Author: Kalantarian Kevo

CRIMINALIZATION OF THE DENIAL OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE IS IMPORTANT FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF GENOCIDE PREVENTION: SHAVARSH KOCHARYAN

15:32, 2 April, 2015

YEREVAN, 2 APRIL, ARMENPRESS. Criminalization of the denial of
the Armenian Genocide is important not only for Armenians from the
perspective of the restoration of justice, but also for all mankind
in order to prevent future genocides. This is what Deputy Minister
of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia Shavarsh Kocharyan
told “Armenpress” as he touched upon the unanimous adoption by the
Parliament of Cyprus of the draft law criminalizing the denial of
the Armenian Genocide.

“Those who don’t wish to confront the past and recognize the Armenian
Genocide are trying to lead a policy of denial. From that perspective,
the criminalization of denial is very important because when we
fight for recognition and condemnation of the Armenian Genocide,
it will be important not only for Armenians, but all mankind so that
genocides are not repeated in the future. If there had been such a
response to the Armenian Genocide in the past, the perpetration of
other genocides would be less likely,” Kocharyan said.

U.S. SENATORS CALL ON OBAMA TO RECOGNIZE THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

By Contributor on April 2, 2015

Bipartisan Letter Presses President to Take a Principled Stand

WASHINGTON–U.S. Senators–acting on a bipartisan basis–are calling
upon President Barack Obama, to reaffirm the Armenian Genocide, this
April, as a clear case of genocide, reported the Armenian National
Committee of America (ANCA).

Senators Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Cory Gardner (R-CO) led the
bipartisan Senate effort calling on President Obama to recognize the
Armenian Genocide

In a letter sent last week to the White House, fifteen Senators
underscored the urgent need–on the eve of the Armenian Genocide
Centennial–to properly honor the victims of this crime and underscore
America’s principled stand against all genocides, past, present,
and future.

“We thank Senators Menendez and Gardner and all their colleagues who
joined with them, on a bipartisan basis, in encouraging President
Obama to speak openly and honestly about the Armenian Genocide
during this April’s Centennial observance of this crime against
humanity,” said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. “As we mark
the Centennial–with the world’s attention turning to President
Obama’s still unmet pledge to recognize the Armenian Genocide–our
government should, once and forever, reject shameless Ankara’s efforts
to enforce a gag-rule on America. Very simply, no nation deserves a
‘veto’ against America’s defense of human rights.”

The Senate letter, led by Senator Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) and Senator
Cory Gardner (R-Colo.), notes that: “While the United States Congress
has a long history of support for the victims and the memory of the
Armenian Genocide, the Administration has not formally recognized
the atrocities that were perpetrated against the Armenians as
‘genocide'” The Senate signatories stressed that a principled stand
by the president would “send a powerful signal to the international
community that this Administration is committed to recognizing the
Armenian Genocide, to upholding the ideals of tolerance and universal
human rights upon which our country was founded, and to preventing
similar atrocities from ever happening again.”

Senate signatories of the Armenian Genocide letter to Obama include
Senators Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), Dianne
Feinstein (D-Calif.), Cory Gardner (R-Colo.), Dean Heller (R-Nev.),
Mark Kirk (R-Ill.), Edward Markey (D-Mass.), Robert Menendez (D-N.J.),
Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.),
Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Elizabeth Warren
(D-Mass.), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.).

A separate U.S. House letter, spearheaded by Armenian Caucus
Co-Chairmen Robert Dold (R-Ill.) and Frank Pallone (D-N.J.), is also
being sent to Obama. Details to follow.

The complete text of the Senate Letter is available at:

SEFILYAN CLAIMS THAT FORCE STRUCTURES WILL STAND BY “FOUNDING PARLIAMENT” (VIDEO)

19:42 | April 2,2015 | Politics

On April 24 we won’t hinder the day’s agenda in any way, representative
of “The Founding Parliament” Zhirayr Sefilyan announced today.

Instead, Mr. Sefilyan on the remembrance day at 18:00 will start
mobilizing the whole Armenian nation in order to reach the regime
change.

Mr. Sefilyan claims that force structures will stand by “Founding
Parliament” on that day,

But maybe until April 24 Zhirayr Sefilyan is arrested? The latter is
ready for such scenario at any time, “By arresting us, by eliminating
us physically the problem won’t be solved.”

Let us note, that there was just a talk with Tsarukyan and he stopped
the regime change. Former freedom fighter noted that his initiative
differs from Tsarukyan’s intention, “Basically, I am leading a movement
and not a private shop, as Tsarukyan. He opened a shop and he was
just the shopkeeper, by eliminating the shopkeeper, you become the
owner of the shop.”

Mr. Sefilyan says that thousands of people are standing by him. It
isn’t possible to eliminate those people from the movement. One of
the journalists noted, that maybe he himself creates grounds for his
arrest, “We are not going to attack Baghramyan 26.”

Everything will be within the law. If the authorities break the law,
the people will decide what to do.

