Author: Kajoyan Gevork

JOURNALISTS, NEWS MEDIA IN ARMENIA MORE PERSECUTED IN 2011 THAN EVER BEFORE: EXPERT

epress.am
01.31.2012

2011 was an unprecedented difficult year for journalists, said
Yerevan-based Committee to Protect Freedom of Expression President
Ashot Melikyan, speaking to journalists in the Armenian capital today.

Compared to previous years, the number of incidents of intimidation
against journalists and news outlets was far greater in 2011. There
were 49 such cases, though incidents of physical assault (5) and
restrictions on the right to clarify and disseminate information (7)
were few. Recall, in 2008, there were 16 recorded cases of intimidation
against news outlets and their employees; in 2009, their were 14 such
cases; and in 2010, there were 19.

According to Melikyan, intimidation was mainly applied through court
cases. There were 38 lawsuits against news media, most of which were
initiated by political figures and aimed only to intimidate and punish
those news outlets that publish critical pieces.

“Out of those 38 lawsuits, only MP Tigran Arzakantsyan’s suit
against Iravunq newspaper was rejected. Speaking about the cases,
it’s worth mentionin [former president] Robert Kocharian’s family’s
active pursuit of lawsuits, which is not appropriate for the second
president,” he said.

Recall, the Kocharian family sued local dailies Haykakan Jamanak
(“Armenian Times”), Jamanak (“Times”) and Hraparak (“square”) for
libel and defamation. The court obliged Haykakan Jamanak to pay the
family 3.5 million drams (a little over $9,000 USD) and Jamanak to
pay 3 million drams (approx. $7,750 USD). The case with Hraparak is
still in court.

SPOKESMAN FOR THE FOREIGN MINISTRY OF FRANCE PRESENTS CLARIFICATION TO ARMENPRESS

ARMENPRESS
JANUARY 31, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, JANUARY 31, ARMENPRESS: France wants peaceful relations with
Turkey, spokesman for the Foreign Ministry of France Bernard Valero
said commenting with request of Armenpress on the statement of the
Foreign Minister of Turkey Ahmet Davutoglu who doubted the French
mediatory activity in the Nagorno Karabakh settlement process.

“Turkey is our strategic partner. We have not stopped closely working
with that country both in bilateral and multi-lateral formats within
the framework of NATO, G20. We are also cooperating for stopping
violence in Syria, establishing peace and stability in Afghanistan,”
Bernard Valero said.

By the way after adoption of the bill criminalizing the denial of
the Armenian Genocide by the French Senate Turkey continues voicing
threats addressed to France. Both Prime Minister Erdogan, Foreign
Minister Davutoglu criticized France. The latter even spoke against
France’s co-chairmanship in the Minsk Group.

TURKEY IS WAITING, WHILE COLLECTING SIGNATURES CONTINUES IN FRENCH SENATE

epress.am
01.31.2012

There are positive developments on collecting the 60 signatures
required to challenge the law recently approved by the French Senate
that criminalizes denial of genocide (including the Armenian Genocide),
a Turkish politician said, although the sufficient number had not
yet been reached, the Hurriyet Daily News reports.

“There are positive developments on the issue of signatures, but all
is not clear yet,” said Omer Celik, deputy chair of the Justice and
Development Party (AKP), speaking in a TV broadcast yesterday.

Turkey is currently waiting for the conclusion of the legal process
in France. If the law is adopted, Ankara will implement ready-prepared
sanctions against France, Celik said.

On the other hand, the European Union has expressed hope on
reconciliation between Turkey and Armenia despite the current
Franco-Turkish spat.

“The EU supports good neighborly relations between states. We hope
Turkey and Armenia pass over these difficulties,” Jean-Maurice Ripert,
new head of the European Union Delegation to Turkey, told reporters
after meeting with Turkey’s EU Minister Egemen BagıÅ~_ yesterday.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said last week he was
disappointed by the silence of the European Union on the matter. If
any candidate country to the EU had implemented such a law, the union
would have raised the issue, included it in its progress reports,
and made its removal a precondition of entry, he said, adding that
Turkey expected the EU to impose sanctions on France.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan also claimed Turkey was
keeping up its efforts for the French senators who objected to the
denial law to apply to the Constitutional Council.

