Author: Kanayan Tamar

GEORGIE
Washington ne prévoit pas de déployer de défense antimissile en
Ukraine ou en Géorgie

Les Etats-Unis n’envisagent pas de déployer leurs systèmes de défense
antimissile en Ukraine ou en Géorgie, a indiqué une responsable
américaine mardi à Kiev.

“Nous ne prévoyons pas de déploiement de système de défense
antimissile en Ukraine ou en Géorgie”, a déclaré Victoria Nuland, la
secrétaire d’Etat adjointe américaine chargée des affaires européennes
et eurasiennes, lors d’une conférence de presse.

Au cours de la conférence, Mme Nuland a également démenti les
reportages de presse selon lesquels les manifestations
anti-gouvernementales ayant provoqué la destitution de l’ancien
président Viktor Ianoukovitch en Ukraine en février dernier auraient
été orchestrées par Washington. Les rassemblements “n’ont reçu aucune
assistance” de la part des Etats-Unis, a-t-elle souligné.

Par ailleurs, Mme Nuland a indiqué que Washington fournissait une aide
financière à l’Ukraine pour soutenir les réformes dans le pays depuis
1991 et elle a réaffirmé que les Etats-Unis avaient la volonté de
maintenir cette aide.

Les Etats-Unis sont prêts à allouer environ 48 millions de dollars à
Kiev pour contribuer à la stabilisation économique, au développement
de la lutte contre la corruption, à la réforme constitutionnelle et au
renforcement de la sécurité nationale, a ajouté Mme Nuland.

Depuis février, on voit circuler dans certains médias ukrainiens et
étrangers des rumeurs selon lesquelles les Etats-Unis auraient pu
avoir soutenu les manifestations qui ont débuté en novembre 2013 en
Ukraine pour réclamer le rapprochement du pays avec l’Union
européenne.

Le 5 mars, des médias ukrainiens, citant l’ambassadeur d’Ukraine en
Biélorussie Mykhailo Yezhel, ont indiqué que Kiev était en discussion
avec Washington à propos d’un éventuel déploiement de systèmes de
défense antimissile en Ukraine.

Le ministère ukrainien des Affaires étrangères a ultérieurement
démenti cette information.

Le 4 juin, la Maison Blanche a fait savoir que le président Barack
Obama avait approuvé plus de 23 millions de dollars d’aide à Kiev pour
la sécurité dans le pays depuis début mars, période où de nouveaux
troubles ont commencé à éclater dans les régions de l’est de
l’Ukraine.

samedi 21 juin 2014,
Stéphane (c)armenews.com

FRANCE-MUSIQUE
La violoncelliste Astrig Siranossian va enregistrer son premier CD
lors du festival d’Auvers sur Oise

La famille Siranossian a la musique dans la peau. Tout d’abord,
Alexandre Siranossian, longtemps directeur du Conservatoire de musique
de Romans (Drôme), chef d’orchestre et spécialiste de la musique
classique arménienne. Puis Astrig Siranossian (violoncelle) et
Chouchane Siranissian (violon), les deux filles d’Alexandre complètent
le tableau. Astrig Siranossian s’apprête à passer son master de
soliste à Ble (Suisse) le 27 juin à 19h30. Puis elle participera au
festival de Cully (Suisse) le 28 juin à 12 h. Enfin elle donnera un
récital de violoncelle et piano au festival d’Auvers sur Oise (région
parisienne) le 29 juin à 16h30. Récital qui sera enregistré en direct
pour la sortie de son premier CD. Trois pièces populaires arméniennes
sont au programme de concert d’enregistrement. Pour davantage
d’informations, les amateurs de musique peuvent se rendre sur le site
d’Astrig Siranossian ( www.astrig siranossian.com) ainsi que sur le
site du Festival d’Auvers sur Oise.

Krikor Amirzayan

samedi 21 juin 2014,
Krikor Amirzayan (c)armenews.com

CONSEIL DE L’EUROPE
L’APCE interpelé pour une exclusion de l’Arménie

L’Assemblée parlementaire du Conseil de l’Europe (APCE) pourrait
débattre d’une motion qui demande la suspension de l’Arménie de
l’institution suite à son “occupation de la République de
Nagorno-Karabakh”, tout comme avec la Russie lors de sa récente action
en Crimée.

