Author: Kanayan Tamar

A. Sargsyan said law enforcement bodies must fix vote buying

18:20 06/05/2012 » Politics

`Army is the most active voter, particularly in Syunik. The voting
process is assessed normally, people have got used to the new
technique – votes are bought,’ head of Democratic Party of Armenia
Aram Sargsyan told Panorama.am commenting on the election
infringements.

`Buses and microbuses full of voters are driving to the polling
stations, and votes are bought. But those facts should be fixed by the
law enforcement bodies, not by us,’ said Mr Sargsyan.

Source: Panorama.am

Fire spreads in downtown Yerevan because of emergency service’s delay

NEWS.AM
May 06, 2012 | 17:34

YEREVAN. – A fire broke out in downtown Yerevan at 3.20 p.m. on
Sunday, neighbors told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

Emergency service workers came to the scene with 45- minute delay.
Neighbors called the emergency service several times and were informed
that a squad had already been sent.

One of the neighbors told Armenian News-NEWS.am that the ambulance had
arrived earlier to the scene then the firefighters. The neighbors also
informed that at first the fire was not serious and spread because of
the firemen’s delay. The causes of the fire are not known yet.

Earlier Armenian News-NEWS.am reported that, a fire broke out in
downtown Yerevan on Sunday as a result of which an elderly man died. 4
firefighting squads went to the scene. The rescuers brought the burned
corpse of a 75-year-old man out of the burning building. The man’s
identity is not known yet.

V. Oskanian expresses concerns over vote handling

04:29 pm | Today | Politics

Armenia’s ex-Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian has expressed serious
concern over the conduct of parliamentary elections in the country.

It is already an hour I have been at the central headquarters of the
Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK) and I must say that calls regarding
election violations and other infractions do not stop for a second.
Most of the calls have been about the disappearing ink stamps. It
turns out that the some polling stations are still using the previous
stamps. We have also received reports about voter crowding in and
around polling stations, even ahead of opening of the polls. All this
shows that we have to deal with well-planned operations.

At present, we can say that the authorities failed to keep their
decreed promise – to conduct free and fair elections. They do not even
honour their pledges. This makes us conclude that the authorities are
attempting to rig the elections. However, I am still hopeful that they
will intervene with the rigging and stop it as long as there is time,
otherwise, the political parties participating in the elections will
draw corresponding conclusions on the legitimacy of the parliamentary
elections.

No matter what percentage I receive, I will not disappear – Prosperous
Armenia Party leader

news.am
May 06, 2012 | 12:37

Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) Chairman Gagik Tsarukyan cast his
ballot, during Sunday’s National Assembly elections, at the same
precinct where he is also running as the precinct’s sole
single-mandate MP candidate. He was accompanied by his family members.

After voting, Tsarukyan spoke with news reporters and noted: `It is
clear that there will be shortfalls. But everything is being done to
immediately regulate these shortcomings.’

`Today’s important conditions are the change, the condition, and the
opportunities. But this can be done by someone who is aware of the
situation and is empowered to change.

The people have been told that they are the ones who determine their
future. They all must take part in the elections today, in order to
secure free and transparent elections,’ Gagik Tsarukyan told news
reporters.

The PAP leader also informed that he will tour the Party campaign
headquarters throughout the day to `listen to what problem is where,
so as to immediately regulate [it], to attempt so that there will not
be serious incidents.’

And with respect to election results, the PAP leader said: `No matter
what percentage Tsarukyan receives, this will not mean Tsarukyan will
disappear. The people’s frustration must be broken and faith must be
instilled toward the elections.’

Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) is a political power included in the
ruling coalition.

Founded by Armenia’s largest businessman Gagik Tsarukyan, the party
debuted in the 2007 parliamentary elections, winning 29 seats in the
131-seat National Assembly.

The proportional list of the party includes 165 names. The PAP has
also nominated MP candidates with the majority election system.

Prosperous Armenia Party’s election campaign slogan is: `Believe,
trust, demand!’

ANC Coordinator: Situation with ink stamps organized electoral fraud

arminfo
Sunday, May 6, 16:23

It has become obvious since the very beginning of voting today that
ink stamps in the passports of the citizens who have already voted
disappear within 25 minutes. Stamps that are the key instrument to
prevent double voting do not work, Levon Zurabyan, Coordinator of the
Armenian National Congress, told
ArmInfo.

He said that groups of voters bribed by the Republican Party of
Armenia were delivered to polling stations by buses and cars. All
this testifies to a well-organized electoral fraud. Only after voting
of those big groups of bribed citizens, polling stations were charged
by the Central Electoral Commission to replace inkpots, Zurabyan said.

