiyev, declared this week that the international community should press the local Armenians to accept supplies via Aghdam, insisting "there is no other way! Game over!"

The EU is slowly waking up to the crisis. Borrell said Azerbaijan is disregarding an International Court of Justice ruling mandating that it keep the road open. He added that the Aghdam route "should not be seen as an alternative" to the Lachin Corridor.

In its response, Baku accused the bloc’s top envoy of a “blatant misinterpretation” of the International Court of Justice ruling. 

The EU has a long-standing interest in the region.

Commission President Ursula von der Leyen jetted to Baku last year, hailed the country as a "crucial energy partner" and signed a deal to double the EU's purchases of Azerbaijani gas.

After Azerbaijan launched a series of incursions into Armenia last year, Brussels signed off on a Common Security and Defense Policy monitoring mission along the border in the hope of preventing future bloodshed.

Nathalie Loiseau, the chair of the European Parliament's defense committee, said the EU should go further than just voicing concern and impose "targeted sanctions" on Azerbaijani officials "responsible for hate speech and illegal decisions," arguing that the bloc's status as a mediator shouldn't prevent it from standing up for its self-declared values.

Nor, she said, should its energy ties with Baku weaken its leverage, because "in a trade relationship, both partners are dependent."

The EU has repeatedly cautioned that what it sees as inflammatory rhetoric is a threat to peace in the region. Despite that, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has threatened to "chase away" Armenian separatists "like dogs" and Baku previously issued a commemorative postage stamp featuring a worker in hazmat gear spraying disinfectant on the region.

Brussels' External Action Service has dispatched its civilian monitors to the start of the Lachin Corridor to "get first hand and verified information on current developments."

However, according to François-Xavier Bellamy, a French MEP who sits on the Parliament's energy committee, it appears there simply isn't the political will in Brussels to do anything more substantive at present.

“It’s becoming a case of Parliament vs. the Commission. We’ve tabled questions, we had a debate and now Parliament has voted to support a settled position on introducing sanctions on Azerbaijan," he said. "But if the Commission won’t listen, what else can we do?”

According to Laurence Broers, a leading analyst on the conflict and an associate fellow at Chatham House, the EU is trying to "compartmentalize" its role in the peace process to avoid damaging its relations with Armenia or Azerbaijan.

"We have seen some friction in the messaging between different parts of the EU, with the European Parliament taking a stronger normative stand," he said. "Those parts of the EU more directly engaged with the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict have tended to rely more on positive incentives rather than negative disincentives."

European Council President Charles Michel has spearheaded a series of trilateral talks in Brussels, bringing together Aliyev and Pashinyan. However, the situation on the ground has continued to worsen.

"Michel's rhetoric is well received in Baku," said Rusif Huseynov, director of Azerbaijan's Topchubashov Center think tank. "He refers to Azerbaijani territorial integrity, he mentioned the Aghdam route as an alternative. Critical voices from MEPs of course are a source of irritation in Baku, but I don't think there's too much concern because Azerbaijan has good relations at the level of Charles Michel and von der Leyen."

A spokesperson for Michel declined to comment on whether the EU needs to step up its response to the growing humanitarian catastrophe, saying only that a press release issued two weeks ago had details of yet more talks planned for after the summer holidays.

"That answers your question," the official said.

Iran expresses support to Armenia-Azerbaijan peace talks

Hagop Kamalian

 13:37,

YEREVAN, JULY 24, ARMENPRESS. Iran supports the new round of peace talks between Armenia and Azerbaijan, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani has said.

Kanaani's comments come as Armenian FM Ararat Mirzoyan is visiting Iran. 

The spokesperson for the Iranian foreign ministry expressed Tehran’s readiness to contribute to the efforts for establishing sustainable peace in the Caucasus.

He described South Caucasus to be a “significant” matter for Iran.