Cette motion, proposée avant la session d’été à Strasbourg la semaine
prochaine, a été signée par 58 membres de l’APCE, ce qui la rend
admissible à l’examen par la commission des affaires politiques ou
même le Comité de suivi pour la nomination d’un rapporteur.

S’appuyant sur la suspension par l’APCE du droit de vote de la Russie
le 10 avril 2014, la motion demande à l’Assemblée d’appliquer >.

Le député azerbaïdjanais et délégué de l’APCE Elkhan Suleymanov,
initiateur de la motion, a exprimé l’espoir que le Secrétaire général
de l’APCE, Wojciech Sawicki, >
et mettra la question à la table des discussions.

Depuis, il a écrit une lettre ouverte à l’APCE dont la teneur est la
suivante :

Azerbaijan violated the ceasefire 700 times this week

12:04 21.06.2014

According to the data of the NKR Defense Army, about 700 cases of
ceasefire violation by the Azerbaijani side were registered at the
line of contact between the armed forces of Nagorno Karabakh and
Azerbaijan from June 15 to 21.

The rival fired more than 6,500 shots from weapons of different
caliber in the direction of the Armenian positions.

The front troops of the NKR Defense Army gave an adequate response to
the provocative actions of the adversary and took necessary measures
to organize the reliable protection of the military positions all
along the line of contact, press service of the NKR defense Ministry
reported.

‘Aleppo Protocols’ Depict What Children of Genocide Saw

COMMUNITY | JUNE 12, 2014 9:35 PM
________________________________

By Muriel Mirak-Weissbach

Special to the Mirror-Spectator

GENEVA — Today when the name Aleppo appears in the press, the story
will be about human suffering in the once-beautiful Syrian city, now a
battleground between terrorist-linked forces and the Syrian government
military. The war has been raging for more than three years and those
most victimized by the killing are the civilian population, increasing
turned into a mass of refugees.

Almost a century ago Aleppo served as a safe haven for refugees,
survivors of the Armenian Genocide who had made their way out of
Anatolia. Newly published material from the archives of the League of
Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, offers rare documentation of the
Genocide, through the short personal histories that survivors provided
on arrival at a reception house of the League and the Danish Friends
of Armenians (Danske Armeniervenner, DA). These were Armenians, many
of them young orphans, who had been released from Muslim households
(Turkish, Kurdish or Arab) in the period between 1922 and 1930.

The records, known as “The Aleppo Protocols: Histories of the Armenian
Genocide,” have been compiled, annotated and edited by Taner Akçam,
Dicle Akar Bilgin and Matthias Bjørnlund. They are being published on
, an online publication launched by German Genocide
historians Wolfgang and Sigrid Gust, who first made available the
relevant material from the archives of the German Foreign Ministry
during World War I. Joining them on the editorial staff are Akçam,
Vagharshak Lalayan and Matthias Bjørnlund.

ALEPPO, from page 1

The records, known as “The Aleppo Protocols: Histories of the Armenian
Genocide,” have been compiled, annotated and edited by Taner Akçam,
Dicle Akar Bilgin and Matthias Bjørnlund. They are being published on
, an online publication launched by German Genocide
historians Wolfgang and Sigrid Gust, who first made available the
relevant material from the archives of the German Foreign Ministry
during World War I. Joining them on the editorial staff are Akçam,
Vagharshak Lalayan and Matthias Bjørnlund.

It was Karen Jeppe, a Danish field worker for the relief organization,
DA and her staff who, as the League’s Commissioner for the Protection
of Women and Children in the Middle East, helped free Armenian
survivors who had been kept in Muslim households, often as slaves or
servants. Between 1921, when she was assigned to the League’s position
and 1927, Jeppe’s organization worked through a networks of “agents,”
including priests and businessmen, to locate and save Armenians in
Anatolia/Asia Minor. As the editors write in their introduction, this
was “an enormous task: some 100,000 Armenians, mainly female and very
often poor, diseased, unemployed, orphaned, malnourished and
traumatized, were scattered around Syria, many eking out an existence
in refugee camps. Although Armenian and American organizations in
particular had been working to release Armenians since the end of the
war, approximately 20,000-30,000 of the women and children were still
living in Muslim captivity, victims of kidnapping, forced marriage,
rape and sexual slavery that had become de facto instruments of
genocide from 1915 onward, as testified by numerous eyewitness
accounts and diplomatic reports.”

