Author: Jalatian Sonya

DEBAT SUR LA REFORME DE L’ARTICLE SUR LA "TURQUICITE"

Le Temps, Suisse
30 avril 2008

TURQUIE. Le parlement a debattu mardi soir d’une version edulcoree
du texte entre en vigueur en 2005. Simulacre selon les defenseurs
des droits humains, colère des ultranationalistes.

L’article 301 du Code penal turc a enfin ete debattu, tard mardi
soir, au parlement, a Ankara. Les deputes ont entame l’examen du
texte modifiant cet article ultra-polemique, qui fait parler de lui
depuis plus de trois ans, avant meme son entree en application en juin
2005. Car cet article, en penalisant, notamment, toute insulte a la
"turquicite", suscite les critiques des defenseurs de la liberte
d’expression, Union europeenne en tete.

Depuis son entree en vigueur et si l’on tient compte de sa version
anterieure (article 159 modifie en 2002), 6075 poursuites penales
ont ete engagees. Parmi les personnalites poursuivies, se trouvent
le Prix Nobel de litterature, Orhan Pamuk, dont le procès a ete
abandonne en 2006, l’ecrivain Elif Safak mais aussi de nombreux
editeurs, journalistes et autres intellectuels. Si a ce jour aucune
peine de prison ferme n’a ete prononcee, les amendes et peines de
prison avec sursis sont legion. Le journaliste armenien, Hrant Dink,
assassine en janvier 2007, avait ete condamne de la sorte, de meme
que son fils l’an dernier.

"Nation turque"

La nouvelle mouture, presentee au parlement – et qui pourrait etre
adoptee ce mercredi – apporte quelques modifications a la marge dont le
remplacement du terme très flou de "turquicite" par "nation turque". Le
Ministère de la justice se voit egalement charge d’approuver toute
ouverture de poursuite tandis que la peine maximale se voit reduite
de trois a deux annees de prison.

Le president de la Commission europeenne, Jose Manuel Barroso, avait
recemment salue "un pas dans la bonne direction" pointant du meme
coup les insuffisances du texte. Cette version edulcoree ne convainc
d’ailleurs pas les defenseurs turcs de la liberte d’expression
qui critiquent une modification sans consequence des termes de
l’article. Attila Tuygan, poursuivi pour la traduction d’un livre,
demande, comme de nombreux intellectuels, l’abrogation pure et simple
de l’article 301. "C’est un simulacre de democratie. Il faut faire en
sorte que l’Etat defende les citoyens et non l’inverse", estime-t-il.

Pression des nationalistes du MHP, absence de volonte politique du
gouvernement, cette version decevante de l’article 301 aura eu du
mal a etre presentee au parlement. Le MHP, justement, a redouble
d’efforts ces dernières semaines contre cette reforme et finance
une campagne de publicite televisuelle. Le clip appelle la Turquie
au "reveil" et denonce les "lobbies" et "pretendus intellectuels,
genes" par cet article. Dans un dernier acte de dramatisation, le
leader du MHP, Devlet Bahceli, a appele hier matin le gouvernement
a organiser un referendum sur le sujet. Ce parti n’est toutefois pas
seul a s’opposer a cette reforme. Les kemalistes du CHP se montrent
eux aussi feroces sur le sujet.

–Boundary_(ID_5Zk1y/FCZbL/5tx+2QkcBw)–

HIS EMINENCE OSHAGAN CHOLOYAN URGES VIGILANCE AGAINST GENOCIDE IN CAPITOL HILL MEETINGS

armradio.am
29.04.2008 11:14

His Eminence Oshagan Choloyan, Prelate of the Armenian Apostolic
Church of the Eastern United States, urged Members of Congress to
speak with moral clarity about the Armenian Genocide and to work to
end the ongoing genocide in Darfur, during a full day of more than
20 Capitol Hill meetings leading up to the April 23rd Congressional
Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide, reported the Armenian National
Committee of America (ANCA).

The Archbishop’s meetings included discussions with Senators and
Representatives from traditional Armenian American communities in
Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, as well as those
from growing communities in Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina
and Georgia.

Among the legislators he met with were: Senate Foreign Relations
Committee Chairman Joe Biden (D-DE), Small Business and
Entrepreneurship Committee Chairman John Kerry (D-MA), Sen. Jim
Bunning (R-KY), Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), Sen. Robert Menendez
(D-NJ), House Homeland Security Committee Ranking Republican Peter
King (R-NY), Congressional Human Rights Caucus Co- Chair Rep. Frank
Wolf (R-VA), Rep. Sanford Bishop (D-GA), Rep. Howard Coble (R-NC),
Rep. Phil English (R-PA), Rep. Wayne Gilchrest (R-MD), Rep. Bob Inglis
(R-SC), Rep. James Jordan (R-OH), Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH), Rep.

James McGovern (D-MA), Rep. Michael McNulty (D-NY), Rep. Paul Ryan
(R-WI), Rep. John Sarbanes (D-MD), Rep. James Sensenbrenner (R-WI)
and Rep. John Tierney (D-MA).