TURKEY’S RESIDENCE LAW TO AFFECT ARMENIAN STUDENTS

Tert.am
31.01.12

Children of Armenian workers that are enrolled in Turkish minority
schools are waiting apprehensively for a new foreigners’ residence
law as the new regulations could result in many foreigners being
expelled from the country, Hurriyet Daily News reported.

“These kids have grown up in Turkey. This is where they received their
education. It will turn their lives upside down if they are sent
back,” Karekin Barsamyan, the director of the Mıhitaryan Private
Armenian High School in Istanbul’s NiÅ~_antaÅ~_ı neighborhood,
told the Hurriyet Daily News.

The law, which will only permit foreigners to reside in Turkey 90
days out of 180 unless they pay to obtain a residence permit, goes
into effect tomorrow.

Sixty students from Armenia are enrolled in Armenian minority schools
across Istanbul, Barsamyan said, adding that the concept of being a
“guest student” had already led to traumatic problems for the children.

“A person who resides in Turkey for three months has to wait for
another three months before going back into Turkey again according
to the new residence law. It’s possible that these kids’ education
is going to be disrupted,” he said.

The children were admitted into Armenian minority schools for the
2011-2012 education year by means of a special permit granted by
the Education Ministry. They receive education under the status of a
“guest student,” which means they receive neither report cards nor
diplomas. Students enrolled in minority schools must hold Turkish
citizenship based on the Lausanne Treaty of 1923, while pupils are
further affected by the restrictive Armenian Schools Law that was
passed in the 1940s.

“Even though this law seems to be universal, the real target is the
people from Armenia. Prime Minister [Recep Tayyip] Erdogan had openly
hurled threats in 2010. The government contradicts itself. On one hand,
it grants the status of a ‘guest student’ to the children and says
it will enact new legal arrangements while trying to deport families
on the other,” Pastor Krikor Agabaloglu of the Protestant Church in
Istanbul’s GedikpaÅ~_a neighborhood told the Daily News.

Angered at the time by foreign parliaments passing motions related
to the events of 1915, Erdogan threatened in 2010 to retaliate by
deporting up to “100,000” Armenian citizens living illegally in Turkey.

Some families send their children to the basement floor of the
Protestant Church in GedikpaÅ~_a where they receive education
informally so as to avoid exposing their identities.

“Yes, those who pay 400 Turkish Liras in insurance premiums will be
able to continue residing [in Turkey] in accordance with the new law,
but almost 90 percent of those coming here are women, and the wages
they earn are too low. They cannot meet this price. As a church, we
strive to help them materially and spiritually to get them to hold
onto life. Our [means] are inadequate, however,” Agabaloglu said,
adding that he condemned the new law.

All these women are university graduates who found employment in
patient care, baby-sitting and house labor to meet their families’
needs, he said. “I call on people’s conscience. Do not let this law
go through.”

ARMENIA’S POLICE CHIEF ISSUES NEW APPOINTMENTS, DISMISSALS

news.am
January 31, 2012 | 11:12

YEREVAN. – With the order of Armenia’s Police Chief Vladimir Gasparyan,
Police Force Gegharkunik Regional Investigation Division Chief Edik
Poghosyan is relieved of his duties, on Monday, and sent to the
personnel reserve, Police Force informed Armenian News-NEWS.am.

And Artavazd Ghazaryan is appointed to the aforesaid position. Prior
to this appointment, however, Ghazaryan is dismissed from his duties
as Police Force Yerevan Investigation Department Road-Transport Crime
Investigation Division Chief.

POUTINE VA IMPOSER AUX IMMIGRES DES EXAMENS DE RUSSE ET D’HISTOIRE
Stephane

armenews.com
mardi 31 janvier 2012

Le premier ministre russe Vladimir Poutine, en campagne pour la
presidentielle de mars, a promis dans une tribune publiee lundi de
durcir les règles d’immigration en imposant notamment dès 2013 un
examen de culture et de langue russe aux immigres.

