Author: Kajoyan Gevork

LE CCAF CONDAMNE ET EXIGE UN NOUVEAU TEXTE
Ara

armenews.com
mercredi 29 fevrier 2012

Le Conseil de Coordination des organisations Armeniennes de
France (CCAF) condamne avec la plus grande fermete la decision
du Conseil Constitutionnel, prise le 28 fevrier 2012, de censurer
pour inconstitutionnalite la loi visant a reprimer la contestation
de l’existence des genocides reconnus par la Loi, adoptee par le
Parlement le 23 janvier 2012..

Le Conseil Constitutionnel a pris une decision inique et purement
politique. Son interpretation est biaisee car elle repose sur une
lecture tronquee du texte de loi. Il a omis volontairement le passage
” crimes de genocide defini a l’article 211-1 du code penal “. Une
simple reserve d’interpretation, s’il en etait besoin, suffisait a
fixer l’unique grief retenu.

Le Conseil Constitutionnel considère dans une logique de deux poids
deux mesures que les genocides reconnus par la France sont finalement
inegaux devant la loi. La loi du 23 janvier 2012 venait justement
harmoniser l’arsenal juridique francais en etendant la repression de
la contestation de la Shoah (Loi Gayssot) a l’ensemble des genocides
reconnus par la loi.

Le Conseil Constitutionnel a fait en outre abstraction de la doctrine
europeenne en matière de restriction des libertes d’expression et de
communication. La contestation d’un crime international historiquement
etabli n’est pas protegee par la liberte d’expression quand il s’agit
de crimes contre l’humanite et de genocide.

Le Conseil Constitutionnel a ainsi capitule devant l’ingerence de
la Turquie, dont l’insupportable lobby auprès de nos elus a abîme
l’independance de nos institutions. Il est de ce fait legitime
de s’interroger sur l’impartialite de certains membres du Conseil
Constitutionnel plus sensibles aux sirènes du Bosphore qu’aux demandes
legitimes de ses propres concitoyens. Le Conseil Constitutionnel
a accompli un geste de complaisance d’un cynisme sans precedent en
faveur d’un Etat negationniste contre la morale et la justice.

Le CCAF poursuivra son evaluation de cette decision inique et
appelle dès maintenant l’ensemble de la classe politique francaise
a prendre solennellement la mesure de cette censure en termes de
propagation du negationnisme sur le territoire de la Republique. Nous
attendons desormais des gestes forts et determinants de la part des
principales formations politiques francaises, dont les candidats
a la presidentielle de 2012, Nicolas Sarkozy et Francois Hollande
ont exprime a plusieurs reprises leur engagement en faveur d’une loi
penalisant le negationnisme du genocide des Armeniens en France. Leur
toute dernière declaration après la decision du Conseil Constitutionnel
confirme cet engagement. Un nouveau texte doit donc etre presente au
Parlement dans les plus brefs delais. Il faut reaffirmer l’independance
et la souverainete de nos institutions.

NEW LEGISLATION TO HELP STRUGGLING MINORITY NEWSPAPERS GOES INTO FORCE

Today’s Zaman
Feb 28 2012
Turkey

A recent legislative change enabling newspapers run by Turkey’s
non-Muslim minority groups, which fall under the category of minority
according to a legal definition in the Lausanne Treaty of 1924,
to publish official notices became effective on Tuesday.

The amendment was published in the Official Gazette on Tuesday.

Minority newspapers will have to apply in writing to be able to publish
official announcements in their newspapers. The new law is effective as
of Feb. 28, but there are some articles that will go into force later.

Ara Kocunyan, editor-in-chief of the Jamanak newspaper, an Armenian
weekly, said although he hadn’t seen the full text of the new
legislation, he saw it as a positive development. “We’ve had meetings
with the Press Bulletin Authority (BÄ°K) about this. We are grateful
that legislative changes have been made as promised. We appreciate
the positive steps the government has taken.”

In August BÄ°K pledged TL 250,000 from a special fund to be given to
minority newspapers as a temporary solution to help them stay afloat
prior to the amendment that was published in the Official Gazette
on Tuesday. Previously, newspapers run by minorities were prohibited
from publishing official advertisements.

The meeting Kocunyan mentioned was held with executive officials from
BÄ°K in July of last year with representatives of minority newspapers.

