Author: Kalantarian Kevo

KARABAKH PRESIDENT: AGGRESSOR SHOULD ALWAYS KNOW THAT WE ARE STRONGER

12:43 16/01/2015 ” POLITICS

Artsakh Republic President Bako Sahakyan on Friday attended a meeting
of the Defense Army’s Military Council dedicated to summing up the
activities carried out in 2014 and the 2015 action plan.

In his speech, the President touched upon the process of army building,
emphasized the achievements and existing problems. The President
assessed the activities carried out in 2014 as satisfactory.

Bako Sahakyan underlined that the tasks the Defense Army is solving
have always been among the most significant and pivotal directions
for the state.

Speaking about the action plan for this year, the President put
a special emphasis on the saturation of the 2015 political agenda
with important nationwide and state events that require additional
alertness and readiness also on the part of the armed forces, noting
that in such time periods rude ceasefire violations and attempts to
destabilize the situation had become among the basic foundations of
the enemy’s policy. According to President Sahakyan, the aggressor
should always know that we are stronger, more courageous and will
give a worthy counter back to any encroachment on our independence,
security and dignity.

The President gave instructions to the Defense Minister and the supreme
command staff of the Defense Army to solve the existing problems on
a proper level.

Armenian Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan and other officials
participated in the consultation, the presidential press service
reported.

Source: Panorama.am

HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS: LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS PROVOKED CLASHES IN GYUMRI

12:57 | January 16,2015 | Politics

Law enforcement officers yesterday provoked and angered protesters
who were holding solidarity rallies in Armenia, says Artak Zeynalyan,
Chairman of the Rule of Law NGO.

“The brutal murder of six people that occurred in Gyumri on January
12 has shocked people,” said Chairman of the Helsinki Committee of
Armenia Avetik Ishkanyan, who was detained on Thursday evening during
the clashes between the protesters and riot police in Gyumri.

“Residents of Gyumri doubt that Valery Permyakov, who is being kept at
the local Russian military base, will ever stand trial for the murder
of the Avetisyan family. The tragedy questionsArmenia’s sovereignty
and judicial system.” He said.

A series of protests took place in Gyumri and Yerevan on January 15,
with protesters demanding to hand over tRussian serviceman Valery
Permyakov, who is charged with murdering Avetisyan famil in Gyumri
to Armenian law-enforcement authorities. Many in Armenia think this
is a test for the sovereignty of Armenia, which has recently joined
the Russian-led Eurasian Economic Union.

Russian soldier Valery Permyakov, 19, who was serving at Russian
Military base N 102 in Gyumri, was detained by Russian border guards
on Monday after alleging killing six members of the Avetisyan
family in Gyumri and wounding a six-month-old infant on the same
day. The Avetisyans – two grandparents, their son and daughter,
a daughter-in-law, and young Hamsik – were found killed, when
a relative-neighbor came to the house for morning coffee. The
six-month-old infant, the only survivor of the brutal murder,
was hospitalized with severe stab wounds in his chest. Permyakov
reportedly confessed to the mass murder. He is now kept under arrest
at the Russian military base in Gyumri and has been charged with
murder and desertion.

GYUMRI TRAGEDY AFTERMATH: ACTIVISTS DENOUNCE HARSH POLICE RESPONSE TO PROTESTS, QUESTION MURDER INVESTIGATION

Society | 16.01.15 | 15:42

GOHAR ABRAHAMYAN
ArmeniaNow reporter

Several days after the brutal murder of a six-member family in Gyumri
discussions over the crime do not stop and unanswered questions
continue to cause protests in Armenia.

On Thursday till late night thousands of protesters in Gyumri stayed
up demanding that the suspect of the January 12 murder case, Russian
102nd military base serviceman Valeri Permyakov should be handed over
to Armenian law-enforcement bodies.

Yesterday at a protest in Gyumri there were clashes between the police
and protesters, as a result 26 are reported to have been hospitalized
and 16 among them – police officers, 21 others were taken to the
police station.

