Author: Kajoyan Gevork

PANORAMA.AM RECEIVES AWARD AT UN JOURNALISM AWARDS CEREMONY

18:50 24/10/2013 ” SOCIETY

The UN in Armenia, together with its strategic partners – government
officials, representatives of the diplomatic corps, international
organizations, private sector, civil society, educational institutions
and media, celebrates the 68th anniversary of the UN today.

During the month, the UN organized various outreach events around the
country: from the opening of a new UN Corner in the Gyumri Central
Library, UN materials distribution through Bibliobus, numerous
debates with youth, education outreach in different universities and
organization of the Model UN Conference.

The celebration culminated with the UN Journalism Awards Ceremony,
where two best journalists received awards for their professional
coverage of issues related to the UN work in Armenia. The winner
of category “coverage of UN Armenia work in general” was Martha
Hahknazaryan from Golos Armenii, who received a tablet and a special
certificate. Within category “coverage of UN work in the regions of
Armenia” the winner was Lia Khojoyan from Panorama.am and WomenNet.am
who also received a tablet and certificate. All other top candidates
received certificates and other gifts, which will be useful for their
professional work. The UN expert jury selected the winners based on
their in-depth coverage, professionalism, knowledge of the UN mandate,
importance of the issue in Armenian context and vision.

The UN Resident Coordinator Bradley Busetto said: “Since the
establishment of the UN Office in Armenia to present day, due to the
combined efforts of many agencies of the UN family, we can humbly
point out that the UN had its tangible input in the advancement of the
country and, certainly, is going to have in the coming future. The
areas of application of our efforts through diverse programs are
pretty much broad, encompassing mostly those in need. Nevertheless,
we can express in one word the resolute objective for the entire UN
system activities in Armenia – people, with particular focus on the
vulnerable segments of the population.”

Other partners, also spoke about the important role the UN has
in supporting the country’s efforts to advance sustainable human
development and achieve the nationalized Millennium Development Goals.

Bradley Busetto thanked all UN partners, including the government,
civil society and media for their cooperation and assistance in the
work of different UN institutions operating in Armenia.

On 24 October 1945, sixty-eight years ago, the founding Charter of
the UN entered into force. The UN Office in Armenia was opened in
December 1992, after Armenia became a member of the United Nations
in March 1992.

Source: Panorama.am

BOOK ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH

14:46, 24 October, 2013

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 24, ARMENPRESS: Ahead of the 100th anniversary of
the Armenian Genocide, the English version of the three-volume book
“Armenian Genocide in Turkey” has been published. At the meeting with
the journalists the Director of the National Archive Amatuni Virabyan
told about it. According to him, the book includes the stories told
by the Armenian Genocide witnesses collected in 1916, as well as the
English versions of the maps of the Western Armenia.

“The Armenian version of the book “Armenian Genocide in Turkey”
emerged great interest in Turkey. And we decided to publish the
English version of the book jointly with Van Foundation. It will
have 1000 samples and in case of greater demand, we will increase
the number of the books”, – said Amatuni Virabyan, Armenpress reports.

In the years of 1892-1923 the Turkish government organized the
Armenian Genocide, during which mass deportation and massacre of
more than 1,5 million people from the Western Armenia, Cilicia and
Ottoman Empire was carried out. Conditionally the beginning of the
Genocide is considered to be the April 24 1915, when 600 Armenian
intellectuals were arrested and then killed in Constantinople.

EFFORTS SHOULD BE MADE FOR INTENSIFYING THE PROPAGANDA

Tuesday, 22 October 2013 14:31

During the 4-5 October international scientific conference The
National-Liberation Struggle of Artsakh: from Gyulistan to Nowadays
held in Stepanakert, hot discussions took place over the current
stage of the negotiations on the peaceful settlement of the Karabakh
conflict.

The views of Director of Modus VivendiResearch Center,
political scientist Ara Papyan on the right of Nagorno Karabakh to
self-determination and the principle of territorial integrity, which
he expressed in his speech The International Legal Status of Nagorno
Karabakh (from 1917 to nowadays), are worth of attention.Following
is an interview with Ara Papyan on this issue.

– Mr. Papyan, you noted in your speech that the principle of
self-determination leads, to a certain extent, the people of Karabakh
to a trap. What did you mean?