The suggestion to support newspapers published by Greek, Armenian
and Jewish minorities in Turkey by allowing them to publish official
announcements came out of that meeting. The recent amendment is a
product of that suggestion.

Most minority newspapers published in Turkey have been at a
disadvantage in terms of state support and have not been represented
as fully as other newspapers by journalist organizations.

Last year, the editor-in-chief of Apoyevmatini announced that he would
have to shut down the newspaper because of financial problems. The
daily has been in publication since 1925 and currently has a
circulation of 600. He couldn’t be reached for comment on Tuesday.

When news of its potential closure started circulating in the media,
campaigns were launched by university students to save the newspaper.

BÄ°K got involved in the situation last summer to support minority
newspapers.

FRENCH CONSTITUTIONAL COUNCIL REJECTS ARMENIAN GENOCIDE BILL

Press TV
Feb 28 2012
Iran

Turks protesting the Armenian genocide bill.

The Constitutional Council of France has rejected a bill which aims
to set a punishment for the denial of an Armenian genocide carried
out by the Ottoman Empire in World War I, Press TV reports.

This is while the controversial bill was approved by the French Senate
last month.

The bill has received harsh criticism from Turkey who says the bill
is disrespectfull to all Turks.

Ankara has also threatened broader diplomatic and trade sanctions
against Paris as a result of the law.

Meanwhile, French President Nicolas Sarkozy says he will redraft the
bill if it is rejected by France’s top judicial body.

Sarkozy, whose right-wing UMP party introduced the bill, is accused
of using the bill to win the support of France’s estimated 500,000
ethnic Armenians in the French presidential election, which will be
held in April.

Armenia claims that up to 1.5 million Armenians were killed in an
act of genocide carried out by the forces of the Ottoman Empire in
1915 and 1916.

Ankara rejects the use of the word “genocide” and instead says that
only 500,000 Armenians died and they were casualties of World War I.

Paris formally recognized the killings of Armenians as genocide in
2001, but had imposed no penalty for anyone denying that genocide
had occurred.

TURKEY WELCOMES FRENCH COURT ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RULING

Ynet News
Feb 28 2012
Israel

Turkey welcomed on Tuesday a ruling by France’s highest court
overturning a law making it illegal to deny the killing of Armenians
in the Ottoman Empire a century ago was genocide.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said the cabinet would meet to
consider whether to restart economic, political and military contacts
with France which were frozen after the French parliament passed the
law on January 23. (Reuters)

KARABAKH’S RIGHT TO SELF-DETERMINATION SHOULD BE AFFIRMED, U.S. CONGRESSMAN SAYS

PanARMENIAN.Net
February 29, 2012 – 15:38 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – U.S. Representative Adam Schiff (D-CA) addressed
the House on occasion of the 24th anniversary of Azerbaijani pogroms
against the Armenian population in Sumgait.

“I rise today to commemorate the scores of Armenian lives lost in the
vicious attacks perpetrated by Azerbaijani pogroms against Armenian
civilians in the town of Sumgait, Azerbaijan 24 years ago,” Rep.
Schiff said.

“Beginning on February 27, 1988 and for three days, Azerbaijani mobs
assaulted and killed Armenians. Hundreds of Armenians were wounded,
women and young girls were brutally raped, and victims of all ages
were beaten and tortured and eventually burned to death. Thousands
were driven from their homes and forced to become refugees. Armenian
homes and businesses were left to be looted and destroyed.”

He went on to say: “In the years that followed this heinous event,
Armenians living in Kirovabad and Baku suffered a similar fate. These
pogroms were only part of a pattern of anti-Armenian activities
occurring throughout Azerbaijan setting the stage for two decades
of aggression during which the Azerbaijani government initiated a
war against the people of Nagorno Karabakh Thousands of people lost
their lives and hundreds of thousands of Armenians were displaced
as a result of the fighting. A once thriving population of 450,000
Armenians living in Azerbaijan virtually disappeared.”

“A cease-fire agreement, brokered in 1994, remains in place today.