To locate these Armenians, the operation set up search stations in
various locations including Rakka, Der Zor, Ras ul Ain and Hassitsche.
Working out of these bases, the agents scoured the countryside looking
for Armenians in Muslim homes. Those released found shelter first in
tents in a refugee camp in Aleppo, until more permanent housing could
be provided. The projects jointly run by the DA and League of Nations
included agricultural colonies, schools and orphanages. In Aleppo, the
DA refugee camp, known as “the city of the 20,000,” survivors found
material assistance, food, medical aid and training for future
employment.

The documents now being published are the handwritten admission forms
that each refugee filled out on arrival, with basic information, i.e.
names, date of birth and origin. Some examples, taken at random:
Siranoush Koresian, aged 16, came from Zara and her father’s name was
Vosgehan. Admitted to the Karen Jeppe orphanage in Aleppo on July 20,
1922, “She came with her elder sister to Urfa. Her father was killed
in a village around Urfa. She ignores what became of her sister. She
lived in a Turkish house for six years as a servant. She desired to
escape many times but she was afraid because they treated her very
cruelly. Later an Armenian woman helped her and she went to the
Armenian church from where she was sent to Aleppo. Her uncle is in
America. Siranoush came into connection with her relatives, who sent
her money and are preparing to take her to America. Siranoush entered
our camp and is living on her own account. Left our care: February 28,
1923. Relatives.”

Or take the case of Krikor Turkmonoghli, son of Kevork from Mosheg
(Andreos), aged 12, admitted to the same orphanage on August 2, 1922:
“Deported with his family until Malatia, where he lost them. He went
on to Room Kale where he lived 7 years as a farmer with a Turk. His
work was too painful for him, he could not endure it any longer and he
fled to Biredjik. There he met an Armenian priest and so he met after
7 years a man of his nation and people. He was supported several days
and afterwards brought him to Jirablous where he met our organization.
Krikor was sent by our man to Aleppo. His elder brother is supposed to
be in some environing village of Urfa. Krikor was received in the
Armenian orphanage March 31, 1923. Left our care: March 31, 1923.
Orphanage N.E.R. (Near East Relief)”

Or there was Khachadur Baroian from Harpoot, aged 20, whose father was
killed and his mother deported. He lost contact with his mother, then
was deported with a caravan of children to Mesopotamia and on the way
was taken in by a Turk for whom he then worked seven years. “One day
some merchants were passing his town. He heard from them, that
Armenians and foreigners have opened orphanages for Armenian boys and
girls. He decided to go back to his nation. He fled, joined the
leaving merchants and came to Aleppo….”

These are samples of the short biographies of those who arrived in
Aleppo. In the protocols there are also several longer entries (not
quoted here for space reasons), which provide a fuller picture of the
experiences of the refugees. Taken all together, the testimonies paint
a vivid chronicle of the genocide.

Another young Armenian, Avak Garabedian from Dersim, also lived seven
years with a Kurd. “Avak was told that all Armenians were killed, he
believed it and then never wanted to return to his nation. Once he
heard some Kourds talking about Armenians in Aleppo, he felt a will of
fleeing. He fled the same night joined some muleteers and he came with
them to Aleppo.”

As the editors note in their introduction, although “all the
testimonies are unique … and atypical … many are also typical” because
of the pattern that emerges of how the genocide took place. One theme
that recurs is the desire to be reunited with Armenians and the
project directors concentrated very much on reinforcing or in some
cases reviving a sense of Armenian identity, that some had lost in the
years living with a Turkish or Kurdish family.