– Yes, I noted this, because the movement emerged within the USSR,
articles 72-77 of the Constitution of which contained both the
principles of nations’ self-determination and immutability of
the republics’ borders, and this contradiction moved after 1991,
when Armenia and Azerbaijan gained independence. The principles of
self-determination and territorial integrity were accepted purely
formally, though in this case, the territorial integrity cannot refer
to Azerbaijan. Why? According to international law, violation of
integration is when there is involvement of foreign force of threat of
foreign force. While we know that the Artsakh Movement was a national
movement, and Armenia acted as just a supporter. If the events are set
up in this way, the principle of self-determination becomes a serious
problem to us. In practice, what are going to resolve? According to
the Madrid Principles, by saying self-determination, self-determination
within the territory of the former NKAO is meant.

Or, at best, Karabakh can gain independence within the territory of the
NKAO. If it gains independence, it is still another matter, whether
it will take place or not. Are the Karabakh people and authorities
really ready to return the security zone-liberated territories? It
isn’t accidental that when the NKAO was “created” in 1923, such
division made the area extremely vulnerable. Moreover, the Madrid
Principles do not contain a solution to the issue. There is a delay of
the issue. So, you pay today with the liberated territories, that is,
your security; instead, you get a promise, which isn’t clear to be
realized in 5, 10 or 15 years. Let’s take another right – the right
to expression. What does it mean? It means that the people should
express with whom it desires to live, yes, after so many years.

It means that without getting a status and having one of the provisions
– the return of refugees, tens and hundreds of thousands will come
here. Today, 300-600 thousands of refugees are noted in Azerbaijan…

– More than the total size of the population those years…

– While about 40.000 Azerbaijanis lived here that time.

They say 20 years have passed, and our population has increased 5
times and so on. There is also another circumstance. The international
community will look through the documents with the place of birth
– a Karabakhian village. The Soviet passports were long changed,
and the people got Azerbaijani passports long ago, but the place
of birth there was fixed as a Karabalkhian village (they wrote
what they wished). But, assuming that about 80-100 thousand people
(there were 40.000, increasing twice) will arrive, imagine what kind
of inter-ethnic clashes may occur. Even at best, imagine that they
come, live peacefully and finally the people vote for independence
or uniting with Armenia. And Azerbaijan says no, I don’t recognize,
as it happened previously. What should we do in this case? Will the
international community begin “to bomb” Baku, pressing it to recognize
us? Surely, not. Or, it hasn’t a real lever for influence. The real
lever is war, but nobody will use it. Will the Karabakh people be
really able to stand up for its own rights in case of yielding the
surrounding territories, in a psychologically changed atmosphere,
having tens of thousands of Azeris within the country?

– It will be very difficult or impossible…

– Surely, it will be impossible. Now a propaganda struggle is
underway. And this is an important stage. Currently, a lot of issues
are resolved, basing on the public opinion. It is very important in
the West. The authorities take decisions under the influence of the
public opinion. If we had managed to demonstrate the truth to the
world, the public opinion would have forced to recognize Karabakh.

– What prevents us to implement this propaganda?

– First of all, the improper attitude to the public opinion. Maybe
it isn’t characteristic to us to pay corresponding importance to
the public opinion. And we think that others act similarly. But,
others differ from us, living in another system of values. Secondly,
I’d like to note the lack of professionalism. Here the situation is
complicated, because there are no clear boundaries between the wrong
and right and there is no specification of the good and bad. And third,
the funds are spent improperly…

– Can you give an example?

– For example, many great events take place in Armenia and Karabakh,
in particular, on the occasion of the Yerevan-Erebuni and Independence
Days, which do not encourage the people for a special attitude
towards independence. On the contrary, it causes antipathy in the
poor country. Part of the funds allocated for these events can be
spent for social programs and for propaganda. The literature, which
was published in Russian in due time, can be re-printed, translated,
duplicated and sent to large and small libraries and universities
operating in different countries of the world. I must say, they don’t
use textbooks for studying there. Students are instructed to write
works on any topic or to prepare a report. They use library- and
Internet materials to prepare their works. If the needed book lacks
in the library, he isn’t a specialist to seek and find it, and one
should give him a corresponding book. I assure that the libraries
contain books by about 20 or 30 Azerbaijani and Turkish authors;
surely, they are not all about Karabakh or the Genocide. A considerable
part of the books is about the negative image of Armenians. In short,
the young people form their opinion, basing on these books.