ANCA Summer Interns Rally for Artsakh Justice

Hagop Kamalian
 ANCA Diaspora, ANCA News 0

ANCA Summer Interns at the U.S. Senate after reaching out to 100 Senate offices

WASHINGTON D.C.—Summer 2023 brought a bright set of Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) Leo Sarkisian Internship (LSI), Maral Melkonian Fellowship and Hovig Apo Saghdejian Capital Gateway Program interns to the heart of the nation’s capital for an intensive advocacy campaign to stop an Artsakh genocide and protect Armenia’s sovereignty. For six weeks, twelve interns from across the U.S. and Canada marched on Capitol Hill to ensure pro-Armenian advocacy remains at the forefront of American policy issues.

California Senator Alex Padilla and ANCA Summer Interns discuss the bipartisan legislation he introduced with Florida Senator Marco Rubio condemning Azerbaijan’s Artsakh blockade.

During their first week, the ANCA summer team dove right into congressional education efforts, encouraging members to cosign the letter, led by Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA), calling on Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, to stop all military aid to Azerbaijan’s Aliyev regime and send vital humanitarian assistance to Artsakh. In the span of three days, the team visited 535 offices – 435 House and 100 Senate – defending the rights of the Artsakh people through the halls of Congress. With the support of the ANCA and the LSI team, 54 cosponsors joined the letter.

In the second week, the team headed to Congress for the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission Hearing, a landmark event spotlighting Azerbaijan’s escalating aggression against the indigenous Armenian Christians of Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh), calling for sanctions against the Azerbaijani government in the face of a second Armenian Genocide taking place in the region.

With House and Senate consideration of the National Defense Authorization Act looming, the remaining weeks were focused on meeting with congressional offices and conducting drop offs in an effort to encourage members to sponsor and cosponsor amendments that support Artsakh freedom and Armenian security. These experiences offered interns an inside look at the steps required to push forth pro-Armenian legislation, whether details in drafting an amendment or approaches utilized to speak with a congressional staff member.

Throughout their internship, the interns had the opportunity to meet with policy experts from an array of fields. ANCA executive director Aram Hamparian and programs director Alex Galitsky, the first two speakers in this series, shared their wisdom regarding the foundations of Armenian advocacy and the role of the ANCA in bolstering the security of Armenia and Artsakh and preventing aid from reaching dictatorships—Turkey and Azerbaijan—who threaten the Armenian people with genocide and ethnic cleansing.

Having won the Congressional Art Competition, Vermont native Shakeh Hagopian visited the ANCA team and LSI interns to speak about her 3D art painting which centered around Artsakh and Armenian identity; her painting will be hung in Congress for one year.

Republic of Artsakh Representative to the U.S. Robert Avetisyan discusses the challenges and opportunities to advance pro-Artsakh policies in Congress and the administration.

In the pursuit of exploring different career paths, the interns headed to Deloitte and met with Tadeh Issahakian, Sevan Mehrabian and Sipan Ohanessian, who spoke about the dynamic nature of consulting and learning to harness learned skills towards benefiting the Armenian homeland. Three individuals with much political experience, Maryland State Representative Lorig Charkoudian, Dr. Jirayr Ratevossian and Professor Gregory Aftandilian, spoke to the interns about their experiences as Armenians working on the local, state and federal levels, stressing the importance of having Armenians pushing forth the Armenian cause within government. Similarly, Sam Tadevosyan, director of government relations at McDonald’s Corporation, shed light on the opportunities that led him to lobbying. Charlie Mahtesian, POLITICO’s senior editor, shared the importance of being “the Armenian in the room,” especially in the world of journalism.

Artsakh Representative to the United States Robert Avetisyan discussed the dire situation in Artsakh, but shined light on the possibilities to better the current situation. Ambassador John Evans, who was the first government official to correctly name the Armenian Genocide, spoke about his experiences in the foreign service and time as ambassador.

Library of Congress Armenia and Georgia Area Specialist Dr. Khatchig Mouradian shares an early Armenian language Bible – one of thousands of Armenian items in the Library’s collection.