He said that ANC received reports also on violent treatment, beating
of authorized persons of ANC and Prosperous Armenia Party at the
polling stations No. 26. 27 and 28 in the electoral district No.24
(Martuni, Gegharkunik region), as well as reports on breaking of video
cameras.

Zurabyan said that the community head in the Village of Drakhtik,
Gegharkunik region, accompanied voters to the voting cabin and helped
them vote considering that they are allegedly illiterate.

OSCE PA observers not to comment on elections till press conference

news.am
May 06, 2012 | 15:35

YEREVAN.- Observers of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly mission will
not comment on the election process till a press conference held on
Monday, head of delegation Francois Xavier de Donnea told journalists.

Member of the delegation Neil Simon told the Armenian News-NEWS.am
reporter that the observers are engaged in monitoring the polling
stations. `We met with election participants on Friday,’ he added.

In total, 31,418 observers from 53 local organizations and 647
representatives from 11 international organizations and embassies
accredited in Armenia are monitoring the parliamentary elections.

Eight political parties and one block have presented their nominations
– Republican Party of Armenian, Prosperous Armenia Party, Orinats
Yerkir, opposition Armenian National Congress, opposition Heritage
Party, ARF Dashnaktsutyun, the Communist Party of Armenia, Democratic
Party of Armenia and United Armenians Party.

For entering a 131-seat National Assembly, parties must poll over 5%
of votes, while blocks – over 7%.

Ex-leader Kocharian votes for `Armenia’s future’

May 6, 2012 – 14:08 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – At May 6 parliamentary elections, the 2nd Armenian
President cast his ballot in Malatiya -Sebastiya community’s polling
station.

As Robert Kocharian told journalists, he voted for the future of
Armenia. `I had my glasses on – so my choice was a right one,’ he
said.

Asked to comment on the possibility of his return to power, he
questioned, `do you want me at power? `

The ex-leader also refused to comment on his plans to run for president in 2013.

Parliamentary elections kicked off in Armenia. Citizens will elect 131
MPs of the next convocation of the National Assembly, with 90 of them
running by proportional system and 41- by the majority system.

On May 6, 8 am, 1982 constituencies opened in the republic, where
2.484.003 registered voters may cast their votes for the electoral
lists, as well as parliamentary candidates nominated by the majority
system.

Parliamentary elections feature 8 political parties, Republican Party
of Armenia (RPA), Prosperous Armenia, ARF Dashnaktsutyun (ARFD),
Orinats Yerkir, Heritage, Democratic Party of Armenia (DPA), Communist
Party of Armenia and United Armenians party, as well as one election
bloc represented by opposition Armenian National Congress (ANC).

Armenian National Congress (ANC) must overcome 7% threshold as a bloc,
unlike the parties, which need 5% threshold level.

647 international and over 31 thous. local observers will monitor the
parliamentary elections in Armenia. OSCE/ODIHR (258 observers), OSCE
Parliamentary Assembly (69), PACE (37), CIS Interparliamentary
Assembly (22), as well as International Foundation for Electoral
Systems (IFES) and SILBA international organization have deployed
observer missions in Armenia.

The preliminary results will be published no later than 24 hours after
the voting, with final results to be released on the seventh day
starting the voting day.

1 Top stories

CHOUCHI
Exposition de tableaux consacrée au 20e anniversaire de la libération de Chouchi

A l’occasion du 20e anniversaire de la libération de Chouchi du joug
de l’occupant azéri, une exposition d’une centaine de tableaux fut
inaugurée hier 5 mai à l’Union des peintres d’Arménie à Erévan. Les
peintures représentent la libération de Chouchi par les forces
arméniennes réalisées par des peintres professionnels et amateurs.
L’exposition qui a accueilli plusieurs centaines de visiteurs se
tiendra jusqu’au 15 mai.

Krikor Amirzayan

dimanche 6 mai 2012,
Krikor Amirzayan ©armenews.com

PRÉSIDENTIELLE FRANCE
Qui que ce soit le négationnisme ne passera pas

RECONNAÎTRE * COMMÉMORER * CONDAMNER * RÉPARER
Cette Marianne est le symbole de la justice. La foule qui se range
derrière elle est formée par des Khatchkars, des stèles en pierre en
forme de croix, symbolisant un million et demi de victimes ne pouvant
plus parler.

Seules leurs mes peuvent prier pour la justice

Tableau de Liana et textes de son frère Davit (Erevan)

cliquer sur l’image pour agrandir – Click on picture to enlarge (Mac
double click)

Marianne symbolise tous les vivants qui demandent justice. Ils se
battent pour elle et pour la défense des Droits de l’Homme. Parce que
la justice est le principe moral fondamental à la base de la
civilisation démocratique, la seule capable de sauver TOUS les Etats
et les nations des tragédies et des désastres.