– So, corresponding works should be conducted for improving the
specialists’ knowledge and for creating the proper public opinion.

– Yes, and all this should be universal, comprehensive, and most
importantly, systematized. We (I mean the two Armenian administrative
entities) do not implement systematized propaganda. You cannot
imagine what works are conducted by our opponent. And we cannot
expand and systematize our works. For example, while making a speech,
I spoke about an important document – a resolution of the League
of Nations. But, a few people speak about the document, which is
so important for us. The successor of the UN took a decision on
the Karabakh issue, which wasn’t realized, due to a crime. Or,
this region was occupied by the Red Army. Now it would be natural
if after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 we returned to the
situation that was provided by international law in the 20s of the 20th
century. But, what has happened in fact? The incompatibility of the
two principles regarding Karabakh, which was formed during the Soviet
period, was formally transferred to the next period. While even that
period, according to the document adopted by the League of Nations,
Karabakh was a recognized and independent state. The matter is that
Azerbaijan, actually, accepts that fact, because the declaration on its
independence clearly provides that the modern Azerbaijani Republic is
the successor of the first (and not the Soviet) Azerbaijani Republic.

It turns out that it refuses of Soviet Azerbaijan. But, in this case,
why don’t we propose, respecting the decision of the Azerbaijani
authorities, which refused of the Soviet Azerbaijani Republic, to
return to the pre-Soviet period and see what we have and what legal
materials are available there? See how many fundamental documents
are available, but who is speaking about them? But, Azerbaijan has
stated so much about the 20% of the so-called “occupied” territories
that the world believes it.

– If the propaganda is expanded and systematized, will the world
really take a true stance on the Karabakh recognition? Or, are there
other circumstances, which dictate the current situation?

– Certainly, the work will be successful. Be sure it will be so. I’ll
say how. Let’s imagine a mass, a small part of which is well informed
of the issue and knows that Armenians are right.

Another small part, which is also aware of the issue, says that
Azeris are right. As a rule, it proceeds from certain interest. But,
the majority, or about 80 %, is the hesitating part, which isn’t
informed of the issue and isn’t interested in it. And we should work
with this part. I state once more that these people form the public
opinion, which forces the authorities to take other decisions. See,
the same took place on the issue of the Genocide. So many states
have recognized the Armenian Genocide for the last decades. Thanks
to what it has happened? Thanks to the public opinion. I must say,
here we have certain advantages and we must make a lot of efforts
and spare no means to develop these advantages.

Susanna BALAYAN

ARMENIA’S SECOND PRESIDENT TRAVELS TO RUSSIA

October 24, 2013 | 15:37

YEREVAN. – Second President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan will arrive
in Russian capital city Moscow on Thursday, Kocharyan’s office manager
Victor Soghomonyan told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

“He left today [on Thursday], but has not yet arrived,” Soghomonyan
noted.

He informed that on Saturday Kocharyan will participate in the board
of directors meeting of Sistema JSFC holding company of Russia.

To the query as to whether Robert Kocharyan is also slated to meet
with senior officials, Victor Soghomonyan responded by saying, “no.”

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

15TH EXHIBITION OF IRANIAN GOODS TO OPEN IN YEREVAN

YEREVAN, October 24. / ARKA /. The 15th exhibition of Iranian goods
will open on October 26 at Yerevan expo center.

The exhibition will feature products of several major Iranian
companies, the center told ARKA. It will run until October 29. -0-

– See more at:

AN UNCOMMON BEAUTY: HIKING AROUND GOSH LAKE, ARMENIA

14:40, October 24, 2013

Vasken Brudian

A place where the Gods reside? Or is this the heaven we have been
searching for? At least that is the sense one gets when in the presence
of this extraordinary and strange beauty. I say strange because in
my own life at least, I have rarely been confronted with so much
alluring beauty, calmness, tranquility, and a seductive manifestation
of nature’s splendor.

Gosh lake is located in the Tavoush region of Armenia, near the
villages of Ganja and Gosh. Our hike started from Goshavank, and from
there, a muddy, steep climb to an altitude of approx. 1550 meters
(5000 feet). It is roughly one and a half hours to two hours to reach
this point. But once you get here, you realize that a “heavenlike”
place like this should not be an easy stroll.