They write: “After having been admitted into the reception home, the
survivors received housing in dormitories, education and vocational
training, not only to acquire skills necessary to survive and to
provide for themselves, but also to become what was regarded as truly
Armenian, i.e., Armenian-speaking Christians. In the Ottoman Empire,
Apostolic Christianity, not language, was the principal ethnic marker
for Armenians. Depending on where in the empire they lived, Armenians
could be multilingual, have Turkish or Kurdish as their mother tongue,
or speak Armenian dialects that were incomprehensible to an
Armenian-speaking Armenian from another part of the empire. But after
WWI and the genocide, when national as well as individual salvation
and regeneration was of the highest priority in the diaspora, the
(Western) Armenian language was regarded and taught as ‘the
of identity,’ at the expense of other languages. As one of the
Armenian orphans at the Aleppo reception home, Harutiun Tchakerian,
expressed it, the home was a Babylon where Arabic, Kurdish, Turkish
and Laz was spoken alongside Armenian, a language many had to learn or
relearn after years in captivity. Many Western missionaries and aid
workers consciously and actively participated in this project of
national recovery.”

Publication of these rare documents represents a valuable contribution
to reconstructing the drama of the Genocide, as told by almost 2000
individual survivors. The English may be stilted — because those
recording the accounts of the new arrivals were themselves not native
speakers of English, but Danes or others — but the brief biographical
sketches are powerful vignettes that communicate a dramatic human
experience in abbreviated form.

– See more at:

ZHAMANAK: NEW PENSION LAW IS CLOWNERY

Friday,
June
20

The new draft law on the accumulative pension system is a mere
clownery. The change of the draft’s name does not change anything,” an
activist of ‘I am against’ civil initiative told ‘Zhamanak’ newspaper.

According to another activist, Vaghinak Shusganyan, it was done in
order to divert the private sector’s attention from the problem. “I
am a representative of the private sector, but I will not give up
the struggle. It is an unconstitutional law and we will prove it once
again,” he said.

TODAY, 11:17

Aysor.am

REGIONAL DIVIDE: SARGSYAN’S GEORGIA VISIT LIKELY TO HAVE FOCUSED ON ABKHAZIA RAILROAD, CUSTOMS ISSUE

ANALYSIS | 20.06.14 | 11:20

Photo:

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan meeting with Georgian Prime Minister
Irakly Garibashvili in Tbilisi, June 19, 2014

By NAIRA HAYRUMYAN ArmeniaNow correspondent

During a two-day visit to Georgia on June 18-19, Armenian President
Serzh Sargsyan also addressed the issue of the re-opening of the
Abkhazian section of the railroad connecting Armenia to Russia. But
it does not appear to be a matter for serious consideration yet. This
is approximately how the Armenian leader commented on the issue,
which, according to analysts, was to have become the key one during
Sargsyan’s visiting to the neighboring country.

This means that Armenia will still remain for a long time in the
railroad blockade, which has been imposed on it not only by hostile
Turkey and Azerbaijan, but also by allied Russia. A few hours before
Sargsyan’s visit to Tbilisi the Armenian leader received head of the
Russian Railways company Vladimir Yakunin, who said that Russia does
not intend to build and finance the Iran-Armenia railroad project
because now it is implementing a major railway project with Iran
through Azerbaijan. He advised that Armenia focus on the Abkhazian
railroad.

Russia also blocks offers of Iran and Western countries on the laying
of the Iran-Armenia communications. However, judging by the reaction
of Tbilisi the Abkhaz railway also appears to have little prospects
yet. Its construction is stymied by the status of Abkhazia – Moscow
and Sukhumi are trying to force Tbilisi to recognize the independence
of Abkhazia, and Georgia stubbornly refuses to do so. However, as
Georgian media write, the question of the Abkhazian railway will
soon be brought up for discussions at the National Security Council
of Georgia, but now Tbilisi is preoccupied with solving other problems.

On June 27, Georgia, as well as Moldova and Ukraine, intend to sign an
association agreement with the European Union, while Armenia, also at
the end of the month, may sign the Treaty of Accession to the Customs
(Eurasian) Union. This will mean that the Armenian-Georgian border will
become the customs border between the EU and Russia. This circumstance
may affect both the price of Russian natural gas delivered to Armenia
and the customs duties on other goods.

Apparently, customs duties were the main topic of discussions during
Sargsyan’s meetings with Georgia’s top leadership. Armenia’s gateway
to the Customs Union and Russia lies only through Georgia, and if
Tbilisi does not agree to duty-free or other regimes, the meaning of
Armenia’s accession to the Customs Union is lost.