“IT SEEMS AS IF OUR COUNTRY IS EMBROILED IN ADVENTURE”: A. AKHOYAN ON THE BILL OF Z. POSTANJYAN (VIDEO)

18:28 | April 2,2015 | Politics

Raffi Hovhannisyan has great expectations to return Western Armenia,
“There is such hope after April 25.”

“Heritage” faction member Zaruhi Postanjyan has prepared a bill,
by which Armenia must legally demand its lands from Turkey, “Yes,
we are demanding, we haven’t forgotten and we pursue the return of
our Homeland.”

Mrs. Postanjyan legally fixes, that the state border between Armenia
and Turkey isn’t legal, those borders are the result of the treaties
of Moscow and Kars, “We will call it into question and it needs to
be reviewed.”

Human Rights Defender Karen Andreasyan also has claims from Turkey,
“It is the issue of dignity and property of all the citizens of the
Republic of Armenia and people living in Armenia, which was grossly
violated by Turkey through the denial of legal and moral recognition
of the Armenian Genocide.”

Karen Andreasyan thinks that our international partners must also think
about it. The Human Rights Defender himself aspires to the lands of
Western Armenia, “Yes, if there is an issue of restoration of rights
also in the form of lands in the claims, it can also be discussed.”

Because of his position Karen Andreasyan cannot say whether Zaruhi
Postanjyan’s bill isn’t a bill embroiling Turkey in a war with Armenia,
“If I were a deputy, I would think whether to vote or not.”

Lawmaker Aragats Akhoyan has already thought, it seems as if our
country is embroiled in adventure, “There is a little utopia in it.”

So the bill is unrealistic but praiseworthy for a representative of
the National Congress of Western Armenians Aragats Akhoyan.

MERKEL’S ‘ANTI-RUSSIAN FRONT’ FALLS APART – GERMAN NEWSPAPER

(c) AP Photo/ Markus Schreiber
Europe
13:43 02.04.2015(updated 14:17 02.04.2015) Get short URL
1237150
More and more European countries oppose an extension of anti-Russian
sanctions and disagree with the German policy towards Russia.

Attempts to save “European unity” are doomed, the German online
newspaper “Die Freie Welt” reported.

During her recent visit to Helsinki, German Chancellor Angela Merkel
tried to convince Finns to further follow the anti-Russian course and
stressed the importance of pursuing a common EU policy towards Russia.

However, this policy is in fact far from being united, the German
online edition wrote.

(c) AP Photo/ Michael Sohn Merkel Fears Split in EU Regarding
Anti-Russian Sanctions – German Media The Chancellor visited Finland
shortly before the upcoming elections in the country. During her
speech at Helsinki University, she expressed concerns about a split
in the European Union and called all EU countries to follow a common
approach regarding economic sanctions.

The power of the EU is in its unity, Finnish Prime Minister Alexander
Strubb agreed with the German Chancellor. However, it was not easy
for him to make this statement.

During the election campaign, Strubb’s opponents have successfully
exploited the negative impact of sanctions and called for a dialogue
with Russia. They draw attention to the fact that Finland has the
longest border with Russia among EU states and that both countries
always had close economic ties.

Finns are not the only ones who criticize Merkel’s tough stance towards
Russia. Greece, Hungary, Spain, Italy, Slovakia, Cyprus and Austria
are also expressing discontent about the anti-Russian sanctions under
which they suffer more than other EU countries.

Read more:

US CONGRESSMAN CLAWSON PLANS INTRODUCTION OF FAKE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RESOLUTION

April 1, 2015

ANCA – Capitol Hill sources report that Congressman Curt Clawson
(Republican-Florida), in a highly offensive political move aimed
at derailing the Armenian Genocide Truth + Justice Resolution
(H.Res.154), is planning to introduce a fake version of this human
rights legislation, stripped of any mention of the Armenian Genocide.

Learn more

YEREVAN MILITARY INSTITUTE TRAINEES INDICTED FOR MURDER REPORT POLICE BRUTALITY

04.02.2015 12:57 epress.am

The murder of Haykaz Barseghyan, a trainee at Vazgen Sargsyan Military
Institute in Yerevan, is one of those cases when the public opinion is
way ahead of the investigator or the judge, reporter Syuzan Simonyan
writes in an article for Hraparak daily. The brutality of the crime –
Barseghyan’s mutilated body was found hanging from a rope attached to
a horizontal bar in the gym of the training unit – and the fact that
two of the six suspects’ parents are officials, while another one,
Gnel’s father, is a high-ranking military officer, is enough for
the public to demand the most brutal treatment towards these two
and to hand out its own verdict – life sentence for Colonel Zarmik
Markosyan’s son, Gnel Tevosyan.

According to the article, this claim was made by Haykaz Barseghyan’s
parents through various media outlets, who expressed the hope that the
Colonel’s son would not be able to get away with their son’s murder.

“Meanwhile, the Colonel’s son has reported that he has been subjected
to violence at the Military Police, and demanded that criminal
proceedings were instituted against the police officers. However,
his demand was rejected,” Syuzan Simonyan writes.