Marianne soulève le symbole de la justice sur toute la planète. C’est
la raison pour laquelle Marianne est Juste !

Résultat France 2 en direct 20h – Result on France 2 TV live 8:00 PM
(France) ICI-HERE

dimanche 6 mai 2012,
Jean Eckian ©armenews.com

NEGATIONNISME-USA
La justice rejette la plainte turque contre l’université du Minnesota

Une cour d’appel fédérale a jugé jeudi que l’Université du Minnesota
ne pouvait être poursuivie en justice parce que le site internet de
l’un de ses centres de recherche avait qualifié un site internet d’une
association turque de « non fiable ».

Les publications du site de l’Université du Minnesota sont protégées
par la loi, qu’elles soient considérées comme une vérité ou comme une
opinion, dit le jugement rendu par la cour d’appel fédérale de la 8
ème circonscription.

Le site poursuivi était celui du Center for Holocaust and Genocide
Studies qui qualifie le massacre des Arméniens en 1915 de génocide. La
plainte déposée par l’association turque « Turkish Coalition of
America » se fondait sur le fait que l’Université avait qualifié son
site internet de « peu fiable ».

Cette plainte avait été suivie de près par les historiens spécialistes
de la période mais aussi par les chercheurs préoccupés par la liberté
académique en général, certains d’entre eux craignant un dangereux
précédent au cas où l’Université aurait été condamnée sur la liberté
d’exprimer ses points de vue dans le domaine de la connaissance. Le
Middle East Studies Association a par exemple appellé la Turkish
Coalition of America à retirer sa plainte.

L’ironie de l’affaire est que le qualificatif de `peu fiable’ a été
retiré du site de l’université peu de temps après les critiques de la
Turkish Coalition of America mais avant le lancement de la procédure
judiciaire en 2010. Les responsables de l’université avaient justifié
leur geste en expliquant qu’ils ne voulaient pas faire la promotion de
sites négationnistes. Toutefois l’université a défendu le droit du
centre de recherche d’avoir cette liste et toute la décision de la
cour d’appel est prise comme si l’université avait conservé en ligne
ces informations.

L’an dernier un tribunal fédéral de district avait déjà statué que la
liberté académique de l’université prévalait mais la Turkish Coalition
of America a interjeté appel.

La cour d’appel fédérale a rejeté les arguments de l’appel lancé par
la Turkish Coalition of America affirmant que l’université avait violé
ses droits du Premier amendement et diffamé le site web. L’argument
central de la Turkish Coalition of America était que les étudiants de
l’université se verraient refuser l’accès aux idées de la Turkish
Coalition of America et donc que le libre échange des idées a été
entravé lorsqu’un centre d’une université a étiqueté le site de « peu
fiable ». Sur la question du Premier amendement la Turkish Coalition
of America a cité des décisions judiciaires dans lesquelles par
exemple les écoles secondaires ont violé les droits du Premier
amendement des étudiants en supprimant certains livres de la
bibliothèque. La cour d’appel a noté que ces cas étaient basés sur un
blocage de l’accès à l’information ce que l’université du Minnesota
n’a jamais fait.

« Il n’est pas allégué que les défendeurs ont entravé l’accès des
élèves au site de la Turkish Coalition of America » indique la
décision de la cour.

L’appel de la Turkish Coalition of America indique également que le
site web de l’université a diffamé la Turkish Coalition of America en
disant qu’il est engagé dans la négation du génocide arménien en le
qualifiant de « peu fiable » et en disant que c’est « un étrange
mélange de faits et d’opinions » et qu’il est « une source illégitime
d’information ».

La Turkish Coalition of America a argué que l’étiquetage de son site
web comme d’un site négationniste est diffamant parce que le terme de
« négationnisme » dans le contexte d’une étude d’un génocide «
implique la négation de faits bien documentés sous adjacente à un
évènement génocidaire ».

La cour d’appel a estimé que la question est de savoir si le site de
la Turkish Coalition of America nie le génocide arménien. « Parce que
le site de la Turkish Coalition of America affirme qu’en l’état il est
très peu probable qu’une accusation de génocide puisse être intentée
contre le gouvernement ottoman ou son successeur » fondée sur une
preuve historique la déclaration du centre dans le cadre de cette
interprétation est bonne et par conséquent qu’elle n’est pas
préjudiciable » précise le jugement.

« Les trois autres déclarations peuvent être interpréter
raisonnablement comme des opinions subjectives plutôt que des faits »
conclu la décision qui rejette l’accusation de diffamation.

dimanche 6 mai 2012,
Stéphane ©armenews.com