Author: Kalantarian Kevo

ARMENIA IDENTIFIES MAJOR PRIORITIES OF ITS UPCOMING CHAIRMANSHIP OF THE СOUNCIL OF EUROPE СOMMITTEE OF MINISTERS

YEREVAN, April 17. /ARKA/. Armenia has identified major priorities of
its upcoming chairmanship in the Committee of Ministers of the
Council of Europe, which will be passed to it in May 2013, Armenia’s
acting foreign minister Edward Nalbandian said Wednesday at a joint
news conference with the visiting secretary general of the Council of
Europe Thorbjørn Jagland.

“When deciding our priorities during our chairmanship in the
Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, we tried to combine
the pressing issues on the organization’s agenda with issues which
Armenia views as its own priorities, namely human rights, rule of
law and democracy,’ he said.

Nalbandian said Armenia’s plan of actions will be announced on May 16
in Strasbourg. It calls for a number of activities at the level of
parliaments, constitutional courts, foreign affairs ministries of the
member countries on issues such as fight against discrimination and
intolerance, cultural and religious dialogue, education and youth
policy.

He added that during Armenia’s chairmanship in the organization
Armenian president Serzh Sargsyan and some other top leaders will make
visits to Strasbourg.

In turn, Thorbjørn Jagland praised Armenian authorities for making
progress in the implementation of its membership commitments and
enforcement of reforms in the fields of human rights, the rule of law
and democracy.

“We discussed Armenia’s program of activities, which is very
constructive and consonant with the agenda of the organization”, he
said.

Jagland also commended the authorities of Armenia for setting up a
working group to consider the recommendations of international
observers to reform the electoral system and for establishment of a
parliamentary commission to investigate the events of March 1-2, 2008
in Yerevan.

The decision to establish an ad hoc commission to study the tragic
events of March 1-2, 2008 was made by a parliament committee on March
15 on the initiative of deputies from the opposition Armenian National
Congress.

It will be the second ad hoc parliamentary commission to study those
events. The first one was established in June, 2008 under the
pressure of the PACE. Its report was presented to the parliament on
16-17 September 2009. -0-

SAKHAROV SQUARE BUILDING: ANOTHER CASE OF MISPLACED “EMINENT DOMAIN”

Kristine Aghalaryan

[25607.jpg] 16:57, April 17, 2013

The building in the photo, located at 2 Pushkin Street facing Sakharov
Square, is registered as a local monument.

The government has allocated it to an outfit called Local Developers,
Ltd., a company founded by Samvel Mayrapetyan and his wife Gohar
Kyalyan, former rector of the State Medical University.

The building was designed by the architect N. Buniatyan and went up
in 1930.

Up until last year, the building housed the No. 8 fire and emergency
services unit of the RA Ministry of Emergency Situations. In September,
the unit relocated to a new building on Myasnikian Street.

The building now serves as a garage for local residents and officials
of nearby government agencies. The parking spaces are being rented
out. A local lad named Davit refuted the claim that the parking
spaces are being rented out by the month. Davit told me that the cars
belong to his friends and relatives and that the fire brigade chief
had requested that he keep his eyes on the site so that the homeless
don’t move in.

Samvel Mayrapetyan could say nothing about the parked cars. He claimed
ignorance and said that he hadn’t started to provide security for
the site.

[saxarov-2.jpg]

On May 7, 2009, the government decided to allocate the building to
Mayrapetyan, arguing that the new owner would thus be compensated for
agreeing to cover the costs of building a new structure for the fire
and emergency unit on Myasnikian Street.

In response to a Hetq inquiry sent to the Yerevan Municipality, the
Office of the Chief Architect said that the municipality had granted
no construction permits regarding the building.

Samvel Mayrapetyan told Hetq that he hadn’t yet decided what his plans
are for the landmark building, given that the process of buying up the
property of residents in the immediate vicinity hadn’t been completed.

Thus, it turns out that not only has the landmark building been
allocated to Samvel Mayrapetyan under the pretense of eminent domain,
but adjacent properties as well.

(To be continued)

isplaced-%E2%80%9Ceminent-domain%E2%80%9D.html

ARMENIAN-RUSSIAN MILITARY COOPERATION ISSUES DISCUSSED

16:20, 17 April, 2013

YEREVAN, APRIL 17, ARMENPRESS: The delegation, headed by the Acting
Minister of Defense of the Republic of Armenia Seyran Ohanyan,
arrived in the Russian Federation with an official visit on April
17. The meeting of the delegations headed by the two Ministers of
Defense of the both countries took place on the same day.

As Armenpress was reported by the Department for Information and Public
Relations of the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Armenia, during
the meeting the Acting Minister of Defense of the Republic of Armenia
Seyran Ohanyan and the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation
Sergey Shoigu discussed the current problems and prospects in the
bilateral military and technical cooperation, exchanged opinions on
the issues related to the regional security preservation, highlighted
the strengthening of peace and stability in the region.

The interlocutors highlighted the positive trends and the bilateral
interest in the future development between the Ministries of Defense
of the both countries.