Archbishop Choloyan was joined in his Congressional visits by
Rev. Father Sarkis Aktavoukian, Pastor of the Soorp Khatch Armenian
Apostolic Church in Bethesda, MD; ANCA National Board Member Onnik
Petrossian; ANCA Legislative Affairs Director Raffi Karakashian,
ANCA Government Affairs Director Kate Nahapetian, and ANCA Eastern
Region Executive Director Karine Birazian.

After a full day of meetings, Archbishop Choloyan joined with Speaker
Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) and over 15
Members of Congress at the Capitol Hill commemoration of the 93rd
anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, organized by the Congressional
Caucus on Armenian issues.

During his moving invocation, Archbishop Choloyan offered a special
prayer for the "safety of all of the men and women of our armed
forces serving around the world." He went on to praise the efforts
of Amb. Henry Morgenthau and the diplomatic corps of the time of the
Genocide who "shared in the responsibility of publicizing the Genocide
of the Armenians and administering relief."

VICTOR DALLAKIAN DEMANDS THAT GOVERNMENT PUT MONUMENT TO KAREN DEMIRCHIAN IN YEREVAN

Noyan Tapan
April 29, 2008

YEREVAN, APRIL 29, NOYAN TAPAN. Deputy of the RA National Assembly
Victor Dallakian applied to the government regarding the issue of
setting up a monument to National Hero of the RA Karen Demirchain in
Yerevan. Announcing this in the parliament on April 29, he reminded
that as long ago as December 27, 1999 the Armenian president signed
a decree on immortalizing the memory of K. Demirchian. Based on it,
a memorial stone was put in Mashtots Avenue, which was to be replaced
with a monument. However, this decision has not been carried out over
the past 9 years, which, in the words of V. Dallakian, is inadmissible
and blameworthy, taking into account K. Demirchian’s great services
to the Armenian people.

4 EMPLOYEES OF STATE TAX SERVICE DISMISSED FROM JOBS IN FIRST QUARTER OF THIS YEAR

Noyan Tapan
April 28, 2008

YEREVAN, APRIL 28, NOYAN TAPAN. 91 court decisions were made based on
suits filed to courts by the RA State Tax Service (STS) in 2007 and in
1st quarter of 2008. The STS deputy head Artur Osikian told reporters
on April 28 that in first quarter of 2008, 190 suits on confiscation
and bankruptcy were filed to courts by the STS, with 227 mln drams
(about 732 thousand USD) being transferred to the state budget. Tax
bodies conducted 2,535 checks, 8.7 bln drams as fines was transferred
to the state budget in the indicated period.

In the words of A. Osikian, 4,209 violations were revealed in the
first quarter of this year; as a result of the fines imposed, 58.9
mln drams was transferred to the state budget. Besides, 34 criminal
cases were opened, mostly based on facts of tax evasion , by the STS
investigation unit, which exceeds more than 3fold last year’s index.

Another deputy head of the STS Kajavan Nurijanian added that
14 internal investigations were conducted in the first quarter of
2008. As a result, 36 employees of the STS received verbal reprimands,
44 employees received written reprimands, 23 were subjected to material
liability and 4 employees were dismissed from their jobs.

Rep. Scott Garrett visits with Genocide Survivor Alice Shnorhokian in
Washington, DC

armradio.am
26.04.2008 12:32

Armenian Genocide survivor, Alice Khachadoorian-Shnorhokian traveled
from Mahwah, New Jersey to Washington, DC, on Wednesday, April 23, 2008
to remind Members of Congress the need for remembrance and
acknowledgement of the Armenian Genocide. Having an opportunity to meet
with her representative, Cong. Scott Garrett (R-NJ-5), Shnorhokian
described her family’s story of survival in 1915, and the need for
recognition and justice reported the Armenian National Committee of New
Jersey (ANC of NJ).

Her two grandchildren, Tsoleen Sarian, and ANC of NJ activist, Vahig
Shnorhokian accompanied Shnorhokian, 95, as she visited various members
of Congress on the day before Armenians worldwide remember the victims
of the genocide. During her meeting with Cong. Garrett, ANCA Eastern
Region Executive Director Karine Birazian and Vahig Shnorhokian
listened as Shnorhokian recounted her stories of survival during the
genocide. On April 24, Cong. Garrett offered floor remarks marking the
93rd anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, as well as recounting
Shnorhokian’s story that she had shared with him (full remarks below).

"Mrs. Shnorhokian’s strength is a reminder to us all that we must never
forget the tragic sufferings of the Armenians during the genocide,"
commented ANC of NJ Chairwoman Kim Arzoumanian.

Later that evening, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA-8),
Armenian Caucus co-chairs Frank Pallone (D-NJ-6) and Joe Knollenberg
(R-MI-9), along with several Members of Congress and dignitaries of the
Armenian community recognized Shnorhokian and other survivors, Rose
Baboyian and Yeretzgeen Sirarpi Khoyan at the Armenian Genocide
Commemorative event on Capitol Hill.