ARMENIA TO CONSULT CSTO ALLIES ON AZERI ‘BORDER PROVOCATIONS’

NEWS | 24.10.13 | 09:07

Armenia is going to consult its military allies from the Russia-led
Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) over the latest
border violations by Azerbaijan that have increased tensions in the
northeastern parts of the country lately.

One Armenian serviceman was killed and another three wounded when Azeri
forces opened fire at a military convoy moving along the Paravakar
section of the Berd-Ijevan road on Tuesday.

More shooting at the road situated close to the border with Azerbaijan
was reported the following day and the Defense Ministry said it would
be closed temporary for transport to allow some engineering work to
be done for security purposes.

Speaking in parliament on Wednesday, Armenian Prime Minister Tigran
Sargsyan described it as another “mean provocation” of Azerbaijan
and vowed that it will not remain unanswered.

“I think that the purpose was to distract the attention of Azerbaijani
citizens from active discussions of the election results in the
postelection period,” he added in response to the question of Heritage
faction secretary Tevan Poghosyan concerning the border incident.

As for whether it is time Armenia raised this issue before its CSTO
allies, Sargsyan said: “We will bring the attention of our partners to
this issue and naturally the matter concerns the collective security
system. We will inform our partners about all these issues, will
present our viewpoints.”

Meanwhile, a group of Armenian students held a protest in front of
the OSCE office in Yerevan on Wednesday, demanding international
condemnation of Azerbaijan’s actions at the border with Armenia.

ARMENIA’S ACCESSION TO CUSTOMS UNION MEANS FURTHER RESTRICTION ON ITS SOVEREIGNTY – MIKAEL HAYRAPETYAN

11:30 ~U 24.10.13

In an interview with Tert.am Chairman of the Conservative Party of
Mikael Hayrapetyan spoke of Armenia’s foreign policy and domestic
political developments, Armenia’s accession to the Customs Union and
cooperation with the European Union.

– Mr Harutyunyan, what is you stance on Armenia’s accession to the
Customs Union. Do you think it means loss of sovereignty? What economic
prospects for Armenia do you see?

– Armenia’s accession to the Customs Union will place further
restrictions on Armenia’s limited sovereignty. No economic or other
positive prospects should be expected either.

– On the other hand, Belarus and Kazakhstan advise Armenia against
hurrying. Do you allow for a possibility of Armenia’s not joining
any structure as our country is of no interest to other nations?

– A whole generation of people living in Kazakhstan and Belarus has
not seen presidents except for Nursultan Nazarbayev and Alexander
Lukashenko respectively. What is the value of “such out-of-date”
states’ advice for civilized nations? Yes, the possibility of Armenia
not joining any structure is not ruled out – not because our country
is “of no interest to other nations.” A country which has incompetent
leaders, but has been destroyed during the recent 22 years and has
worthy citizens, cannot be ignored.

– Foreign Minister of Sweden Carl Bildt told RFE/Radio Liberty that
the European Union would discuss further development of its relations
with Armenia after the European Partnership Summit in Vilnius,
Lithuania. He noted that other forms of cooperation will be discussed.

What is your opinion of the level of possible cooperation?

– You should not take his words too seriously. There are
better-informed people, with greater powers and strategic way of
thinking, in the West. We only need to realize that it is not only
Armenia’s strategic task to move toward Europe, but also Europe’s
strategic task to enter the South Caucasus, especially Armenia. And
this process and the responsibility for it cannot be unilateral.

Current and further cooperation with Europe and membership in
pan-European structures – irrespective of Armenia’s ruling regime –
will hopefully be adequate, with our comprehensive security as the
starting point. Speaking in sports terms, the ball is now in the
court of a group of European officials. Their priority task must be
to restrain Russia’s influence in Armenia, without avoiding their
responsibility for a political cost of this process.

– At present, what are Armenia’s major external and internal
challenges?

– The major internal challenge implies the right to free, fair
and transparent nationwide elections. The second challenge is that
Armenia’s elite should develop free thinking and keep pace with the
rest of the world.