However, Azerbaijan’s continued war-mongering, recent cease-fire
violations, and dramatic increase of its military budget threaten
to destabilize the Nagorno Karabakh peace talks. In January 2008,
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev warned Armenians living in Nagorno
Karabakh “We are reinforcing our army because we must be ready to
free our lands . . . at any moment and by any means.” Such rhetoric
is detrimental to the peace process and is further evidence that
this conflict is ongoing and must be resolved. It is my sincerest
hope that a democratic and peaceful resolution can be reached, and
Nagorno Karabakh’s right to self-determination affirmed,” he reminded.

“This April will mark the 97th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide,
an event the Turkish government, Azerbaijan s closest ally, goes to
great and tragic lengths to deny. We must not let such crimes against
humanity go unrecognized. Today, let us pause to remember the victims
of the atrocities of the Sumgait pogroms. Mr. Speaker, it is our moral
obligation to condemn crimes of hatred and to remember the victims,
in hope that history will not be repeated,” Rep. Schiff said.

SARKOZY GETS OFF THE HOOK – EXPERT

Tert.am
29.02.12

The French Constitutional Council’s ruling helped Sarkozy to get off
the hook, according to Artak Shakaryan, a turkologist.

Commenting on the Council’s Tuesday ruling to deem the genocide denial
criminalization bill unconstitutional. the expert told reporters on
Wednesday that the move enabled the French leader to prove that he
had nothing to do with the constitutionalists’ opinion.

Shakaryan said such outcome was not predictable given that the final
decision depended on several members who were politically isolated
from electoral processes and public moods.

“Although they say now that the Turks gloat over the ruling, the
Constitutional Council’s decision depended actually on just a few
members, so there’s absolutely nothing to rejoice at,” he said.

On January 23, the French Senate voted 127 to 86 to criminalize the
denial of all the genocides recognized by the country. Several
lawmakers protesting against the bill later applied to the
Constitutional Council asking it to revise the document. The Council
was expected to issue its ruling within a month. On February 28, it
declared the bill unconstitutional, arguing that such legislation
would curb freedom of speech in the country. If enacted, the bill
would threaten anyone publicly denying the Armenian Genocide with a
one-year prison sentence and a fine of ~@45,000.

FRENCH HAY DAT CHIEF: CONSTITUTIONAL COUNCIL REPS IN BUSINESS TIES WITH TURKEY

PanARMENIAN.Net
February 28, 2012 – 21:40 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – The head of Hay Dat French office cited Turkish
pressure and underhand intrigues behind the French Constitutional
Council’s ruling that the bill punishing Armenian Genocide denial
is unconstitutional.

As Hrach Varzhapetian told a PanARMENIAN.Net a number of Turkish and
Azeri media reported that the bill was ruled as unconstitutional
before the official announcement, which proves the decision was
pre-planned. According to the politician, some French media outlets
raised the issue, questioning the impartiality of some of the Council
members.

“Some of the members of the Council are known to have business and
other ties with Turkish circles,” the politician said.

Varzhapetian further pledged to raise the issue during the meetings
with the Armenian community. “It’s time to call a spade a spade,”
he said.

The French Constitutional Council ruled that a bill recently adopted
by the French Senate making it a crime to deny the Armenian Genocide
was anti-constitutional.

In a statement the Council said the bill adopted by parliament on
January 23 represented an “unconstitutional breach of the practice
of freedom of expression and communication.”

Turkey reacted furiously when the Senate approved the law. Ankara
halted political and military cooperation with France and was
threatening to cut off economic and cultural ties if the law took
effect.

TWO MINISTRIES HAVE OBJECTIONS AGAINST CONSTRUCTION OF SMALL HPPS IN SYUNIK

arminfo
Wednesday, February 29, 14:50

On March 1 Deputy Minister of Territorial Administration Vache
Terteryan will submit a project on changing the category of land
areas in Litchq (Syunik region) for the construction of 2 small HPPs
at the government meeting.

Ecolur reports that Agriculture Ministry has objection to changing
the category of 0.15 ha land areas, which belong to the forest fund,
while Nature Protection Minister makes a reference on government
decision N1209 dated on 15.10.2009.

In accordance with this decision, the third national park, “Arevik” has
been set up in Armenia, where any agricultural activities disturbing
the park regime are banned.

The construction project of 2 small HPPs is developed by Suren
Khachatryan, Governor of Syunik Region.