Armenian Legal Center founding executive director Kate Nahapetian reviewed international laws in relation to Armenia and discussed the legal aspects of Artsakh’s international recognition efforts. Library of Congress Armenian and Georgian area specialist Dr. Khatchig Mouradian shared his experience as a Library of Congress employee and showcased Armenian manuscripts dating to the 14th century. ARF Eastern Region Central Committee member George Aghjayan hosted a seminar on Armenian genealogy in Western Armenia, shedding light on his journey in finding his family through connections made in the Armenian homeland. Shant Nahapetian, former Capital Gateway Program (CGP) fellow, shined light on the clarity he gained in finding his future career path through his experiences in Washington D.C.

ANCA chairman emeritus Garo Armenian challenged the next generation of Armenian advocates to explore tangible ways to transform the situation in the Armenian homeland amid ever-changing regional dynamics

ARF Eastern US Central Committee member George Aghjayan led interns into a fascinating foray into Armenian genealogy.

The Leo Sarkisian Internship program — named after the late ANCA Eastern U.S. community leader and Hai Tahd advocate — empowers dedicated Armenians in their efforts to achieve justice for the Armenian Genocide, freedom for Artsakh, and a secure and prosperous Armenian homeland. The LSI was established in 1986 and now has hundreds of alumni spread across the world. For the fifth year, the LSI is running concurrently with the Maral Melkonian Avetisyan Fellowship, named in memory of the devoted youth advocate who dedicated her life to helping the Armenian homeland. Joining them are participants of the Hovig Apo Saghdejian Capital Gateway Program Internship, honoring the memory of the proud youth advocate for a prosperous Armenian homeland.

ANCA summer interns are selected through a competitive application process with acceptance based on academic excellence and demonstrated capacity for community leadership. While in Washington D.C., summer interns stay at the Aramian House, an eight-bedroom former bed and breakfast located in Washington D.C.’s historic Dupont Circle neighborhood, just a short walk from the ANCA headquarters. The Aramian House was established through a generous donation by sisters Sue, the late Margo, and the late Martha Aramian, generous benefactors of ANCA programs and projects in the Armenian homeland and diaspora.

The 2023 ANCA Leo Sarkisian interns are Olivia Abajian, Greg Akopyan, Tsoline Gevorkian, Sofia Kirchen, Emma Lopez, Sophia Papazian, Tara Ourfalian, Nver Saghatelyan, Artur Shekyan and Ruby Topalian. Joining them are ANCA Maral Melkonian Avetisyan Summer Fellow Areni Hamparian and Capital Gateway Program intern Vahagn Boudakian.

Meet the 2023 ANCA Summer Interns:

Olivia Abajian

Olivia Abajian is studying at the University of Maryland as a government and politics major with a concentration in international relations. On campus, she is the rising editor-in-chief of the Terrapin Yearbook, a member of UMD’s Armenian Students Association, and a member of Phi Sigma Sigma. Olivia is currently a member of the AYF-YOARF “Hyortik” chapter.

“I took part in the Leo Sarkisian Internship program to gain hands-on experience in our political system and to explore possible careers in our nation’s capital. This internship has given me the experience of a lifetime, as I have been able to work to enact the change I wish to see for Armenia and Artsakh through the United States government system. After these six weeks, I feel much more educated on Armenian-American politics and accomplished to know I spent my summer doing my part to fight for our homeland.”

Greg Akopyan

Greg Akopyan is a rising junior at the American University of Armenia majoring in politics and governance and minoring in environmental studies. Since arriving at AUA, Greg has taken an active role in the community, becoming a peer mentor and student council member.

“The skills and knowledge I have gained from the LSI internship have been vital to help me understand the opportunities for my future in Washington D.C. I hope to pursue a degree in law after graduating and use that to advance Hai Tahd and build a safe, democratic and prosperous Armenia. I want to help the next generation of Armenian-Americans get involved with politics and advocacy to ensure our community has a powerful voice in the U.S.”

Vahagn Boudakian

Vahagn Boudakian is pursuing a major in political science with a minor in psychology at Brooklyn College CUNY. In addition to his studies, he attended the American University of Armenia and actively engaged with organizations focused on assisting Armenian refugees and contributing to the 2020 war effort.