Armenian News – Tert.am

AZERBAIJAN HAS OWN METHODS OF EXPRESSING DISAGREEMENT TO WEST – ARMENIAN ANALYST

October 24, 2013 | 01:24

YEREVAN. – The tension of the situation on the Armenia-Azerbaijan
border is due to several reasons, military analyst Arkadi Grigoryan
told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

First, as per Grigoryan, the Azerbaijani authorities are attempting
to distract their public’s attention from the fraud during, and the
related criticisms concerning, the recent presidential elections in
that country.

The second reason may be related to the changing of Azerbaijan’s
defense minister. In other words, the current tension is unique
evidence that the new minister is “within the topic.”

And the third reason, according to the military analyst, is linked
to the OSCE Minsk Group US co-chair’s recent visit to Azerbaijan.

“[The border tension] can be viewed as a reminder to the West that
the Nagorno-Karabakh issue is not that simple, and [official] Baku
may be demonstrating that it does not agree to some proposals. The
Azerbaijanis have their own methods of expressing their disagreement,”
Arkadi Grigoryan stressed.

As Armenian News-NEWS.am informed earlier, Azerbaijan opened fire,
on Tuesday at around 1pm-2pm, on the vehicles traveling along the
Berd-Ijevan motorway in Armenia’s Tavush Region. Those in civilian
and military vehicles, alike, suffered from the shots. As a result
of the shots fired upon a military motorcade, conscript, Private
Garik Poghosyan (born in 1994) died, informed the Armenian MOD press
service. In addition, conscripts, Privates Artur Andranikyan (born
in 1994), Arayik Zhamharyan (born in 1994), and Martin Petrosyan
(born in 1994) sustained varying degrees of gunshot wounds. The
office of Andrzej Kasprzyk, Personal Representative of the OSCE
Chairman-in-Office, was informed of this incident.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

AZERBAIDJAN : RAPPORT SUR LES VIOLATIONS DE LA LIBERTE D’EXPRESSION – II

Publie le : 24-10-2013

Info Collectif VAN – – ” Outre le contrôle de
l’Etat sur les principaux medias, le regime azeri ne cesse de supprimer
les voix dissidentes en intentant des procès pour diffamation. Selon
Rashid Hajili du Media Rights Institute, au cours des six premiers
mois de 2013, 36 procès pour diffamation ont ete intentes [en
Azerbaïdjan] contre des medias ou des journalistes, quatre d’entre
eux pour diffamation criminelle. En juin 2012, une Cour a ordonne au
journal Azadliq de payer une amende de 30 000 manat (36 000 dollars)
au president du Baku Metro Service, pour un article publie le 8 avril
2012 portant sur une augmentation des tarifs du metro. […] Le 26
janvier 2013, l’Assemblee parlementaire du Conseil de l’Europe (APCE)
n’a pas reussi a faire adopter une resolution sur les prisonniers
politiques. L’inaction de l’APCE a donne confiance a l’Azerbaïdjan
et depuis cet echec a l’APCE, l’Azerbaïdjan s’est senti libre
d’arreter encore plus de journalistes et d’activistes. […] Alors que
l’Azerbaïdjan se prepare a assumer la presidence du COE [juillet 2014],
il est d’une importance capitale pour le Conseil de l’Europe d’adopter
une attitude plus dure envers la repression exercee par l’Azerbaïdjan
sur les droits fondamentaux et les libertes “. Le Collectif VAN vous
propose la seconde partie de la traduction du rapport d’octobre 2013
d’Index, paru sur le site Xindex.

Xindex (indexoncensorship.org)

Ce rapport a ete publie le 10 octobre

DIVERSITE DES MEDIAS, PROPRIETE ET PRESSION SUR LA PRESSE D’OPPOSITION

La campagne de repression sur les medias independants et les medias
critiques se poursuit, alors que l’Etat est proprietaire de presque
tous les organes de radio et television ou bien ils sont contrôles
par les autorites.[5] La presse independante est confrontee a une
discrimination economique, les editeurs affirmant que les autorites
font regulièrement pression sur les annonceurs, afin qu’ils ne
placent pas d’annonces dans les journaux critiques.[6] Entre-temps,
les fonctionnaires azeris ont utilise la diffamation criminelle et
civile pour etouffer les journalistes critiques.