Tevosyan’s lawyer, Ara Zakaryan has appealed this decision, though
he has not received a response from the prosecutor’s office yet. “I
haven’t been provided with the decision or the case materials yet,
so I cannot bring my arguments,” Zakaryan is quoted in the article.

According to the lawyer, Gnel Tevosyan has been subjected to beatings,
however, there were no signs of violence on his body: “They have
assaulted the boy in a way that does not leave visible marks.”

Tadevos Aleksanyan, the lawyer of another indicted trainee Mesrop
Azaryan, appealed the latest decision to extend the term of his
client’s imprisonment at the Court of Appeal yesterday, April 1.

Aleksanyan also claims that Azaryan has no connection to the murder.

Son of an NSS employee Norayr Sahakyan’s lawyer, Hovik Arsenyan,
ensures, that not only the suspects, but also the witnesses have been
subjected to beatings, stating that an atmosphere of fear has been
created at the Military Institute. Arsenyan also said that according to
the results of forensic examinations, the boys were under the influence
of alcohol on the day of the murder. However, according to the lawyer,
his client has assured him that he did not drink any alcohol.

Nevertheless, the victim’s father, Arkadi Barseghyan, does not trust
the claims of the lawyers that their clients have been subjected to
violence at the Institute immediately after the arrest. While the fact
that Haykaz Barseghyan’s father shares such confidential information
with the press is surprising to the defense attorneys: “And why does
not the investigative body do anything about it?” Ara Zakaryan asked.

It is obvious that there is lack of information around the case,
Syuzan Simonyan writes. To date, the Investigative Committee has only
shared that a criminal case been launched pursuant to the point 7
of Article 104.2 of the Armenian Criminal Code (murder by a group
of people or by an organized group), that Vache Sahakyan, Movses
Azaryan, Gnel Tevosyan, and Norik Sahakyan, and later Captain Artyom
Avetisyan, an officer at the Vazgen Sargsyan Military Institute,
have been arrested. Avetisyan has been charged with abuse of power,
transgression of authority or administrative dereliction.

GAZPROM ARMENIA TO INVEST 1.3 BILLION DRAMS IN EXPANSION OF UNDERGROUND GAS STORAGE FACILITY

YEREVAN, April 1, /ARKA/. Armenia’s Russian-owned national gas
distribution company Gazprom Armenia will invest 1.322 billion drams
in the expansion of the capacity of the Abovyan underground gas storage
facility, a senior official of the company, Ashot Hakobyan, said today
at a meeting of the Public Services Regulatory Commission (PSRC), which
approved the company’s 2015 investment program worth 11 billion drams.

He said part of the money-486 million drams- will be used to build the
25th reservoir. As a result the capacity of the storage will increase
to 151 million cubic meters from the current 130 million cubic meters.

The Abovyan gas storage is one of the principal elements of Armenia’s
gas transmission system ensuing the country’s energy security. It
was constructed in 1962 on rock salt deposits at a depth of 800-1,000
meters. The gas storage regulates also the seasonal gas consumption
by Armenia’s industrial sector and supplies gas to the country’s most
important gas consumers.

In December 2013, Gazprom signed a contract with Gazprom Armenia on
natural gas supplies in 2014-2018. According to it, Gazprom will
deliver up to 2.5 billion cubic meters of gas every year. The gas
price will be determined by a formula linked to the Russian gas
pricing scheme. ($1 – 471.63 drams). -0- ($1 – 471.13 drams). -0-

SPECIAL GENOCIDE SUR RADIO COURTOISIE

France
Le 12 avril a 18h

Radio Courtoisie organise une emission sur le genocide armenien. Elle
aura lieu le 12 avril, dans le Libre Journal des auditeurs a 18h.

Elle conclut un cycle de quatre emissions sur le principe genocidaire
en première partie (a 18h), puis elle s’interessera a la musique et
la poesie armeniennes en deuxième partie (a 20h).

Les invites de cette emission seront Helène Piralian et Hratch
Berossian, Keram Kevonian et Reynald Secher pour la première partie,
puis Hermineh Yerissian et Artaches Voskanian pour la deuxième partie

Ces emissions sont donnees sur Radio Courtoisie que l’on peut ecouter
sur 95.6 en region parisienne, sur 100.6Mhz a Caen, sur 87.8Mhz a
Cherbourg, sur 101.1Mhz au Havre, sur 98.8Mhz au Mans, par satellite
sur les “bouquets” satellites Canalsat (canal 199 et 641) et sur
TNTSat ainsi que sur internet sur

mercredi 1er avril 2015, Claire (c)armenews.com

HENRI VERNEUIL DAYS TO BE HELD IN YEREVAN

18:37 01/04/2015 ” CULTURE

Yerevan will host Henri Verneuil Days on April 2-5.

According to the press service of Armenian Ministry of Culture,
the launch event of the republished novel Mayrig (Mother) by Henri
Verneuil will take place on April 2 at Yerevan State Chamber Theater.

Patrick Malakian, the son of the famous playwright and filmmaker,
as well as other members of his family will be present at the event.