In the official reports on the meetings of the Armenian president
in Georgia there is no word on the likely arrangements regarding the
railway or duty-free trade. Georgia has no motive to agree, moreover,
becoming part of the European Economic Area, Georgia will be carrying
out European policies. And now these policies are aimed at isolating
Russia and blocking its communications.

The issue of the opening of the railway through Abkhazia became topical
after an unexpected change of power in this breakaway republic earlier
this month. The new government in Sukhumi officially declared its
intention to become associated with the emerging Eurasian Economic
Union. However, Georgia has not shown any ‘enthusiasm’ over this
matter, and the Abkhazian railroad section continues to remain closed
in a region that has already been divided into “Russian and European”
parts. And Armenia remains in a state of an increasingly deepening
isolation.

WWF ARMENIA AND BOTANICS INSTITUTE LAUNCH NURSERY WORTH 20,000 EUROS

YEREVAN, June 20. /ARKA/. Under a WWF Switzerland program, WWF Armenia
and the Institute of Botanics of Armenia’s academy of sciences opened
a nursery worth approximately 20,000 euros, coordinator of WWF Armenia
forest programs Artur Alaverdyan said.

Twenty-two tree species will be presented in the new nursery, eight
of them valuable and extinct. Later on they will be replanted in
various regions across Armenia, Alaverdyan said at the official
opening ceremony.

The nursery with about 200,000 trees is a part of the program of
forestation in northern regions of Armenia aimed at restoring 70
hectares of forests and creating an extra earning for local population.

Director of the World Wildlife Fund Armenia Karen Manvelyan said one of
the main achievements in the last 12 years is that 35,500 hectares of
preserves in Armenia (Khosrov Forest and Shikahogh) are now technically
equipped and new preserves (Zangezur and Khustup) and national parks
(Arevik, Arpi Lake) are created on a total of 91,700 hectares.

The most important achievement is that preserve and national park
area is now 13.1% of Armenia’s territory, Manvelyan said.

The program is implemented supported by Armenia’s ministry of
environment, international organizations and NGOs

Another successful project is forestation of 850 hectares in Lori and
Tavush regions. Programs to develop local communities, protect and
use resources in a correct way, were carried out in 25 communities
in Siunik, Vayots Dzor, Lori, Tavush and Shirak, Manvelyan said.

WWF-Armenia opened in 2006. Its main activities include preserving
biodiversity, ensuring sustainable use of natural resources and
increasing public awareness. -0–

– See more at:

THE HILL BLOGGER REACTS NEGATIVELY TO CA ASSEMBLY DECISION ON NAGORNO-KARABAKH

Trend Daily News (Azerbaijan)
June 17, 2014 Tuesday 6:46 PM GMT +4

Baku, Azerbaijan, June 17
By Elmira Tariverdiyeva – Trend:

The California Assembly recently voted to recognize Nagorno-Karabakh
(a region that is internationally recognized as part and parcel of
Azerbaijan) as an independent nation, Mallory Moss blogged on The
Hill website.

“I can explain this in only one of two ways: the Assembly members
were swayed to vote for this by the Armenian community, or they simply
didn’t know any better,” she wrote.

“Wake up, ladies and gentlemen. Would you vote to create a Boko Haram
[a terrorist group] independent nation ensconced within Nigeria? I
think not,” Moss stressed.

“I have also seen the passion in which the Azerbaijani citizens
continue to fight the international community for not only remembrance
but recognition that the genocidal acts in Khojaly during the
Nagorno-Karabakh war even happened,” she added.

On February 25-26, 1992 Armenian occupation forces together with
the 366th infantry regiment of Soviet troops stationed in Khankendi
committed an act of genocide against the population of the Azerbaijani
town of Khojaly.

Some 613 people were killed, including 63 children, 106 women and 70
old people. Some 487 civilians were disabled during the genocide.

Eight families were totally exterminated, 130 children lost one parent
and 25 children lost both.

Some 1,275 innocent residents were taken hostages, while the fate of
150 people remains unknown.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in
1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a
result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied
20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and
seven surrounding districts.

The two countries signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs
of the OSCE Minsk Group, Russia, France and the U.S. are currently
holding peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council’s four
resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the
surrounding regions.