“These experiences provided me with firsthand exposure to the multitude of challenges that Armenia faces in terms of security and development. At the forefront of Armenia’s fight for survival lies the crucial issue of preserving Artsakh. I’m excited about the prospect of leveraging the knowledge I acquire from this internship to make meaningful contributions to my local ANCA chapter. By actively participating, I hope to effectively employ my newfound expertise in furthering the cause of Armenia’s progress.”

Tsoline Gevorkian

Tsoline Gevorkian is a rising junior at the University of Vermont, currently studying psychology and sociology. She grew up an active member of the AYF and has always been a passionate advocate for the Armenian cause. She currently serves as the treasurer of the Middlesex County West AYF chapter.

“After this internship, my newfound knowledge of American politics will broaden my ability to spread this knowledge to others. I now feel more capable and confident in hosting more efficient conversations and educationals regarding our current Armenian issues and am proud that I was able to spend my summer fighting for our brothers and sisters in Artsakh, and for an azad angakh miatsyal Haiastan.”

Areni Hamparian

Areni Hamparian is a rising senior at the University of California, San Diego, majoring in political science and minoring in history. She is a member of the AYF “Nigol Touman” chapter and serves on the Hai Tahd, Haytoug Magazine, Artsakh Task Force and With Our Soldiers Central Councils.

“The ANCA internship has offered me a clearer understanding of the nation’s political system as well as further clarity at the nuances that exist in the complex web of interests housed in this city. I will surely utilize all I have learned with the intention of strengthening my local community and the Armenian nation. By galvanizing the strength of our community worldwide, through organizations like the ANCA, I believe the Armenian nation has the ability to pave a brighter future for generations to come.”

Sofia Kirchen

Sofia Kirchen is a rising second year at the University of California Berkeley studying international relations and Middle Eastern languages and cultures, with a focus on peace and conflict studies.

“I am super passionate about the role that grassroots activism plays in combating democratic backsliding around the world. I have spent my time on Capitol Hill as a Leo Sarkisian intern leveraging both my previous political campaign experience and everything that I have learned during my time in a meaningful way that furthers the Armenian cause here on Capitol Hill, specifically around the development of legislation.”

Emma Lopez

Emma Lopez recently graduated from the University of Massachusetts Amherst with a degree in political science. This past year at Amherst, I was the vice president and secretary/social media manager of our Armenian Students Association. I’m also a member of the ACYOA at my home parish, St. George Armenian Church, and regularly volunteer.

“The LSI program gave me the opportunity to apply the knowledge I’ve learned at university and actually have an impact on different policies, especially those that prioritize pro-Armenia and Artsakh legislation. It’s incredibly rewarding to see the elected officials you visited sign onto a resolution or letter that you came to inform them about. I’m so grateful to have had to opportunity to work with the ANCA these past six weeks, and I look forward to passing on the knowledge and experiences I’ve had to continue to have a positive impact on our community.”

Sophia Papazian

Sophia Papazian is a rising sophomore at the University of California, Berkeley studying political economy and minoring in public policy. She has a passion for serving the global community and is heavily involved in the ASUC Student Union, Global Research and Consulting, Cal’s Armenian Student Association, Cal’s Pi Beta Phi chapter and Homenetmen Hrashq.

“After having the opportunity to participate in the Rising Leaders Program in March, I knew that I wanted to come back for the Leo Sarkisian Internship. I’m honored to have had the opportunity to surround myself with students that share a common dedication in advocating for our Armenian community. Meeting various Armenian-American leaders and spending days on Capitol Hill pushing for legislation gave me a first-hand glimpse into how our government really runs. I’m honored and excited to be in the hub of the nation’s capital and strengthen my skills in leadership, civic engagement, and to continue to advocate for those in Artsakh and Armenia.”

