Author: Kanayan Tamar

Al-Jazeera, Qatar
Jan 28 2015

Turkey’s human rights record under fire

Diplomats slam intimidation of journalists and police crackdowns on
demonstrators during universal periodic review.

28 Jan 2015 07:45 GMT

Turkey’s human rights record has come under criticism at the UN, with
diplomats condemning intimidation of journalists and police crackdowns
on demonstrators.

“We are concerned about growing restrictions on freedom of expression,
including censorship of new media and the Internet, and provisions of
Turkish law that unduly limit peaceful assembly,” US representative
Keith Harper told the UN Human Rights council on Tuesday.

Harper’s comments came during the Universal Periodic Review of
Turkey’s rights record – a process that all 193 UN member states must
undergo every four years.

Turkey has countered the criticism, insisting it has made progress in
promoting human rights and freedom of expression that are an
“indispensable” part of the country’s democratic order.

“The protection and promotion of human rights is one of our priority
political objectives,” Turkey’s Deputy Prime Minister Buelent Arinc
told the council in Geneva.

While acknowledging there were some journalists in Turkish prisons,
Arinc insisted that their detention was “not related to their
journalistic activities”.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan’s government has fired thousands of
police along with a number of judges while pushing through legislation
that tightens state control over the internet, raising questions
inside the country and abroad as to the state of the nation’s
democracy.

Egypt, meanwhile, was particularly harsh in its criticism, with its
representative Amr Ramadan lamenting the “severe deterioration in the
human rights situation in Turkey,” and slamming Ankara for deadly
crackdowns on demonstrators and the jailing journalists.

“We would have wished to have seen such criticism coming from parties
who adhere to the same universal values as we do,” Arinc hit back at
Egypt, which itself has jailed numerous journalists, including three
Al Jazeera staff members.

Many Egyptian protesters have also been killed in clashes with security forces.

In addition to criticism on its crackdown on journalists, Ankara was
also slammed for discriminating against minorities.

Armenia’s representative Vahram Kazholyan said the government should
return “the confiscated properties of Armenians and other religious
minorities, such as places of worship, including monasteries, church
properties and religious cultural sites”.

Kazholyan also called on Ankara to “fully implement the international
obligations emanating from the UN Convention on the Prevention and
Punishment of the Crime of Genocide”.

Armenians say the Ottoman state conducted genocide against them during
World War I, leaving an estimated 1.5 million people dead.

Modern day Turkey has resisted terming the mass killings as an act of genocide.

FARS News Agency, Iran
January 27, 2015 Tuesday

Iranian FM, Armenian Counterpart Discuss Bilateral Ties, Regional Developments

TEHRAN (FNA)- Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and his
Armenian counterpart Edward Nalbandian in a meeting in Yerevan on
Tuesday discussed bilateral ties and regional developments.

During the meeting in the Armenian capital today, Zarif and Nalbandian
underlined the need for the further expansion of mutual cooperation.

Zarif arrived in Yerevan on Monday night to confer with senior
Armenian officials on the latest developments in the region and
explore new ways for the promotion of bilateral relations.

Zarif’s two-day visit to the country takes place at the formal
invitation of his Armenian counterpart.

Zarif and his accompanying delegation are scheduled to hold separate
meetings with Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, Prime Minister Hovik
Abrahamyan and Parliament Speaker Galust Sahakyan.

Iran and Armenia have taken major strides towards widening and
deepening of their relations in recent years, particularly in the
economic sector. two sides also discussed the latest regional and
international developments.

National Column
Jan 28 2015

Amal Clooney to represent Armenia in Euro-court over 1915 genocide

Mrs Clooney is to lead the court fight with Turkish MP Perincek

Amal Clooney is set to represent Armenia in a high-profile case
against a Turkish politician who denies that the 1915 genocide, when
up to 1.5million Armenians were slaughtered, ever took place.

Mrs Clooney will advise the Eurasian country as they challenge the
appeal of Dogu Perinçek, who was found guilty by a Swiss court in
2008, of denying the Armenian genocide.

The 36-year-old human rights lawyer and her head of chambers, Geoffrey
Robertson QC, arrived at the appeal hearing before the European Court
of Human Rights in Strasbourg today.

Perincek argued his right to free speech was violated when Swiss
courts convicted him of denying the genocide in 2005.