UNIVERSAL PERIORDIC REVIEW: HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH SUBMISSION ON ARMENIA

Human Rights Watch
June 18 2014

June 17, 2014

Summary

Armenia’s human rights record has remained problematic since its UPR
in 2010, leaving many of the accepted recommendations unfulfilled,
casting some doubts on the government’s willingness to abide
by its commitments. Although the 2012 and 2013 parliamentary and
presidential elections were generally better administered than past
votes, they were marred by reports of voter harassment, vote-buying,
misuse of administrative resources to favor incumbents, and police
unresponsiveness to citizens’ complaints. Ill-treatment in police
custody persists. The authorities do not adequately investigate a
troubling number of noncombat deaths in the military. There have been
no effective investigations into violent attacks against peaceful
protesters by unidentified assailants. Broadcast media continues
to lack pluralism, and instances of violence and harassment against
journalists and media workers continue to occur with impunity.

Violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender
identity by both state and non-state actors are serious problems.

Bureaucratic restrictions prevent people with terminal illnesses from
accessing adequate pain medications in violation of their human rights.

Elections

During the previous UPR in 2010, Armenia accepted to “implement
recommendations issued by the Office for Democratic Institutions and
Human Rights of OSCE” to improve the conduct of future elections.

Despite some reforms to the electoral code, 2012 parliamentary and
2013 presidential elections fell short of OSCE standards.

According to the OSCE’s election monitoring report, the May 6, 2012
parliamentary election, although competitive and largely peaceful, was
marred by “an unequal playing field” due to misuse of administrative
resources, and party representatives and local authorities pressuring
voters, interfering in voting, and hindering the work of journalists.

Several violent incidents occurred during the campaign period in
the capital Yerevan, including assaults on opposition party Armenian
National Congress (ANC) candidates and members. The ANC members were
distributing campaign information at the time of the attack. Police
failed to effectively investigate.

The OSCE also concluded that the February 2013 presidential election
“was generally well-administered” but noted “some serious violations”
of OSCE and Council of Europe standards. The observers also noted
other breaches, including public administration bias in favor of
incumbents, misuse of administrative resources, and undue interference
by the incumbent’s proxies. Local observers reported the presence of
unauthorized persons at polling stations, numerous attempts to pressure
observers and journalists by political parties and election commission
members, and widespread ballot stuffing for the incumbent candidate.

Freedom of Assembly and Association

Armenia accepted several recommendations related to freedom of assembly
and association, and in a positive move the government lifted the
blanket ban on public rallies at Yerevan’s Freedom Square.

However, in several instances police used violence against people
who had participated in peaceful protests. Authorities also failed to
effectively investigate a spate of attacks against peaceful protesters
by unidentified assailants.

For example, in August 2013, police used force to disperse a crowd
of local residents and civic activists in central Yerevan, who were
protesting against the construction of a high-rise apartment building
in the city center. Police briefly detained some 26 protesters and beat
at least one as he was transported to a police station; he required
brief hospitalization. In October 2013, the Armenian ombudsman’s
office also found that the police had used disproportionate force
but the authorities failed to take effective measures to investigate.

September 2013 saw a spate of attacks against peaceful protesters
in Yerevan, apparently intended to discourage participation in two
peaceful protests. On September 5, about six unidentified assailants
attacked Haykak Arshamyan and Suren Saghatelyan, well-known civil
society activists, as they returned from a peaceful demonstration
in front of the Republican Party headquarters where they were
protesting President Sargsyan’s announcement that Armenia would
join the Russia-led Eurasian Customs Union. Saghatelyan suffered a
broken nose, requiring surgery and hospitalization, and Arshamyan was
treated for multiple bruises. On September 4, about 10 unidentified
assailants attacked activist Arman Alexanyan after he left a sit-in
at the municipal building to protest a temporary price increase in
municipal transport fares. He was hospitalized briefly for bruises
and head trauma. On August 25, about six unidentified assailants
attacked two activists, Babken Der Grigoryan and Mihran Margaryan,
shortly after they left the municipal building protest. Police failed
to conduct effective investigations.

In 2012 and 2013, the Women’s Resource Center, a nongovernmental
women’s rights organization working in the areas of reproductive
health and rights of victims of sexual violence, has faced an
increasing number of threats by nationalist groups, including Facebook
comments by users who threatened to blow it up and slit the throats
of its activists. While these threats have been reported to the
police,authorities had yet to investigate at time of writing.