Tara Ourfalian

Tara Ourfalian is a rising junior at UCLA studying environmental science with a concentration in environmental systems and society. For the past several years, she has been heavily involved in many Armenian community organizations, including the UCLA ASA and Hidden Road Initiative chapters, Homenetmen, Armenia Fund and the AYF.

“With the skill set and experiences I have gained as an LSI fellow, I hope to pursue a career in law while continuing to advance the ambitions of the Armenian cause and to create an environment for the Armenian youth to carry on this important birthright. Being in Washington D.C. has opened my eyes to the intricate workings of the American political system and unveiled so many new avenues of community involvement. My appreciation for the important work that the ANCA carries out has only continued to grow, because it is spaces like these that will ensure that the voices of our people are heard and addressed in a way that will bring forth necessary change.”

Nver Saghatelyan

Nver Saghatelyan is a student at Johns Hopkins University, majoring in international studies and economics.

“My aim is to leverage this education to challenge the status quo and contribute to peaceful resolutions in contrast to the ongoing tensions and violence. With every shell that was launched in Artsakh, my determination grew. My dreams did not seem too audacious in the face of this reality. This program explains the dynamics of American politics and equips young Armenian leaders with practical, hands-on experience, skills and knowledge, which will help us actively contribute to the development of Armenia and work towards the peaceful resolution of the Artsakh conflict.”

Artur Shekyan

Artur Shekyan is a rising junior at the University of Toronto, studying political science and economics. He is the vice-chair of the AYF Toronto “Simon Zavarian“ chapter.

“For every Armenian around the world, our main priority should be to see an independent and united Armenian homeland, and that is exactly why I am here.The skills I gained from this internship are going to help me grow the Armenian community back in Toronto and also encourage more Armenian-Canadians to speak up on our issues, gather their voices and apply change to our policies regarding Armenia and Artsakh.”

Ruby Topalian

Ruby Topalian is entering her second year at Trinity College Dublin as part of Columbia University’s dual BA program. She is studying Middle Eastern and European languages and cultures with a concentration on Arabic and Italian, and at Columbia, she will study political science.

“As an editor on multiple campus publications, I look forward to bringing these ideas back to college. I’m also happy to say that I have connected with my Armenian roots more over these past six weeks. When I start college again this year, I look forward to bringing what I’ve learned these past six weeks back to my college campus and working to ensure that my peers not only know about our issues, but want to fight for them as well.”

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The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) is the largest and most influential Armenian-American grassroots organization. Working in coordination with a network of offices, chapters and supporters throughout the United States and affiliated organizations around the world, the ANCA actively advances the concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad range of issues.


Western Prelacy Will Allocate $1.3 Million Armenian Schools

Hagop Kamalian
by Asbarez Staff

 

 

 

in Community, Featured Story, Latest, News, Top Stories

Western Prelate Bishop Torkom Donyan with the Prelacy Executive Council


The Western Prelacy on Tuesday announced that it will allocate $1.3 million to Armenian schools operating under its auspices.

In an announcement the Prelacy said that the allocation was made “in order to train the young Armenian generations into becoming conscious Armenian-Christians, by expanding, modernizing and enriching the schools with new educational methods.”

“The betterment of the Armenian Church and the Armenian school is one of the core missions of the Western Prelacy and of the Prelacies within the jurisdiction of the Holy See of Cilicia,” Western Prelate Bishop Torkom Donoyan said.

“This latest financial support is an eloquent testimony to the care given to our schools within the Western Prelacy,” added the Prelate.

Armenian Film Society announces casting call

Hagop Kamalian
 The Armenian Weekly Community News 0

The Armenian Film Society has announced an open casting call for an Oscar-nominated writer/director and Oscar-nominated producers in search of Armenian actors for an upcoming feature film drama based on actual events.