Historians estimate up to 1.5 million Armenians were killed by Ottoman
Turks around the time of World War I, an event widely viewed by
genocide scholars as the first genocide of the 20th century. Turkey,
however, denies the deaths constituted genocide, saying the toll has
been inflated and that those killed were victims of civil war and
unrest.

His appeal is now being challenged by Armenia, who argues that denying
the 1915 genocide is a crime on par with Holocaust denial.

The Armenians also says that the European Court of Human Rights’s
ruling on Mr Perinçek’s 2013 appeal contains legal and factual errors.

This April marks the 100th anniversary of the massacre of an estimated
1.5 million Armenians by Ottoman Turks.

The killings in 1915 are regarded by many historians as the first
genocide of the 20th century, and are said to have inspired Nazi
leader Adolf Hitler.

Design & Trend
Jan 28 2015

Clooney’s Wife Amal Alamuddin Working Armenian Genocide Case; George’s
Pre-Wedding Stag Party Details Revealed

Peter Black , Design & Trend Staff Writer
Jan, 28, 2015, 11:11 AM

George Clooney’s new wife, civil rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin, has
joined a legal team which will fight to prosecute a man accused of
denying the Armenian Genocide.

The New York Post reported that Amal Clooney, 36, is “going before
Europe’s top human rights court to argue against a man convicted for
denying the 1915 Armenian genocide.”

“Clooney is arguing on an appeal before the Strasbourg-based European
Court of Human Rights, which ruled in favor of the man, Dogu Perincek,
in December 2013,” writes The Post. “Perincek argued his right to free
speech was violated when Swiss courts convicted him of denying the
genocide in 2005.”

Tina Fey and Amy Poehler joked about Alamuddin’s impressive human
rights resume at this year’s Golden Globes, saying, “George Clooney
married Amal Alamuddin this year. Amal is a human-rights lawyer, who
worked on the Enron case, was an advisor to Kofi Annan regarding
Syria, and was selected for a three-person U.N. commission
investigating rules of war violations in the Gaza Strip. So tonight,
her husband is getting a lifetime-achievement award.”

Upon taking the stage to receive the award, Clooney gushed about his
new bride, saying, whilst holding back tears, “It’s a humbling thing
when you find someone to love. Amal, whatever alchemy it is that
brought us together, I couldn’t be prouder to be your husband.”

It was recently revealed the night before Clooney wed Alamuddin, the
former Sexiest Man Alive and his groomsmen ate at Ristorante da Ivo in
Venice, where they ordered over £3,000 worth of food.

“For a man getting married ten hours later, he was really eating a
lot,” manager Giovanni Fracassi told the Daily Mirror (via the Daily
Mail). “I gave him mint and chocolate ice creams. He really likes
them. He ate three and took three to his room.”

AzerNews, Azerbaijan
Jan 28 2015

UK government dismisses trial over Azerbaijani hostages

28 January 2015, 18:00 (GMT+04:00)
By Sara Rajabova

The British government has said it doesn’t recognize the so-called
“Nagorno-Karabakh Republic” and its “court”.

Baroness Anelay of St John’s, Minister of State of the Foreign and
Commonwealth Office made the remark in response to a question by Lord
Kilclooney, according to a message from The European Azerbaijan
Society (TEAS).

“Lord Kilclooney’s question was about the fate of two Azerbaijani
civilians Shahbaz Guliyev and Dilgam Asgarov, who were ambushed and
captured by Armenian armed forces whilst trying to tend the graves of
their relatives in the occupied territories,” the message read.

As well as dismissing the “Nagorno-Karabakh Republic”, Baroness Anelay
also stated that the British government “does not recognize the legal
framework of the court proceedings in question”.

She also said the British government had raised the question of the
two hostages with the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Armenian special forces killed Azerbaijani citizen Hasan Hasanov and
took hostage Shahbaz Guliyev and Dilgam Asgarov in the Shaplar village
of the occupied Kalbajar region on July 11, while they were visiting
the graves of their relatives. Following the so-called “judicial
process” Dilgam Asgarov was sentenced to life imprisonment, and
Shahbaz Guliyev to 22 years in prison.

Following the so-called “judicial process” Dilgam Asgarov was
sentenced to life imprisonment, and Shahbaz Guliyev to 22 years in
prison.

Despite repeated calls by the international organizations and foreign
countries on Armenia to return the captives back to their country,
nothing has been made in this regard so far.