FRENCH CONSTITUTIONAL COUNCIL’S STATEMENT TURKEY’S ‘TEMPORARY SUCCESS’ – ARMENIAN EXPERT

Tert.am
29.02.12

In an interview with the 1st TV channel of Armenia, the expert in
Turkic studies Ruben Melkonyan addressed the political and legal
aspects of the French Constitutional Council’s statement on the bill
criminalizing denial of the Armenian Genocide.

“The fact is that the French state made a political assessment of
the Armenian Genocide and the French supreme legislative bodies
recognized it. However, the legal system of France, a center of
European democracy, may disagree with the country’s political or
legislative system. That does not mean, however, that the French
state has changed its position on the fact of the Armenian Genocide,”
Melkonyan said.

He pointed out the fact that it is at great financial and political
sacrifice that Turkey suceeds in preventing further developments.

“It is not a complete victory at all as Turkey believes it to be. It
is temporary success to satisfy their present nationalistic desires,”
Melkonyan said.

He is sure of further political and legal processes related to the
Armenian Genocide bill, and it will be re-introduced before the French
parliament. Given the forthcoming presidential election in France,
as well as other processes, any ultimate assessments can hardly be
expected in the near future.

“Turkey’s steps contribute to the international awareness and
recognition of the fact of Armenian Genocide,” the expert said.

Turkey’s pressure was the only reason for the French Constitutional
Council’s statement. “Both this bill and the law on Jewish Holocaust
have the same legal basis. If the Constitutional Council noticed
unconstitutional elements in the bill, it must necessarily notice
the same in the law on the Jewish Holocaust. I think it is the French
legal system’s task to apply equal standards or admit they are applying
double standards,” Melkonyan said.

After being amended the bill will certainly be adopted, and Turkey’s
efforts are doomed to failure. “Turkey will go on facing such threats
as long as it refuses to admit its guilt. The present developments
may cause discussions on the Armenian Genocide problem intensify
throughout the world. Different countries’ legislative bodies are
more and more likely to adopt relevant bills,” Melkonyan said.

MANIFESTATION CONTRE LA CONSTRUCTION DE MAGASINS A EREVAN
Stephane

armenews.com
mardi 28 fevrier 2012

La police a employe la force contre plus d’une douzaine de miliatnts
ecologistes qui campaient dans un parc public dans Erevan pour
protester contre la construction sur le terrain de plusieurs magasins.

La municipalite d’Erevan a autorise la construction après avoir
ordonne a des proprietaires de magasin de transferer leurs grands
kiosques qui se trouvaient sur les principales rues du centre ville
le mois dernier. Plusieurs centaines de kiosques presents sur les
trottoirs a travers la capitale armenienne avaient ete demontees.

Des miliatnts ecologistes et d’autres groupes civiques ont
condamne le choix de ce nouvel emplacement pour les magasins,
disant qu’il reduirait le secteur vert d’Erevan qui s’est
contracte significativement la decennie passee. Ils disent aussi
que l’administration municipale n’a pas suivi toutes les procedures
legales avant d’autoriser les constructions.

Des douzaines de jeunes militants ont organise des occupations
quotidiennes dans le parc empechant la construction d’aller de
l’avant. Leurs representants ont rencontre le Maire d’Erevan Taron
Markarian pour exiger qu’il abandonne sa decision controversee.

Markarian a rejete la demande.

Les temoins oculaires ont dit que la police anti-emeutes a pousse un
groupe de militants loin du site de construction afin de permettre
aux ouvriers de reprendre leur travail. Il est desormais interdit
d’accèder au site ce qui n’a pas empeche les ecologistes de continuer
a manifester tout près.

Les manifestants ont pû empecher un camion transportant du beton
d’accèder au chantier en se jettant devant le vehicule.

Le chef du departement de police d’Erevan, Nerses Nazarian, est
parvenu sur place pour recommander vivement aux protestataires de ne
pas empecher la construction des magasins. Le chef du departement legal
de la municipalite, Zaven Arakelian, les a aussi approches, montrant
les copies de documents prouvant la legalite de la construction.

” Toutes ces decisions ont ete faites en violation de la loi ” a
dit Sona Ayvazian, militante anti-corruption participant aussi a la
manifestation. ” Donc, on ne peut pas les considerer comme legales “.