Meanwhile, in the evening in Liberty Square in Yerevan a spontaneous
protest took place in support of Gyumri protesters, however, there
again there were clashes between citizens and the police, and 38
people were arrested.

Rule of Law NGO co-founder Artak Zeynalyan on Friday told reporters
that people are indignant and protest against injustice.

“The version that the suspect was thirsty, that the gate was open
and he entered, threatened and started shooting everyone is not
convincing, and this viewpoint was heard while he was under Russian
control. It is suspicious that this is the motive, that’s why it is
very important for us that the neutral side runs the investigation,”
the human rights activist said.

Armenian Helsinki Committee leader Avetik Ishkhanyan said that
arresting those protesting in Liberty Square was another manifestation
of arbitrariness.

“In the evening, when people gathered in Liberty Square, around a
hundred people, they were peacefully watching videos from Gyumri,
speaking, without any calls, but a manhunt took place, those who were
holding the national flag were arrested first, there is no other word
but arbitrariness to describe this,” the human rights activist said.

Heritage Party MP Tevan Poghosyan addressed the case saying that if the
case was a legal one in the beginning, it is completely political now.

“It is political, because it became a problem of international
relations; at least one international treaty was violated in Armenia,
upon which any boarder guard was supposed to hand over any trespasser,
especially the one in civilian clothes and with no documents to the
Armenian side. We spoke much about the 4th, 5th and 8th provisions
of the treaty, but in that same treaty there is another provision as
well, which says that in case of such occurrences, when both sides
have problems, a joint committee is formed and the place is Yerevan,
together it is discussed, however, nothing is said about this,” the
MP said, adding that it is not clear for him why no mourning days are
declared, because in that case it might have been a message for the
people of how Armenia treats its citizens, and maybe our population
would have regained the feeling of trust.

Poghosyan also said that there is an initiative in the National
Assembly to call a joint meeting of four committees to try to discuss
all events and understand what should be done.

PERMYAKOV’S TRANSFER NOT DISCUSSED, SUSPECT ALREADY IN ARMENIA – PROSECUTOR GENERAL

YEREVAN, January 15. /ARKA/. The transferring of the Giumry murder case
suspect Russian military base conscript Valery Permyakov to Armenia
is not discussed as the suspect is already in Armenia, Armenia’s
prosecutor general Gevorg Kostanyan told reporters on Thursday.

According to the police’s report, a family of six, Serezha Avetisyan
(born in 1961), Hasmik Avetisyan (born 1959), Aida Avetisyan (1979),
Armen Avetisyan (1981), Araksia Poghosyan (1990) and two-year old
Hasmik Avetisyan were fatally shot in Giumry on Monday morning. The
only who survived is grandchild Serezha Avetisyan who was operated
and is currently in intensive care unit at St. Astvatsamayr Medical
Center in Yerevan.

According to the preliminary information, the suspect is Russian
military base conscript Valery Permyakov who was detained when making
an attempt to cross the Armenian-Turkish border on January 13 and
admitted guilt.

“He is in Armenia, under the jurisdiction of the Russian
law-enforcement bodies though”, Kostanyan said.

The Armenian law-enforcement agencies will be carrying out all the
investigative and procedural operations themselves, as required by the
Armenian laws. Murder charges will be brought against Permyakov today,
and only Armenian investigators and an advocate will be present during
examinations, Kostanyan said.

In responding the question whether the matter will be considered in
an Armenian or a Russian court, Kostanyan said the decision will be
made in the trial stage.

The walkout and murder case will be investigated by the Armenian and
Russian law-enforcement bodies separately, but may be combined into
one case later, the prosecutor general said. -0–

LES REPORTERS DE RFE / RL A BAKOU ONT EU LEURS EMAILS HACKES

AZERBAIDJAN

Les employes du bureau de RFE / RL a Bakou dont les ordinateurs ont
ete saisis dans un raid recent par les autorites azerbaïdjanaises
ont dit que leurs comptes e-mail ont ete pirates depuis le raid.