Daily Sabah, Turkey
Jan 28 2015

Armenian society longing for integration with Turks, says Armenian PM advisor

ANADOLU AGENCY
IRBIL

Etyen Mahçupyan, an Armenian intellectual and journalist, has said
that Turkish society and Armenian society, which share the same
culture, music and interests, are ready to integrate as they have been
missing the intimacy they once had. He added that the diaspora is less
ready for the reconnection, since they deem the issue a formal one.

Etyen Mah̤upyan Рwho is also the chief advisor to Turkish Prime
Minister Ahmet DavutoÄ?lu – was speaking to The Anadolu Agency
exclusively on the sidelines of a panel he attended recently titled
“Turkey, Kurds and Kurdish Regional Government” organized by the
Middle East Research Institute in the Iraqi Kurdish capital Irbil.

“First, the psychology has to change and a mutual habit of looking to
the future together must be developed. This year is a significant
chance for that,” he said.

This year marks the 100th anniversary of 1915 events what Armenia
calls “genocide” and the Battle of Çanakkale that took place in the
district of Gallipoli, which marked a turnaround in favor of the Turks
against the Allies during World War I.

“Turkey-Armenia relations can be treated”

Mahçupyan said that the bilateral relations between the two
neighboring countries will ease from now on, and “healing and
rehabilitating steps” could be more easily taken if 2015 could be
utilized.

“If reciprocal steps are taken in 2015, they may serve as a remedy for
Turkey-Armenia relations,” he said.

The PM’s advisor argued that it sounds harsh when Armenia speaks as a
state, but there is no such attitude by the Armenian people when you
talk with them on the street.

“It is the same as what you see on the streets in Turkey. People want
to warm towards each other and be drawn together,” he added.

Mahçupyan spoke of a “longing” between the two peoples, who are the
children of the same culture, listening to the same music and reading
the same books.

“Actually, both sides are ready to get into contact. But we are in a
national world where there are borders and states, which makes the
issue a little bit formal. When it becomes formal, themes such as
equality and bargaining are also included, and they all cause
alienation,” he said.

He also touched upon the invitation that Turkish President Recep
Tayyip Erdogan sent to his Armenian counterpart Serzh Sargsyan for the
Çanakkale battle memorial to be held between April 24 and 25 in
Turkey.

The advisor noted that the invitation was sent to the whole world and
Armenia was not excluded, adding that there were also a number of
Armenians who died during the Battle of Çanakkale.

“If Armenia has a spiritual bond with the Armenians who lived in the
past, then it concerns them, too. It may yield positive results if
there is attendance by Armenia, even symbolic,” he said.

“Better to take steps on a social level”

Mahçupyan said he believed sincere and open relations are needed at
the end of the day.

“I never think it will bear good results if you push it too much on a
state level. You need to get down to the level below the states. It is
much more significant to do what is necessary at the social level. It
must be done via informal channels,” he said.

He gave the example of women’s movement in both countries which he
said can pay mutual visits and make mutual gestures and even issue
joint declarations as “such acts better suit the zeitgeist.”

“It could be a solution to mobilize women’s movements as we men are
always the ones who wage the wars,” he said.

Mahçupyan also hailed the message issued last week by DavutoÄ?lu to
commemorate the slain Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink, where he
described Dink as an “invaluable Anatolian intellectual who, without
compromising either his Armenian heritage or his loyalty to Turkey,
sought to help find the ways and means through which Turks and
Armenians may build a common future.”

The advisor stressed the importance of 2015 saying there will be
numerous activities throughout the year that Turkey would like to
organize and assist, saying they must become concrete through a
decision mechanism.

“The basis must be increasing the human relations. It is better to
realize any kind of projects that could intensify and intertwine human
relations in 2015,” he said.

Relations between Turkey and Armenia have historically been poor
because of incidents that took place during World War I. The Armenian
diaspora and government describe the 1915 events as “genocide” and
have asked for compensation.

Turkey officially refutes this description, saying that although
Armenians died during relocations, many Turks also lost their lives in
attacks carried out by Armenian gangs in Anatolia.

Ankara has also long been calling for Armenia and its historians to
make a joint academic research and study into the archives of both
countries.

In April 2014, President ErdoÄ?an – at the time prime minister –
offered condolences for the Armenian deaths that occurred in 1915,
which represented a first for a Turkish statesman.

Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey
Jan 28 2015

ECHR adjourns ruling on Turkey’s Worker’s Party chair over 1915 statements

STRASBOURG

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) delayed on Jan. 28 its
ruling in the case of Workers’ Party (Ä°P) Chairman DoÄ?u Perinçek, who
was sentenced in Switzerland for publicly denying that the 1915
killings of Ottoman Armenians amounted to genocide.