VOVA ONLY PUT REVOLUTION TO SLEEP

Armenia is haunted by the ghost of revolution. Except the RPA all the
others claim, each in their own way, it is impossible to do without
a revolution. Even the PAP wants to change everything, starting
from Yerevan.

The ex-chief of police of Armenia Alik Sargsyan promised to suffocate
the revolution in the cradle. The chief of police Vladimir Gasparyan
thinks on April 9 he succeeded putting the revolution to sleep in
the cradle. However, he only pushed it to wake up.

In the long run, the revolution has started. Earlier when the world
was divided to classes, revolutions took place when one of the classes
became strong enough to protect their rights and dignity. There have
been bourgeois, proletarian revolutions.

Now the society is not divided to classes, there is a watershed between
the group which has usurped the right to use national wealth and make
decisions and the citizens who think their rights and dignity have
been violated.

In Armenia the fight is for rights and dignity. And the revolution
which takes place as soon as the citizens present a bill of rights
and dignity to the ruling group. In different countries different
methods are used for this, including violence, lynching, new elections.
Armenia has not chosen the way.

The government is waiting for a revolution because it knows better
about the revolutionary moods. It is not accidental that on April 9
ammunition was reportedly found in one of the streets of Yerevan. It
means that the government was preparing for action.

Were such actions prepared on April 9? Many people ask this question.
Many people think that the readiness of the system, opposition and
society was checked. The results are most probably scrutinized at
the police and those who think that a revolution is an indefeasible
right of citizens.

On April 9 the revolution did not happen but it does not mean that
it will not happen one day.

Naira Hayrumyan 16:30 17/04/2013
Story from Lragir.am News:

INVESTIGATION OF PROSHYAN VILLAGE HEAD MURDER IN PROGRESS

16:47 ~U 18.04.13

The information and public relations department, Police of Armenia,
informed Tert.am that the Head Investigation Department continues
investigating the murder of Hranch Muradyan, head of the Proshyan
village community.

Two days after the murder, police detained Artak and Araik Petrosyan.

Later, however, one of the brothers, Araik Petrosyan was arrested
and his brother Artak was released from custody.

The young men’s father Arshaluis Petrosyan addressed an open letter
to Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, acting Prosecutor General
of Armenia Aghvan Hovsepyan and acting Chief of Armenia’s police
Vladimir Gasparyan.

Armenian News – Tert.am

NATIONAL ARCHIVES DIRECTOR: NO WORK DONE IN IRANIAN ARCHIVES IN CONNECTION WITH ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

16:18 18/04/2013 ” POLITICS

In recent years, three Turkish historians visited the National
Archives of Armenia to study documents on Armenian Genocide, director
of National Archives of Armenia Amatuni Virabyan told reporters today.

The National Archives of Armenia are open to everyone, he said,
adding that about 10 foreign historians visit the Archives every year.

According to Virabyan, the National Archives of Armenia are ready to
cooperate with the archives of other countries to obtain documents
on Armenian Genocide.

He, meanwhile, noted that the archives of Georgia, Ukraine and Bulgaria
are not so willing to help us in this issue, adding that no work has
been done in the Iranian archives as we lack skilled specialists in
Persian language who could work with manuscripts.

Source: Panorama.am

NEW YEREVAN POLICE CHIEF DOGGED BY TORTURE CLAIMS; OPPOSITION CITES CASE HEARD BY ECHR

HUMAN RIGHTS | 18.04.13 | 14:50

By GAYANE MKRTCHYAN
ArmeniaNow reporter

Chief of the head department for criminal investigation of the police
has been appointed chief of Yerevan police. His name was mentioned
as a torturer in the lawsuit by one of the opposition activists who
had turned to the European Court of Human Rights and the court ruled
in claimants’ favor, imposing a 31,000-euro ($40,000) penalty to be
paid by the Armenian state as compensation.

Newly-appointed Yerevan Police Chief Ashot Karapetyan’s name is
linked to opposition activist Grisha Virabyan’s case. Virabyan was
physically abused and tortured in spring 2004, when rgw opposition
was holding rallies demanding Armenia’s second president Robert
Kocharyan’s resignation.

Attorney Vahe Grigoryan made a post on his Facebook page, bringing
up Virabyan’s case.

“In reference to the appointment of Yereven’s new chief of police: The
claimant reports also that … after they [the two policemen who had
beaten the claimant] left the room [in the police station premises],
another policeman, A.K. entered the room and started hitting him with
an iron object at his testicles. Further, his hands got shackled
and police officer A.K. continued striking blows with feasts and
feet in the area below [the claimant’s] waste, which caused him lose
consciousness… European Court of Human Rights, Verdict on Case N
40094/05, 02/10/2012, Strasburg, Virabyan v. Armenia.”

The European Court handed down a verdict that Virabyan’s right for
fair trial was violated and he was subjected to discrimination.

Virabyan’s testimony points to Ashot Karapetyan as one of his torturers
(Virabyan later underwent a surgery on his testicles).

Hours after Police Colonel Karapetyan’s appointment, online social
networks and the press started circulating news claiming that the new
chief of Yerevan police is “highly skilled in torture and violence”.