La plupart des neuf chaînes de television sont soit detenues
directement par l’Etat soit contrôlees par les autorites. L’autorite
de regulation, Azerbaijan’s National Television and Radio Council –
egalement responsable de l’attribution des permis de diffusion –
est entièrement financee par le budget d’Etat et le president nomme
directement ses neuf membres. Les journalistes a qui Index a parle
pensent que le public est inonde de propagande d’Etat, meme sur les
chaînes qui n’offrent pas de reportage direct sur des evenements en
cours ou politiques.

Les journaux critiques sont exclus des reseaux de distribution de la
presse, qui sont contrôles par des agents de l’Etat. Plus de 70 %
de la distribution est tombee sous le contrôle du gouvernement et
42% de la population n’a pas accès aux librairies de presse avec,
en moyenne, un point de vente pour 11 250 habitants. Les journalistes
et les editeurs interviewes par Index ont exprime leurs inquietudes
quant au code des elections qui ne contient aucune disposition pour
une couverture mediatique equilibree des candidats et des partis
politiques dans les journaux televises et les emissions d’affaires
publiques, y compris pour les journaux et les diffuseurs publics.

Le premier rapport intermediaire de OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation
Mission a montre les preoccupations concernant la reduction de la
periode de la campagne electorale officielle, qui limite l’accès des
candidats de l’opposition aux medias et donne au president sortant
un avantage disproportionne.

Outre le contrôle de l’Etat sur les principaux medias, le regime azeri
ne cesse de supprimer les voix dissidentes en intentant des procès
pour diffamation. Selon Rashid Hajili du Media Rights Institute, au
cours des six premiers mois de 2013, 36 procès pour diffamation ont
ete intentes contre des medias ou des journalistes, quatre d’entre
eux pour diffamation criminelle. Si les Cours ont rejete les quatre
procès pour diffamation criminelle, elles ont ordonne aux medias et
aux journalistes de payer de lourdes amendes. Par exemple, en juin
2012, une Cour a ordonne au journal Azadliq de payer une amende de
30 000 manat (36 000 dollars) au president du Baku Metro Service,
pour un article publie le 8 avril 2012 portant sur une augmentation
des tarifs du metro. En mai 2012, une Cour a inflige a Ramin Deko,
journaliste d’investigation pour Azadliq, 3000 manat (3800 dollars)
d’amende pour allegation de diffamation a l’encontre de Novruzali
Aslanov, un membre progouvernemental du Parlement. Ramin Deko declare :
” À cause des amendes, le journalisme d’investigation est en peril. On
est allergique a la liberte d’expression dans ce pays. En avril 2011,
j’ai ete enleve et battu, mais les amendes pour diffamation sont tout
aussi effrayantes. C’est une autre tactique d’intimidation et elle
interfère dans ma vie personnelle. ” [7]

LA CENSURE SUR INTERNET

Plusieurs activistes ont ete arretes en raison de leurs activites
de protestation sur les reseaux sociaux. Dans des declarations
publiques, de hauts fonctionnaires s’en sont pris violemment aux
medias sociaux, les qualifiant de ” phenomène nuisible. ” Fazail
Agamaly, un parlementaire azeri, a publiquement appele au blocage
de l’accès aux sites des reseaux sociaux en Azerbaïdjan, lors d’une
allocution devant le parlement du pays, qualifiant Facebook et les
reseaux sociaux de ” menace a la souverainete de l’Azerbaïdjan “. La
” guerre declaree aux medias sociaux par le regime ” s’est aggravee
après les protestations de rues organisees par des jeunes via Facebook
– le 10 mars 2013. Le 16 mars, le president Ilham Aliyev a alloue 5
millions de manats (environ 6,7 millions de dollars) pour financer
les activites progouvernementales d’organisations pour la jeunesse sur
les reseaux sociaux. En meme temps, sept membres du mouvement NIDA –
un mouvement de jeunes appelant a plus de democratie en Azerbaïdjan –
ont ete arretes pour possession de drogue et incitation a la haine. En
mai, le Parlement a adopte une legislation repressive pour etendre
les lois sur la diffamation criminelle au contenu en ligne.

Rashid Hajili, du Media Rights Institute a dit : ” Internet prend de
l’ampleur et offre autant d’opportunites que de defis. Les premières
mesures de poursuites judiciaires pour diffamation criminelle sur
Facebook en août dernier [2013] sont preoccupantes. ” [8] En août, la
Cour du district d’Astara a condamne Mikail Talibov pour avoir partage
des informations sur Facebook. Precedemment, Talibov travaillait a
AccessBank, une banque dont le quartier general se trouve a Bakou.