In his defense, Perinçek reiterated the decision issued by the ECHR’s
second chamber on Dec. 17, 2013, which found Switzerland unjust in its
sentencing on the grounds of freedom of expression. The court had also
determined that opinions on the 1915 incidents were still disputable,
he added.

Perinçek stated that genocide was a `judicial phrase’ and his personal
studies indicated that the Ottoman Empire did not act with a motive to
completely destroy Armenian society in Anatolia. He admitted that
there were `forced migrations and mutual slaughter,’ but claimed that
discussion of the events had become a taboo and the term genocide has
become a way to insult Turks in Europe.

A national court verdict in Switzerland in 2007 resulted in the case
being brought to the ECHR. Perinçek was found guilty by a Swiss court
on March 9, 2007 after his participation in a number of conferences in
Switzerland in 2005, during which he publicly denied that the Ottoman
Empire had committed the crime of genocide against Ottoman Armenians.
Denying that the killings amounted to genocide is a criminal offense
in Switzerland.

`We are confident that a decision that complies with European laws
will be made,’ Perinçek said after the Jan. 28 hearing, adding that
`attempts to destroy freedom and democracy over Armenian genocide
claims in Europe will fail.’

Lawyers Mehmet Cengiz and Stefan Talmon, representing Perinçek in the
case, underlined the right to freedom of expression.

Talmon said Perinçek did not use any racist expressions, but simply
reacted against the acceptance of the incidents as genocide.

Lawyer Frank Schürmann, representing Switzerland, denied Talmon’s
accusation that the Swiss court had violated the 10th article of the
European Convention on Human Rights, which regulates human rights.

Amal Clooney, the prominent British-Lebanese lawyer and wife of
Hollywood celebrity George Clooney, was a member of the legal team
representing Armenia. In the hearing, she said the Ottoman Empire had
promised in the Treaty of Sevres that those responsible for the
massacres would be tried. Armenia was included in the case not to
limit freedom of expression but to defend it, she added.

Former EU Minister Egemen BaÄ?ıÅ?, former main opposition Republican
People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal, and CHP Deputy Head Haluk
Koç were all in attendance during the hearing. Around 200 Turks were
gathered in front of the court in support of Perinçek, while a
separate group of Armenians was also gathered nearby.

According to Armenians and many historians, up to 1.5 million Ottoman
Armenians were killed starting in 1915 in a systematic campaign.
Turkey denies that the deaths amounted to genocide, saying the toll
during mass deportations of Ottoman Armenians has been inflated and
that those killed in 1915 and 1916 were victims of broader unrest
during World War I.

Perinçek had applied to the ECHR over claims that the Swiss courts had
breached his right to freedom of expression. The ECHR agreed on Dec.
17, 2013 that his statements in Switzerland fell within the bounds of
freedom of expression.

The ECHR ruling stated that `free exercise of the right to openly
discuss questions of a sensitive and controversial nature is one of
the fundamental aspects of freedom of expression and distinguishes a
tolerant and pluralistic democratic society from a totalitarian or
dictatorial regime.’

Switzerland objected to the judgment, after which the case was taken
to the ECHR’s Grand Chamber for the final verdict. The Grand Chamber
approved the inclusion of the state of Armenia as a third party
litigant in the case in September.

January/28/2015

Cihan News Agency, Turkey
Jan 28 2015

“Armenian genocide” denial case puts Turkey’s Perinçek against Mrs. Clooney

STRASBOURG – 28.01.2015 11:56:06

The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) began on Wednesday an
appeal hearing launched by Switzerland against Turkey’s Workers’ Party
(Ä°P) Chairman DoÄ?u Perinçek, who was convicted by a Swiss court for
denying the Armenian claims of genocide, in a case that pits Turkey
against Switzerland and Armenia, which is represented in Strasbourg by
Lebanese human rights lawyer Amal Clooney.

Ä°P leader Perinçek won an appeal at the European court against a Swiss
court decision to convict him for branding the claims of Armenian
genocide an `international lie’ during a series of speeches in
Switzerland in 2007. The ECtHR said in its Dec. 17, 2013, decision
that the politician had exercised his `right to free speech.’

Switzerland, on the other hand, asked the ECtHR to review its decision
in 2014. The Grand Chamber of the Strasbourg-based court is reviewing
the court’s earlier verdict on Wednesday. The court is not expected to
announce a verdict at the end of the hearing.