Freedom of Expression

Armenia accepted a number of recommendations to ensure full respect
for the right to freedom of opinion and expression, including by
“ensuring that no persons are deprived of their liberty solely
for having exercised their freedom of expression, their right to
peaceful assembly or their right to take part in the Government of
their country” and “issuing broadcasting licences and guaranteeing

the independence of broadcasting regulatory bodies.” However
problems remain. Armenia has diverse print and online media, but
broadcast media lacks pluralism; for example, only 1 of Armenia’s
13 television stations carries live political talk shows. Despite a
2008 European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) judgment that Armenia had
violated freedom of expression by repeatedly and arbitrarily denying
the station a license to the independent television station A1+,
it still remains off air.

On May 22, 2014 Armenia’s prosecutor’s office made a broad statement
threatening to prosecute media outlets and journalists that report
details of ongoing criminal investigations, citing a criminal code
article, which makes publication of such information a crime punishable
by heavy fines or a one-month arrest. The statement raised concern
among many media outlets, which feared the authorities would use
the criminal code arbitrarily to silence journalists exposing their
failures and corruption in the system.

Following the 2013 presidential elections, OSCE observers noted the
media’s “selective approach” to covering post-presidential election
developments, notably limiting views critical of the conduct of the
election. Also, a June 2012 Parliamentary Assembly of the Council
of Europe (PACE) report on media freedom in Europe found Armenian
journalists’ capacity to report was “hampered by pressures of
self-censorship” and expressed concern about television stations’
use of material from political advertisements in news coverage.

The Committee to Protect Freedom of Expression, a local media
monitoring group, reported six instances of physical violence against
journalists during the first half of 2013. In one case, several young
men forcibly prevented Artak Hambardzumyan, of the group Journalists
for Human Rights, from documenting alleged ballot box stuffing
in Artashat during the presidential election. The committee had
documented 34 instances of pressure on media outlets and journalists
in the first half of 2013.

At least two journalists suffered attacks while covering the May
2012 parliamentary elections. In Yerevan, a man punched Elina
Chilingaryan as she filmed a bus arriving at a polling station,
knocking her camera to the ground. Police brought charges against the
assailant for interfering with the professional duties of a journalist,
but later dropped the charges, claiming that Chilingaryan was not
performing her professional duties at the time of the attack since
she was not wearing her press badge. The authorities did not bring
separate assault charges.

Torture and Ill-treatment in Custody

Armenia accepted a number of recommendations related to the fight
against torture and ill-treatment, including to “ensure that all
allegations of torture and inhuman or degrading treatment are
investigated promptly and that perpetrators are brought to justice.”

However, according to local human rights defenders, torture and
ill-treatment in police custody persist, and the definition of torture
in Armenian law does not meet international standards, as it does
not include crimes committed by public officials. Authorities often
refuse to investigate allegations of ill-treatment or pressure victims
to retract complaints. Police use torture to coerce confessions and
incriminating statements from suspects and witnesses.

For example, Artur Karapetyan, detained in October 2012 on charges
of illegal drug distribution, complained of police abuse in custody.

According to his lawyer, Karapetyan showed him wounds on his feet that
he said were from a beating. Karapetyan was subsequently released,
in December 2012, and the charges against him were dropped in April
2013, but police failed to conduct an effective investigation into
his ill-treatment allegations.

In November 2012, Mger Andreasyan testified in a local court that
Yerevan police officers severely beat him after his arrest on robbery
charges. Andreasyan stated that, unable to bear sustained beatings,
he attempted suicide by using his head to break a window in the
investigator’s office and trying to jump out, but police prevented
him. Although a Yerevan court dropped escape charges against Andreasyan
in March 2013, there was no investigation into his ill-treatment
allegations.

An October 2012 report of the European Committee for the Prevention
of Torture (CPT) on its follow-up visit in December 2011 noted
overcrowding, unhygienic conditions, and inadequate medical care in
two prison facilities. CPT also noted that it received no new cases
of ill-treatment from these facilities in 2012.