Suite a son licenciement, il a cree une page Facebook où il a vertement
critique les activites de la banque. La banque a estime que la page
Facebook etait diffamatoire et a demande au tribunal de poursuivre
Talibov pour diffamation. La Cour a estime que l’ancien employe de
banque etait coupable et l’a condamne a un an de travail d’interet
general, tout en retenant 20% de son salaire mensuel. La Cour a
egalement impose a Talibov de refuter ses critiques sur Facebook. De
nombreuses organisations civiles azeries ont condamne ce verdict,
et le Media Rights Institute l’a qualifie de ” punition sevère pour
des opinions exprimees sur des forums. ”

La loi sur la diffamation et le contrôle du contenu sur les medias
sociaux etouffent particulièrement la libre expression en ligne en
Azerbaïdjan. Turgut Gambar, un jeune activiste et membre de NIDA,
a declare a Index qu’un nombre croissant de jeunes s’abstenaient
d’exprimer leurs opinions en ligne, en raison du contrôle des
medias sociaux et des sanctions infligees a ceux qui critiquent le
regime.[9] Cependant, Gambar compte sur Internet pour donner plus de
poids aux jeunes et completer les actions traditionnelles pour une
democratisation du pays. ” En mars [2013], NIDA a ete en mesure de
mobiliser et d’attirer des gens qui ne sont pas politises d’habitude,
grâce aux medias sociaux “. a dit Gambar, ” Internet est complementaire
a d’autres formes d’actions telles que les graffiti, les chansons ou
la distribution d’autocollants. ” Les sept membres de NIDA arretes en
mars et en avril 2013 etaient particulièrement actifs sur les reseaux
sociaux et connus pour leurs critiques des autorites.

La repression de la liberte d’expression en ligne est vue comme une
tentative pour supprimer l’activisme dans le dernier havre d’expression
independante qui subsiste.

L’AZERBAIDJAN ET LE CONSEIL DE L’EUROPE

Avant les elections, le 26 janvier 2013, l’Assemblee parlementaire
du Conseil de l’Europe (APCE) n’a pas reussi a faire adopter une
resolution sur les prisonniers politiques. L’inaction de l’APCE
a donne confiance a l’Azerbaïdjan et depuis cet echec a l’APCE,
l’Azerbaïdjan s’est senti libre d’arreter encore plus de journalistes
et d’activistes. Le 1er octobre 2013, l’organisation Human Rights Club,
basee a Bakou, a publie une nouvelle liste de prisonniers politiques
recensant 142 personnes actuellement en detention ou emprisonnees
pour des raisons politiques. Human Rights Club fait remarquer que le
nombre de detentions et d’emprisonnement pour des motifs politiques a
fortement augmente depuis l’echec de la resolution cle, le 26 janvier
a l’APCE, sur ” le suivi de la question des prisonniers politiques en
Azerbaïdjan. ” Au moment du vote, il y avait 60 procès de supposes
prisonniers politiques dans la liste du rapporteur de l’epoque,
Christoph Strasser.

Il est preoccupant de constater que l’APCE n’a pas reussi a demander
des comptes a l’Azerbaïdjan en ce qui concerne ses devoirs vis-a-vis
du Conseil de l’Europe. Selon les personnes interviewees, l’echec
de la resolution a terni la credibilite du Conseil de l’Europe en
Azerbaïdjan, car l’institution est censee proteger, promouvoir et
garantir les droits humains.

Le gouvernement de l’Azerbaïdjan ne menage pas ses efforts pour
influencer l’APCE ou paralyser ses actions.[10] Christoph Strasser,
un delegue allemand de l’APCE, qui a ete le rapporteur special charge
d’examiner la situation des prisonniers politiques en Azerbaïdjan,
s’est vu refuser un visa pour mener sa mission d’observation en
Azerbaïdjan. Ce refus a fâche les parlementaires allemands au point
que la Commission du Bundestag sur les droits humains et l’aide
humanitaire a propose une resolution exigeant que le visa soit
accorde a Strasser. L’influence du gouvernement de l’Azerbaïdjan est
si forte en Allemagne que la proposition de resolution a ete divulguee
a l’ambassadeur du pays.