Karapetyan himself has denied such claims.

“During my work experience I have never beaten anyone, if I had done
so, respective bodies would have taken measures. That news is nonsense
which has become subject of speculations. If my actions had criminal
elements I wouldn’t have been able to work in the police system:
currently chief of Yerevan police department, formerly head of the
chief department of criminal investigation, and so on,” Karapetyan
said in an interview to eMedia.am.

During the Wednesday session of the parliament when police reforms were
being discussed, Civil Society Institute NGO leader Arman Danielyan
stated that he personally does not trust the police, implying the
fact who is now appointed as Yerevan chief of police.

“It is a fact that Grisha Virabyan was tortured by policemen. It
is also a fact that Ashot Karapetyan used to work at that police
department in the period when Virabyan was tortured. A criminal case
was not filed in 2004. It is again a fact that a criminal case was not
filed even in 2012 when the European Court brought in its verdict,”
said Danielyan.

RA Deputy Chief of Police Artur Osikyan stated that Karaetyan is his
colleague, whom he respects highly as a professional.

Oppositional Armenian National Congress’s public relations officer
Vladimir Karapetyan said in his interview to iLur.am, that the
government of Armenia has to show adequate approach to those officials
who have failed in their duties.

“If the Armenian authorities’ actions meet their words, they should by
all means arrest the now high-ranking police official Ashot Karapetyan,
who personally raised a hand at Mr. Virabyan. Those judges because
of whom our citizens, as well as Armenia’s international rating,
have suffered should be fired,” he said.

Member of the People’s Party of Armenia, Brussels-based Grisha Virabyan
told the press: “The appointment of a psycho like Ashot Karapetyan
as chief of Yerevan police implies only one thing – the president is
afraid of new commotions and he needs that kind of people to later
use as scapegoats.”

Oppositional activist Grisha Virabyan was physically abused, tortured
on April 24 of 2004 by then deputy head of Ararat province’s police
department Ashot Karapetyan, head of Artashat police’s criminal
investigation department Hovik Movsisyan, head of the province’s
state motor inspection Avetik Harutyunyan.

TURKEY HAS NOT RETURNED CARGO OF RUSSIAN PLANE LANDED IN ANKARA

13:40 ~U 18.04.13

Turkey has not returned the cargo of the Russian plane heading from
Moscow to Damascus and forced to land in Ankara, Russian Interfax
reports.

Russian diplomatic sources told Komerssant paper that Moscow has sent
few notes to Ankara demanding return of the cargo. The same has been
done by Damascus.

The Turkish authorities have not met the demand and the issue remained
unsolved.

Armenian News – Tert.am

ARMENIA’S GOVERNMENT REJECTS HERITAGE PARTY’S DRAFT AMENDMENTS TO ELECTION LAW

13:13 ~U 18.04.13

At its meeting on Thursday, Armenia’s government rejected the draft
amendments to Armenia’s election law proposed by the Heritage
parliamentary group.

The draft envisages the post-election publication of lists of
Armenia’s citizens that actually participated in the voting.

Armenia’s acting minister of justice Hrair Tovmasyan presented the
draft. Referring to international standards, he noted that secrecy of
ballot implies secrecy of participation in the voting.

“We should admit, however, that not publishing the documents is a
cause of distrust on the part of certain political forces despite the
all the necessary measures we implemented during the previous national
elections,” Tovmasyan said.

Pursuant to Armenian president’s order the cabinet discussed the issue
to decide on the steps to enhance transparency.

“I am sure that we can find solutions. However, the government’s
response to the proposal is unfavorable. Otherwise, we will fail to
honor our international commitments,” Tovmasyan said.

Armenian News – Tert.am

ARMENIANS ON THE FORBES 200 RICHEST RUSSIAN BUSINESSMEN LIST

11:47 ~U 18.04.13

Forbes has published the 10th ranking list of the 200 richest
businessmen in Russia which like during the past year is headed by
Alisher Usmanov, head of Mail.ru Group and Megaphone.

Despite being ranked the first, Usmanov’s wealth has reduced by $1.5
billion making $17.6 against $18.7 of the past year. The second comes
co-owner of Alfa Group consortium Mikhail Fridman with $16.5 billion
wealth. His wealth has grown by $3 billion during one year.

The third is Leonid Mikhelson with $15.4 billion having increased
his wealth by 3.5 billion during one year.

The first among Armenians in the list is chairman of Tashir Group
Samvel Karapetyan who has been ranked the 29th with $3.8 billion.

During a year he has increased his wealth by $2.2 billion.

CEO of Rosgosstrakh Daniil Khachaturov has been ranked 43d with $2.4
billion. Sarkisov brothers follow each other in the list with Nikolay
Sarkisov, deputy head of Resso Group is ranked 78th with $1.35 billion
followed by his brother Sergey Sarkisov, chairman of Reso Garantia
Board of directors with $1.35 billion.

Another Armenian businessman Albert Avdilyan, head of Wooden Fish
Agency company is ranked 143d with 0.7 billion. Ruben Vardanyan,
co-chairman of Sberbank CIB is the 193d with 0.5 billion.