Army Abuses

Violence, noncombat deaths, and ineffective investigations into these
issues remain persistent problems in Armenia. In 2013, the Helsinki
Citizens’ Assembly Vanadzor office had reported 29 noncombat army
deaths, including 7 suicides. The authorities fail to investigate
adequately and expose the circumstances of noncombat deaths and to
account for evidence of violence in cases where the death is ruled
a suicide.

In June 2013, in a positive move, parliament amended the law on
alternative military service to remove military supervision from
alternative labor service and reduce it from 42 to 36 months. However,
local activists voiced concerns about the amendments, including the
Defense Ministry’s continued decisive role in application decisions,
vague eligibility requirements, and length of service, which would
still be longer than regular military service. By the end of 2013,
33 Jehovah’s Witnesses who had been convicted and held for refusing
to perform alternative service were released but were still required
to perform alternative service.

Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) rights activists in
Armenia have expressed concern for the alarming level of homophobia
in the country. According to PINK Armenia, a local rights group,
transgender women who engage in sex work are frequently assaulted and
receive no police protection when they report abuse. PINK Armenia
also reported that the LGBT population continues to experience
discrimination in employment, obstacles to accessing health care,
and physical and psychological abuse in the army, in public, and from
their families.

According to an August 2013 Amnesty International report, government
officials frequently condone violent attacks against LGBT people,
characterizing the violence as an expression of “traditional values.”

In July 2013, the Armenian police proposed to amend the code of
administrative offenses to establish a fine of up to US$4,000 for
promoting “nontraditional sexual relationships.” The proposal was
subsequently withdrawn.

Also in July 2013, a Yerevan court convicted two people for damage to
property stemming from a bomb attack in May 2012 against DIY, a bar
frequented by LGBT and women’s rights activists. The two perpetrators
wrote graffiti ???where???, which indicated that GBT people were
the intended targets of the attack. One attacker was sentenced to 19
months in prison and the other received a two-year suspended sentence.

They were both amnestied in October. Local human rights groups
expressed frustration that the sentence was too lenient.

Palliative Care

In 2010 Armenia also accepted several recommendations on enhancing
and expanding access to and the affordability of health-care services.

Human Rights Watch research documented Armenia’s complicated and
time-consuming prescription and procurement procedures for opioid
medications obstructing the delivery of adequate palliative care,
condemning most terminally ill patients to unnecessary suffering.

Although morphine is a safe, effective, and inexpensive way to improve
the lives of terminally ill people, Armenia’s current consumption
levels of morphine and alternative strong opioid medicines are
insufficient to provide care to all terminally ill cancer patients,
leaving many without adequate pain relief during the last stages of
their illness.

Recommendations

Ensure full implementation of all OSCE/ODIHR election monitoring
report recommendations:

Implement effective measures to eradicate any improper use of
administrative resources in future elections; Ensure an equal playing
field for all contestants, the free expression of the will of the
voters, and the integrity of electoral process.

Ensure that there are no impediments to freedom of assembly and
association:

Promptly, thoroughly and effectively investigate all incidents of use
of force by law enforcement officers, and attacks against peaceful
protesters by unidentified assailants.

Promptly and effectively investigate the threats against the Women’s
Resource Center and ensure the safety of its staff.

Ensure freedom of expression and media pluralism:

Review the licensing process to allow greater media diversity; Fully
implement the European Court decision on A1+ television station and
allow it back on air; Ensure thorough and effective investigations
into attacks and threats against journalists; such investigations
should be capable of identifying and prosecuting the perpetrators.

Thoroughly investigate all allegations of torture and ill-treatment
of detainees and hold perpetrators accountable:

Make a statement at the highest level condemning torture and
ill-treatment; Ensure that the definition of torture in domestic
legislation is fully in line with international standards.

Promptly, thoroughly, effectively, and transparently investigate all
cases of noncombat deaths and ill-treatment in the army, and hold
perpetrators accountable:

Ensure that conscientious objectors are provided with a genuine
alternative to military service, which is not discriminatory.

Uphold the government’s international obligations on non-discrimination
on grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity, whether in a
public or private sectors:

Thoroughly and effectively investigate all attacks and threats against
individuals on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity.

Take immediate steps to ensure an effective supply and distribution
system of strong pain medications:

Reform excessively onerous drug control regulations that interfere
with opioids availability.