L’Azerbaïdjan poursuit son lobbying au Conseil de l’Europe (COE) et au
niveau du gouvernement national pour convaincre les parlementaires que
le manque de medias libres ou les prisonniers politiques ne meritent
aucune attention – ou que cela est justifie dans le contexte du conflit
en cours au Haut-Karabakh. Cette deformation de la verite rend le
travail des defenseurs des droits humains encore plus difficile, car
l’espace dans lequel il est possible d’exprimer des opinions critiques
en Azerbaïdjan a ete progressivement reduit depuis que l’Azerbaïdjan a
rejoint le COE en 2001. Alors que l’Azerbaïdjan se prepare a assumer la
presidence du COE, il est d’une importance capitale pour le Conseil de
l’Europe d’adopter une attitude plus dure envers la repression exercee
par l’Azerbaïdjan sur les droits fondamentaux et les libertes.[11]

” Dans huit mois, l’Azerbaïdjan dirigera l’organisation officielle
de l’Europe pour les droits de l’homme. Le Conseil de l’Europe doit
preter attention a celui qui s’exprime en son nom. Nous ne disons pas
que le Conseil devrait empecher l’Azerbaïdjan de prendre la presidence,
mais il devrait adopter une ligne plus dure vis-a-vis de la mise en
~uvre des engagements pris sur les droits des l’homme. Si des Etats
membres peuvent commettre des violations flagrantes en toute impunite
et ne pas respecter la reglementation et les traites du Conseil, alors
les droits de l’homme restent lettre morte “, a declare Emin Huseynov,
president et CEO de l’Institut pour la liberte et la securite des
journalistes (IRFS).[12]

Recommandations

Lors de la periode qui a precede les elections presidentielles de
2013 en Azerbaïdjan, la situation de la liberte d’expression s’est
deterioree. Index on Censorship fait les recommandations suivantes :

-Assurer la liberation immediate de toutes les personnes emprisonnees
pour avoir exerce leur droit a la liberte d’expression

-Enqueter et intenter des procès rapidement pour toutes les affaires
de violence, les menaces de violence et le chantage contre des
journalistes, des militants politiques et des defenseurs des droits
de l’homme

-Respecter et proteger le droit a la liberte d’expression en ligne
et hors ligne, y compris en cessant la pratique de ciblage des
utilisateurs de medias sociaux impliques dans l’organisation de
manifestations -Promouvoir le developpement de la radiodiffusion de
service public, qui est independante des interets du gouvernement
et agit dans l’interet public, avec une attention particulière aux
regions en dehors de Bakou

-Cesser la pratique consistant a faire pression et a interferer dans
le travail des ONG, des defenseurs des droits de l’homme et des avocats

-Reformer la loi pour proteger la liberte d’association

[1] Index on Censorship interview, Baku, 18 September 2013

[2] Index on Censorship interview, Baku, 18 September 2013

[3] Article 298.11 and 298.22 of the Administrative Offences Code

[4] Index on Censorship interview with a young political activist,
Baku, 20 September 2013

[5] State control and the media in Running scared. Azerbaijan’s
Silenced Voices, International Partnership Group for Azerbaijan
report, 2012

[6] Index on Censorship interview with Rahim Ajiyev, acting
editor-in-chief of Azadliq newspaper, Baku, 18 September 2013

[7] Index on Censorship interview, Baku, 18 September 2013

[8] Index on Censorship interview, Baku, 19 September 2013

[9] Index on Censorship interview, Baku, 20 September 2013

[10] Azerbaijan’s image problem, in Running Scared.

Azerbaijan’s Silenced Voices, International Partnership Group for
Azerbaijan report, 2012

[11] L’Azerbaïdjan assumera la presidence de la Commission des
ministres du COE a partir de juillet 2014

[12] Index on Censorship interview, Baku, 18 September 2013

©Traduction de l’anglais C.Gardon pour le Collectif VAN – 22 octobre
2013 –

Lire aussi :

Azerbaïdjan : Rapport sur les violations de la liberte d’expression – I

Le Dossier ” Azerbaïdjan ” du Collectif VAN

Derrière les palissades d’Azerbaïdjan

Retour a la rubrique

Source/Lien : Xindex (indexoncensorship.org)