L’incident est le dernier developpement lie a une repression du
gouvernement contre le service azerbaïdjanais de RFE / RL, connu
localement comme Radio Azadliq.

Les enqueteurs du bureau du procureur de la Republique qui ont
perquisitionne le bureau de Bakou de RFE / RL le 26 Decembre avaient
saisis des ordinateurs, des disques durs, et autre equipement avant
de sceller les locaux.

Les correspondants de RFE / RL n’ont pas pu se connecter sur leurs
ordinateurs avant la crise disent que des messages sont maintenant
envoyes a partir de leurs comptes e-mail par une personne inconnue
ou plusieurs personnes.

Plus de 20 employes RFE / RL actuels et anciens ont ete arretes ou
convoques pour interrogatoire par les procureurs depuis le raid.

Le 7 Janvier, le procureur regional d’Imishli a ordonne au
correspondant de RFE / RL dans la region de comparaître pour
interrogatoire le 8 Janvier.

L’accent mis par le gouvernement sur Radio Azadliq vient au milieu
d’une repression plus large qu’il a lance contre les journalistes
independants, les militants et les organisations non gouvernementales
qui ont critique les autorites dans le pays de la mer Caspienne riche
en petrole.

jeudi 15 janvier 2015, Stephane (c)armenews.com

MARSEILLE: CENT HEURES DE TRAVAUX D’INTERET GENERAL POUR LES PROFANATEURS DE LA STELE DE MISSAK MANOUCHIAN

20 Minutes, France
10 janv 2015

Cent heures de travaux d’interet general. Le tribunal correctionnel de
Marseille a condamne vendredi deux Marseillais qualifies de militants
d’extreme droite par le parquet, a des travaux d’interet general pour
la profanation de la stèle erigee a la memoire du resistant francais
d’origine armenienne Missak Manouchian. S’ils ne les font pas dans
un delai de 18 mois, une peine de deux mois de prison sera appliquee.

Le 6 septembre, le groupuscule d’extreme droite Mouvement populaire
nouvelle aurore (MPNA) poste sur le web une video montrant des gens
autour du buste de Manouchian. Ils ecoutent un discours revisionniste
et recouvrent la stèle d’un drap blanc.

Les deux condamnes sont identifies par la police sur la video mais ils
refutent leur appartenance au MPNA. >, lance-t-elle aux deux hommes. Elle demande des
heures de travaux d’interet general, requisitions bientôt suivies par
le tribunal.

UNE ENTREPRISE PRIVEE VA INVESTIR 165 MILLIONS DE DRAMS DANS LA CONSTRUCTION DE LA CANTINE DU MINISTERE DES FINANCES

ARMENIE

Une societe privee appelee > s’est engage a investir 165
millions de drams dans la construction d’une cantine pour le ministère
des Finances a annonce le chef du departement de gestion des biens
d’Etat Arman Sahakian.

Arman Sahakian a declare la societe beneficiera d’un espace d’environ
600 mètres carres dans le sous-sol du ministère pour construire la
cantine et la faire fonctionner pendant 15 ans.

Il a dit que selon l’accord en question la societe devrait construire
la cantine en quatre mois.

jeudi 15 janvier 2015, Stephane (c)armenews.com

VILLE EN DEUIL : GYUMRI PLEURE LA FAMILLE AVETISYAN

ARMENIE

TURKISH FM: HAMAS WAS READY TO RECOGNIZE ISRAEL

Cihan News Agency (CNA), Turkey
January 12, 2015 Monday

Ä°STANBUL (CÄ°HAN)- Hamas, a Palestinian group governing Gaza, had
reached a point of recognizing Israel but reconciliation efforts
failed after Turkey’s relations with Israel broken down, Foreign
Minister Mevlut CavuÃ…~_oglu said on Monday.