Around 200 people from Turkey gathered in front of the Strasbourg
court to show support for Perinçek. A group of political figures,
including former European Union Affairs Minister Egemen BaÄ?ıÅ?, former
Republican Peoples’ Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal and CHP deputy
chairman Haluk Koç, were also present at the hearing.

Turkey hailed the European court’s initial decision to reverse the
Swiss ruling against Perinçek and is a co-defendant in the case.
Armenia, on the other hand, has joined the case as a co-plaintiff
along with a number of Armenian diaspora organizations.

Amal Clooney, a Lebanese-born British lawyer of international law and
human rights who became a household name when she tied the knot with
actor George Clooney in September 2014, is one of the lawyers in the
appeal case.

The ruling has implications for other European states such as France,
which have tried to criminalize the refusal to apply the term genocide
to the massacres of Armenians during the breakup of the Ottoman
Empire.

Turkey categorically denies the claims of Armenian genocide, saying
there were deaths on both sides when Armenians revolted against the
Ottoman Empire during the years of World War I to create their own
state in collaboration with the Russian forces then invading eastern
Anatolia.

The European court said in its December 2013 decision that the `free
exercise of the right to openly discuss questions of a sensitive and
controversial nature was one of the fundamental aspects of freedom of
expression and distinguished a tolerant and pluralistic democratic
society from a totalitarian or dictatorial regime.”

Turkey has welcomed the ruling and said it expects the court to uphold
its judgment when its Grand Chamber reviews it.(Cihan/TZ)

Tehran, Yerevan confer on boosting ties
Political Desk

On Line: 27 January 2015 18:10
In Print: Wednesday 28 January 2015

TEHRAN – Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif met in Yerevan
with Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan on Tuesday, underlining the
need for boosting ties.

The two officials also discussed the latest regional developments.

Earlier on Tuesday, Zarif held separate talks with Armenian Parliament
Speaker Galust Sahakyan, his counterpart Edward Nalbandian, and Prime
Minister Hovik Abrahamyan.

During his meeting with Sahakyan, the two officials said the
North-South railway can increase trade exchanges between the two
countries, Fars news agency reported.

“Building the North-South railway can prove effective in increasing
the volume of exchanges,” Sahakyan said.

The North-South railway route connects the Commonwealth of the
Independent States (CIS) countries to the Persian Gulf and Southeast
Asian nations.

Sahakyan also regretted that Iran and Armenia have not been able to
use all their capacities to develop ties. “Experts should work hard to
identify the potentials and use these opportunities to further broaden
the relations.”

Iran and Armenia have taken major strides in deepening their relations
in recent years, particularly in the economic sector.

‘Peaceful coexistence between Islam and Christianity’

In his meeting Nalbandian, Zarif said the nature of relations between
Iran and Armenia is a proof that Islam and Christianity could have a
peaceful coexistence, IRNA reported.

He further highlighted Iran’s interest in peace, stability, and
friendship among neighboring countries and hoped the Karabakh dispute
would be settled soon, according to the Armen Press news agency.

Zarif also pointed to the Western-led sanctions against Iran for its
nuclear program, asserting that sanctions were not the proper ways to
settle differences.

‘West should stop pressing Iran’

In a later press conference with Nalbandian, Zarif expressed hope that
countries involved in nuclear negotiations with Iran would work out to
clinch a nuclear deal, IRNA reported.

The 5+1 group of major powers should be aware that they could hold
dialogue with no countries while simultaneously putting pressure on
them, Zarif said, adding that a nuclear deal will benefit all sides,
especially regional countries.

Noting that Iran’s nuclear talks with the 5+1 group are now focused on
expert details, Zarif said the other party has already accepted Iran’s
right to continue its enrichment activities.

He added Iran has never intended to develop nuclear arms, and Tehran
is ready to offer necessary proof about the peaceful nature of its
nuclear activities.

Nalbandian expressed his country’s support for the nuclear talks
between Tehran and the world powers, and hoped that the negotiations
would yield results.

MD/PA

Video From Delhi to Yerevan: Recounting the Armenian Genocide in Hindi – Video

January 27, 2015 By administrator

Well known Indian writer and poet Suman Keshari is embarking on a
journey to present the Armenian Genocide of 1915 through the words of
Armenian poets, stories and letters in Hindi. Keshari spoke to
CivilNet about the motivation to recount the narrative of the
Genocide.