“Dès l’annee prochaine, il faudra imposer un examen de langue russe,
d’histoire de Russie, de litterature russe et sur les fondements de
notre Etat et du droit pour l’obtention ou la prolongation” d’un permis
de sejour, ecrit-il sur le site de sa campagne pour la presidentielle
de mars (putin2012.ru) et dans le journal Nezavissimaïa Gazeta.

Il aborde aussi la question de la “migration interne”, c’est-a-dire
les deplacements de population des regions pauvres de Russie -en
particulier le Caucase russe musulman- vers les plus riches, alors
que de nombreux Russes denoncent le nombre croissant de “Caucasiens”
dans les grandes villes.

M. Poutine promet de durcir le système qui oblige deja tous les Russes
a enregistrer leur adresse auprès des services de police s’il reste
dans une ville plus de trois mois.

“Dans beaucoup de regions dites +attrayantes pour les migrants+
et dans les megalopoles, les systèmes (de protection sociale, ndlr)
ont atteint leur limite ce qui a cree des tensions entre +locaux+
et +nouveaux venus+”, souligne l’homme fort de Russie.

“Je considère qu’il faut durcir les règles de l’enregistrement et
les sanctions en cas d’infraction. Tout cela, bien sûr, sans porter
atteinte au droit du citoyen a choisir son lieu de vie”, estime M.
Poutine, sans apporter plus de precisions.

Le racisme et la xenophobie gagnent du terrain en Russie depuis la
chute de l’URSS. Des centaines de milliers de personnes originaires du
Caucase russe et d’Asie centrale vivent et travaillent dans les grandes
villes russes pour echapper a la misère dans leur region d’origine.

La Russie a connu une vague de manifestations nationalistes et
de heurts xenophobes a la fin de 2010, declenchees par le meurtre
d’un jeune supporteur de football dans une rixe a Moscou avec des
Caucasiens.

HILLARY CLINTON RENVOIE LE GENOCIDE DES ARMENIENS AUX HISTORIENS
Gari

armenews.com
mardi 31 janvier 2012

Au moment où la France s’expose aux foudres de la Turquie avec le vote
par le Senat d’une loi sanctionnant les negationnistes des genocides,
dont le genocide des Armeniens, les Etats-Unis s’emploient a rassurer
leur allie et partenaire strategique turc, et a s’en attire les
bonnes grâces.

Après les satisfecit addresses par le president Barack Obama au
premier minister turc Recept Tayyip Erdogan, qu’il compte parmi les
cinq dirigeants les plus proches des Etats-Unis, c’etait au tour de
la Secretaire d’Etat americaine Hillary Clinton d’adresser un message
on ne peut plus rassurant a Ankara.

S’adressant au corps diplomatique americain et au personnel du
Departement d’Etat, elle a en effet reduit la question du genocide
armenien a sa simple dimension de ” debat historique “, recusant donc
sa place dans le debat politique et legislatif.

Repondant a une question relative a la loi votee par le Senat francais,
elle a fait valoir que les souffrances endurees par le peuple armenien
dans l’Empire ottoman, aussi atroces qu’elles aient ete, ne relevaient
pas de l’appreciation du legislateur ni de l’homme politique,
mais concernaient les seuls historiens, et qu’une telle initiative
constituait un precedant inquietant, ouvrant une ” porte dangereuse “.

En d’autres termes, la reconnaissance du genocide des Armeniens par
les Etats-Unis, en faveur de laquelle militant depuis de nombreuses
annees les associations armeno-americaines comme l’Armenian National
Committee of America (ANCA), avec le soutien des amis de la cause
armenienne au sein du Congrès americain, n’est pas souhaitable. Sous la
pression du lobby armenien et de ces members du Congrès, differentes
resolutions ont ete soumises au vote des legislateurs americains sans
jamais aboutir.