Shnorhokian, 95, was born in Aintab, Turkey on August 28, 1912. Her
family was rounded up and deported during the genocide, and were saved
right before they were to be taken to Del Zor. After completing high
school in Aleppo, Syria, Shnorhokian and her family traveled to Beirut,
Lebanon where she studied at the American University and became a nurse
and midwife. There she married Rev. Manasseh Shnorhokian. Relocating to
the United States nearly three decades ago, Shnorhokian now resides in
Mahwah, New Jersey.

BILL TO INCREASE RESPONSIBILITY FOR UNGROUNDED PRICE RISE

ARMENPRESS
April 25, 2008

YEREVAN, APRIL 25, ARMENPRESS: The Armenian parliament is considering
amendments to the Law on Economic Competition which, if passed, would
actually ban ‘ungrounded and illegal price rise.’ The press office
of the State Commission for Protection of Economic Competition told
Armenpress that the bill would drastically increase the amount of
responsibility for ungrounded price hikes.

One of the amendments says that apart from penalties that are levied
by the Commission, the company that violates the law, would pay to
state budget also all earnings received from the illegal and ungrounded
price rise.

The bill was passed in the first reading in 2007 September. It is
expected to be put to the second reading soon. The bill was prompted
by last year’s ungrounded rise of prices of a large number of food
products.

The current amount of penalties levied on companies for ungrounded
rise of prices constitutes 2 percent of their annual income.

RA NA SPEAKER TIGRAN TOROSYAN’S ADDRESS ON THE DAY OF COMMEMORATION OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE VICTIMS

armradio.am
24.04.2008 13:19

During its centuries-old history the Armenian nation has experienced
losses and cruel trials alongside with victories and achievements. And
only through the unity and demonstration of strong will of our people
it became possible to survive and overcome the challenges of the time
and the destiny, including the Genocide organized and perpetrated
by Ottoman Turkey at the turn of the 20th century, which was an
unprecedented event in human history.

The history has proved that any nation can be protected from such
crimes if an impregnable, powerful state has been created.

Bowing before the memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide at
the turn of the 20th century, we, their heirs, are obliged to build
the Armenia they dreamt of not only as a memorial standing for the
memory of the victims, but also as a full guarantee of our people’s
safe and secure future.

SPECIALISTS SHOULD BE PREPARED TO ENSURE KARABAKH’S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

DeFacto Agency
April 23 2008
Armenia

YEREVAN, 23.04.08. DE FACTO. It is necessary to establish such an
educational system and elaborate such a program, which would prepare
specialists necessary to ensure Nagorno-Karabakh’s security and
economic development, the NKR PM Ara Harutyunian stated on April 22
in the course of a meeting with Levon Mkrtchian, the RA Minister of
Education and Science. The delegation of the RA Ministry of Education
and Science has arrived in Stepanakert to familiarize itself with the
situation in the sphere of education, amendments being implemented
and work to be done.

In his turn, Vladik Khachatrian, the NKR Minister of Education and
Science, who participated in the meeting, while touching on the
issue referring to amendments noted the work on the construction of
schools would be continued, schools’ material and technical basis be
replenished, and educational laboratories be reequipped.

The RA Minister of Education and Science informed the meeting’s
guests of achievements and work to be done in the sphere of the RA
educational system. In his words, an educational program for 2008-2012,
which has passed international expertise, has already been presented
to the RA government.

4TH STAGE OF CSTO BORDER-2008 MILITARY TRAINING TO BE HELD IN ARMENIA IN AUGUST

DeFacto Agency
April 23 2008
Armenia

YEREVAN, 23.04.08. DE FACTO. The 4th stage of Border-2008 military
training of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) will
be held in Armenia on current August 1-5.

According to the RA Defense Ministry, the peculiar importance of
holding Boundary-2008 military trainings was mentioned in the course of
the RA Defense Ministry Seyran Ohanian’s meeting with Valery Semerikov,
the CSTO Deputy Secretary-general.

Armenia, Byelorussia, Kazakhstan, Kirgizia, Russia, Tajikistan and
Uzbekistan are within the Collective Security Treaty Organization.

EXPERT GYULNARA SHAHINIAN RECEIVES MANDATE OF SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON ISSUES OF SLAVERY BY UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL

Noyan Tapan
April 23, 2008

YEREVAN, APRIL 23, ARMENIANS TODAY – NOYAN TAPAN. Citizen of Armenia,
independent international expert Gyulnara Shahinian has been elected a
specialist bearing a special mandate by the UN Human Rights Council. As
Noyan Tapan correspondent was informed by G. Shahinian, she was given
a mandate of a special rapporteur on issues of slavery and influence
of its roots for three years’ term. She will work with representatives
of local NGOs, RA government, and UN to study the state of "slavery"
in different countries and to work out proposals of coming out of
them. Besides, G. Shahinian is to present a report to UN over that
issue twice a year.

According to G. Shahinian, "white slavery," trafficking, exists in
Armenia, as well. In her words, Armenia is considered mainly as a
country of exit and transit of trafficking. She also said that work
on struggle against that phenomenon is being done in Armenia, though
it is not large for the present.