The roles being cast are:

Mariam (Principal)

Mariam (Armenian-Iraqi, 50s) is a tough, resourceful woman who has experienced great loss, namely, the death of her two sons and husband in a tragic accident after the 2003 American invasion of Iraq. Before the war, Mariam was a high school literature teacher. She’s intelligent with a wry sense of humor and unfailingly direct/honest, perhaps to a fault. About her job, Mariam liked to say: “I love the books… but not the kids.” When we first meet Mariam in the story, the war is a week old, and she makes the best of it with her husband, two grown sons, and daughter, Nora, at their home – until tragedy strikes. We re-meet Mariam about fifteen years later, living in Glendale, California with her daughter and her children. She has slowed down considerably over the years. She finds the noise and motion of the house difficult to handle, often shushing the children or walking away inexplicably as someone speaks to her. Mariam passes the days knitting or reading scripture, anything to just keep going and forget her losses. But someone from her past reaches out and she must re-confront everything that happened in Iraq.

Note: Actors auditioning for Mariam must speak Western Armenian, Iraqi Arabic and English, and be able to play Mariam over the span of 15 years (early 50s in Iraq; mid 60s in US).

Nora (Supporting)

Nora (Armenian-Iraqi, late 20s / early 30s, daughter of Mariam) is a good-humored, resilient, if at times stubborn young woman. She is a deep well and has navigated the loss of her father and brothers with grace. When we first meet Nora, it’s the early days of the war and she is in her twenties. To pass the days, she helps her mother clean and cook, talks on the phone with friends and plays cards with her brothers. Nora is outspoken within the family and not afraid of a fight. She bickers often with her father, disagreeing with his decisions about how to handle the family’s life/affairs during wartime. When we re-meet Nora many years later, she is married and a mother of two boys. She and her husband fight often, but they like it this way. They are both equal-parts stubborn and playful. Nora is the center of her family’s new life in Glendale, filling a role that belonged to her Mom in Baghdad.

Note: Actors auditioning for Nora must speak Western Armenian, Iraqi Arabic and English, and be able to play Nora over the span of 15 years (early 20s in Iraq; late 30s in the US).

Submissions are being accepted from both actors and non-actors. All must be able to speak both Western Armenian and Iraqi Arabic. 

Please email [email protected] with a brief video introduction. This should be in English and up to one minute in length with a brief introduction about yourself to give the filmmakers a sense of who you are.




IPI condemns use of Pegasus spyware against journalists amidst Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict

Hagop Kamalian
June 14 2023

First documented example of spyware weaponized to surveil journalists in the context of an international conflict

By IPI contributor Rowan Humphries

Jun 14, 2023

















The IPI global network is alarmed by a new report by internet watchdogs and digital rights advocacy groups uncovering the use of Pegasus, a controversial spyware developed by the Israeli cyber-arms company NSO Group, to target journalists and other civil society actors during the ongoing conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

The latest revelations are another example of how advanced surveillance tools have been used to violate journalistic privacy and media freedom. They are also understood to be the first documented time that spyware has been weaponized to surveil journalists in the context of an international conflict. IPI continues to push for a global regulatory framework to control the development, trade and use of spyware and urges governments worldwide to halt abuses of state surveillance.

A joint investigation and report released May 25 by Access Now, CyberHUB-AM, the Citizen Lab at the Munk School of Global Affairs at the University of Toronto, Amnesty International’s Security Lab, and independent mobile security researcher Ruben Muradyan found that at least 12 Armenian public figures were targeted by Pegasus between October 2020 and December 2022, including two Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) journalists. 

The report found that the hacks were linked to a territorial conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the Nagorno-Karabakh region, a disputed territory that most recently led to a war in 2020 and multiple outbreaks of violence since.

The two journalists targeted, Karlen Aslanyan and Astghik Bedevyan of RFE/RL’s Armenian Service, are “well-known for their hard-hitting reporting,” according to RFE/RL President and CEO Jamie Fly. Around the time their mobile devices were infected, Aslanyan and Astghik had been reporting on the Armenian political crisis and snap parliamentary elections that followed in the wake of the 2020 war. The investigation in Armenia began after Apple sent notifications to users warning that they may have been targets of state-sponsored spyware.