Les presidents americains de Clinton a Obama en passant par Bush
s’etaient tous engages a reconnaître le genocide des Armeniens durant
leur campagne electorale, mais une fois a la Maison Blanche, aucun
n’a tenu ses engagements.

M. Obama lui aussi, a trouve la parade pour ne pas prononcer le
mot de genocide qui fâche la Turquie dans ses hommages aux victimes
armeniennes prononce chaque 24 avril, a l’occasion de l’anniversaire
du genocide de 1915 qu’il a designe de la formule elliptique de ”
medz Yeghern “, en armenien dans le texte.

Au su des recentes declarations de Mme Clinton, on ne doit donc pas
s’attendre a ce qu’il change de lexique le 24 avril prochain…

LA MEMOIRE NE SERA PAS BAFOUEE PAR LE NEGATIONNISME
Jean Eckian

armenews.com
mardi 31 janvier 2012

Sur une initiative personnelle, un militant de la Cause Armenienne
s’est adresse directement au President de la Republique pour le
remercier d’avoir fait “triompher la verite etouffee” et l’alerter
sur la situation inacceptable de l’editeur Ragip Zarakolu, incarcere
en Turquie pour “faits de liberte de penser”.

Dans la reponse de l’Elysee, datee du 25 janvier 2012, sous la plume
du Chef de cabinet de Nicolas Sarkozy, ce dernier affirme que ” le
President de la Republique est plus que jamais determine a faire en
sorte que la memoire douloureuse des victimes du genocide armenien
ne soit pas bafouee par le negationnisme. ”

Reponse de l’Elysee

LE GOUVERNEMENT ARMENIEN SOUTIENT LA FRANCE
Laetitia

armenews.com
mardi 31 janvier 2012

Le ministre des Affaires etrangères, Edouard Nalbandian, a denonce
les critiques sevères de la Turquie envers la France.

” La reaction de la Turquie, ses propos accusateurs envers tous
les pays qui ont reconnu le genocide armenien, ses declarations
offensives et provocatrices contre le peuple armenien et la diaspora
armenienne… temoignent d’une politique d’Etat de deni du genocide
“, a declare le ministre lors de sa visite en Lituanie.

” C’est un phenomène très dangereux, a rencherit Nalbandian. Et
il prouve la necessite et l’importance de cette loi adoptee par la
France. Cette decision devrait etre soutenue par d’autres pays. ”

Le Premier ministre turc, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a qualifie mardi cette
loi de ” discriminatoire et de raciste ” et a menace de sanctionner
Paris.

En revanche, le president Serge Sarkissian a annonce que cette loi
est historique.

S’exprimant lors d’une conference avec le ministre des Affaires
etrangères lituanien, Audronius Azubalis, Nalbandian a egalement
souligne que la loi francaise n’entravera pas les efforts pour
normaliser les relations entre l’Armenie et la Turquie. ” Chacun sait
que si quelqu’un entrave la normalisation, c’est la Turquie elle-meme
“, a-t-il dit.

Nalbandian semblait se referer a l’echec des protocoles de 2009.

Azubalis a souligne la necessite pour la Turquie de reconnaître les
massacres de 1915. Le parlement lituanien a reconnu le genocide en
2005. ” Nous devons affronter l’histoire, nous devons evaluer avec
les evenements du passe d’une manière ouverte, claire et honnete. ”
” Ceux qui disent que l’histoire devrait etre laissee aux historiens
ont tort “, a ajoute Azubalis.

ARMENIA INTENSIFIES TRADE TIES WITH LEBANON

PanARMENIAN.Net
January 31, 2012 – 17:10 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – On January 30, Armenian ambassador to Lebanon
Ashot Kocharyan met with Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Azmi Mikati
to discuss development bilateral ties, particularly in trade.

The parties favored high-level meetings and outcomes of Lebanese
President’s official visit to Armenia at the beginning of December
2011.

The two men further agreed to intensify holding of joint business
conferences, RA MFA reported.