CavuÃ…~_oglu, in remarks published on the website of the state Anadolu
news agency, defended the Turkish government’s dialogue with Hamas,
despite US criticism, insisting that even the opponents of Hamas
agree that it should be part of any talks on the resolution of the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

“Then why are you opposing Turkey’s dialogue with Hamas in this
regard? If our relations [with Israel] had not deteriorated, Hamas was
going to recognize Israel in the event of a two-state solution,” he
said at a meeting with Anadolu editors. “Unfortunately, the settlement
process failed.”

Turkey expelled the Israeli ambassador and suspended military ties
after Israeli commandos killed eight Turks and one Turkish American on
an aid ship destined to blockaded Gaza in May 2010. In 2013, Israeli
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu apologized to then Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdogan in a US-brokered deal, but relations have not
normalized since then.

The US has expressed concerns over Turkish ties with Hamas, designated
by Washington as a terrorist organization, after Hamas leader Khaled
Mashaal paid a surprise visit to Turkey and attended a congress of
the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) on Dec. 27. News
reports earlier this month said Mashaal had left Qatar and was on
his way to Turkey, although Hamas denied such reports.

‘Parallel structure cooperating with anti-Turkey circles on Armenian
issue’

CavuÃ…~_oglu also repeated accusations by President Erdogan and
the government against the “parallel structure,” a term invented by
Erdogan to first refer to alleged followers of Turkish-Islamic scholar
Fethullah Gulen in the state bureaucracy but then later expanded to
describe Gulen’s Hizmet movement.

CavuÃ…~_oglu this time alleged that the “parallel structure” has been
mobilized to “defame and humiliate” Turkey at every opportunity,
including when it comes to Armenian claims of genocide at the hands
of the late Ottoman Empire, which constitute a foreign policy headache
for Turkey.

“The parallel structure is working against Turkey even on the Armenian
issue. They cooperate with all elements who work against Turkey,”
he said.

Turkey categorically denies claims that the mass killings of Armenians
amount to genocide, saying both the death toll given by Armenians —
1.5 million Armenians — is inflated and that people from both sides
were killed because Armenians revolted against the Ottoman army in
collaboration with the Russian forces then invading eastern Anatolia.

RUSSIAN MILITARY BASE NOT RIGHT PLACE FOR VIOLENT PROTESTS – EXPERTS

21:58 * 14.01.15

The Russian military base stationed in Gyumri is not the right place
for political protests amid human passions running high, political
scientist Hrant Melik-Shahnazaryan told Tert.am as he commented on
the latest public protests in front of Russian military base 102.

“There is an embassy and law-enforcement agencies. It is clear that no
officer or law-enforcer will ever hand a criminal over to a crowd. And
it is wrong to hold a protest there, especially when passions run
high and people are on the point of violating the law,” he said.

A public memorial service for the murdered Avetisyan family has been
held at the Holy Sign church in Gyumri. At the same time, numerous
residents moved toward the Russian military base and demanded that
the murderer, Russian soldier Valeri Permyakov, be handed over to
Armenian law-enforcers.

Mr Melik-Shahnazaryan points out the need for respecting legal norms.

“The investigation is in progress and the issue of handing the criminal
over to the Armenian side has not yet been settled. It is clear that
discussions are under way, so it is right to wait now. But a military
base is not the right place for a political protest,” he said.

Political scientist Alexander Markarov told Tert.am that emotions
prevent people from thinking rationally.

“Different people show different reactions to the same event. The
problem is that it is such people that live in Gyumri and their nerves
will naturally fail them,” he said.

The Gyumri residents have always been hospitable to Russian servicemen,
and the protest was actually the result of their indignation.

Styopa Safaryan, Head of the Armenian Institute of International
and Security Affairs (AIISA), told Tert.am that Gyumri is shocked by
the tragedy.

“I am here in Gyumri now. People have many questions that have not
so far been answered. Even the head of the Shirak diocese of the
Armenian Apostolic Church Mikael Ajapahyan has said that Gyumri has
a right to demand. Many of Gyumri residents ask ‘did a soldier come
to Gyumri to do that? We must get answers.’ This is what each Gyumri
resident is saying now.”