The report did not definitively point to a state party responsible for the hacks, but does note that Azerbaijan’s authoritarian government is a documented customer of Pegasus, and has used it in the past to target journalists. However, Armenia too has a history with cyber-surveillance technology, albeit with a different private surveillance group, and would also have reason to want to monitor the targets.

“Revelations about the use of Pegasus spyware to surveil journalists reporting on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict are extremely concerning and illustrate the grave threat that abuses of such advanced surveillance technology pose to journalistic privacy and the freedom of the media,” said IPI Deputy Director Scott Griffen. “With these findings, we enter a dangerous new chapter in the global abuse of spyware tools against journalists and members of civil society: this is understood to be the first time that advanced spyware has been used to hack into the phones of journalists in the context of an international conflict. State-sponsored spying adds yet another layer of danger to the work of journalists and correspondents covering conflict and will have a chilling effect on the media.”

Griffen added: “IPI urges the governments of both Armenia and Azerbaijan to launch transparent investigations into the abuse of spyware and other hacking tools against journalists by domestic intelligence and military authorities, and to ensure safeguards are implemented to protect members of the press from all forms of unjustified surveillance. We will continue to push for a moratorium on the sale and implementation of digital spyware technology until global safeguards and a regulatory framework that complies with international human rights and humanitarian law can be agreed upon.”

https://ipi.media/ipi-condemns-use-of-pegasus-spyware-against-journalists-amidst-armenia-azerbaijan-conflict/

Azerbaijan falsely accuses Nagorno Karabakh of ceasefire breach

Hagop Kamalian

 10:30,

STEPANAKERT, JUNE 16, ARMENPRESS. The Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan has again released disinformation, Nagorno Karabakh authorities warned Friday.

“The statement by the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defense claiming that the Defense Army units opened fire in between 00:50 – 04:10 on June 16 at Azerbaijani positions deployed in the occupied territories of the Republic of Artsakh’s Shushi region is yet another disinformation,” the Nagorno Karabakh Defense Ministry said in a statement.

Armenia Accuses Azerbaijan Of Pursuing A Policy Of “Ethnic Cleansing” In Nagorno-Karabakh

Hagop Kamalian
MIDDLE EAST
By David Sadler

On Friday, Armenia accused Azerbaijan of adopting a policy of “ethnic cleansing” in the Nagorno-Karabakh region, which is inhabited by a majority of Armenians, which has been the subject of a decades-long dispute between the two countries, according to the French Press Agency.

On April 23, Azerbaijan set up a checkpoint at the entrance to the Lachin Pass, the only road linking Armenia with the breakaway region.

The move came after Azerbaijani environmental activists blocked the road for months, which, according to Yerevan, led to a humanitarian crisis in the mountainous enclave, which caused food and fuel shortages.

Azerbaijan stressed that civil transport is moving without hindrance through the Lachin corridor.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said on Friday that “the humanitarian situation in Karabakh has deteriorated sharply,” after Baku cut off traffic on the road on Thursday.

He added, “Food supplies to Karabakh have practically stopped, and it is not allowed to transfer patients to hospitals in Armenia for medical treatment.”

And he considered that Baku’s actions “prove that Azerbaijan is pursuing a policy of ethnic cleansing in Karabakh.”

On February 22, the International Court of Justice, the highest judicial body of the United Nations, ordered Azerbaijan to guarantee freedom of movement on the road.

On May 24, Armenia asked the International Court of Justice to order Azerbaijan to open the vital corridor.

The two former Soviet republics fought two wars, the first in the early 1990s and the second in 2020, to control the Nagorno-Karabakh region, which unilaterally separated from Azerbaijan 3 decades ago.

After a lightning war that lasted 6 weeks, during which Baku took control of lands in the region in the fall of 2020, the two countries signed a cease-fire, according to which Armenia relinquished swaths of land it had controlled for decades.

The border areas between the two countries are still witnessing frequent skirmishes despite the ongoing peace talks between Baku and Yerevan, mediated by the European Union and the United States.

And when the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, the Armenians in Karabakh separated from Azerbaijan, and the ensuing conflict killed 30,000 people.