Author: Kanayan Tamar

TWO ARMENIAN SERVICEMEN PASS PART OF CONTACT LINE CONTROLLED BY AZERBAIJANI ARMY

APA, Azerbaijan
Aug 8 2013

[ 08 August 2013 12:23 ]

One of them has been detained, another hit mine while trying to
run away

Aghdam. Teymur Zahidoglu – APA. On the night of August 7-8, two
servicemen of Armenian armed units passed the part of the contact
line controlled by the Azerbaijani Army in the direction of Aghdam
frontline.

APA’s Karabakh bureau reports that Azerbaijani servicemen have
detained one of them, another hit mine in the neutral zone while
trying to run away.

There is no information about whether he is alive or dead.

The reason why Armenian servicemen passed the contact line is under
question, too. The fact is being specified.

The comments of official bodies on the incident are unavailable.

AZERI MINISTER, US COUNTERPART DISCUSS DEFENCE TIES

APA, Azerbaijan
Aug 6 2013

Baku, 6 August: Azerbaijani Defence Minister Col-Gen Safar Abiyev is
visiting Washington at the invitation of US Defense Secretary Chuck
Hagel. He first visited the Arlington national cemetery and laid wreath
at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier; then he went to the Pentagon.

The Defence Ministry’s press service told APA that at the entrance
to the Pentagon, Abiyev was met solemnly by the guard of honour at
the entrance of the Pentagon and Chuck Hagel.

Abiyev touched on various aspects of strategic partnership between
Azerbaijan and the USA and said that practical steps by Azerbaijan
played an especial role in building and developing these ties. The
minister said that positive results have been obtained as the USA
and Azerbaijan carry on with a number of programmes for cooperation
in the defence area. He said that Azerbaijan will continue to make a
contribution to operations in Afghanistan after 2014 and that NATO
has already supported this initiative. Abiyev said that combining
efforts to fight international terrorism and joint participation
in the international coalition’s operations provided a solid and
important impetus to strengthening cooperation.

Abiyev pointed out Azerbaijan’s efforts in the context of contributing
to the Euro-Atlantic security and said that in this area energy,
transport, communications and other regional projects too turned into
a crucial factor for developing strategic cooperation.

The defence minister talked about the military and political situation
in the South Caucasus region and said that the Azerbaijani territories
have been under occupation for 20 years: “The USA and international
organizations are not making distinctions between the aggressor and the
victim of aggression in the Armenian-Azerbaijani, Nagornyy Karabakh
conflict on the basis of international legal norms. As a result of
Armenia’s policy of aggression, more than 1m people in Azerbaijan
became refugees and displaced persons. It is very regrettable that
to date the international organizations and major powers have not
declared Armenia the aggressor state.”

Abiyev emphasized that Section 907 still remains in force and creates
problems in this regard, and that this is incongruent with the US
foreign policy. The minister told his American counterpart that if
the Nagornyy Karabakh is not resolved and Azerbaijani territories
are not liberated, then the generally tense military and political
situation in the region will persist.

US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said he agreed with Abiyev and that
as a friend of Azerbaijan he will continue to make efforts to develop
and strengthen strategic cooperation.

Later the two men had a wide-ranging discussion of directions for
military and technical cooperation.

Chuck Hagel asked Abiyev to pass his greetings to the Azerbaijani
president.

At the end of the meeting, Abiyev gave to Chuck Hagel an invitation
letter for an official visit to Azerbaijan. Chuck Hagel said he gladly
accepted the offer.

On the same day, Abiyev met US Navy Secretary Ray Mabus. The two
men discussed security on the Caspian Sea, the current situation and
prospects for developing cooperation between the two countries’ navies.

Elin Suleymanov, Azerbaijan’s ambassador to the USA, took part in
both meetings.

[Translated from Azeri]

SILENCING A SECULARIST IN TURKEY: ERDOGAN HAS ABANDONED HIS MODERATE FACADE

The Washington Times
August 8, 2013 Thursday

By Sam Nunberg SPECIAL TO THE WASHINGTON TIMES

The Turkish criminal courts have increasingly been used to further
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s Islamist agenda through
hate-speech prosecutions. The May 22 sentencing of Turkish-Armenian
Sevan Nisanyan continues this disturbing trend of strangling political
and social discourse.

Mr. Nisanyan is a man of many interests and talents. Linguist,
journalist and hotel entrepreneur, Mr. Nisanyan is not only
known for his guidebook to small, affordable hotels in Turkey,
but also was awarded the 2004 Freedom of Thought Award by Turkey’s
Human Rights Association for advocating the open discussion on the
Armenian genocide. In 2008, he authored “The Mistaken Republic: 51
Questions about Ataturk and Kemalism,” arguing that Turkey’s founder,
Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, established a fascist dictatorship under the
guise of nationalism. Mr. Nisanyan continues to frequently publish
witty critical posts against the authoritarian bodies of the Turkish
government on his blog, often with direct critiques on the Erdogan
regime.

Following the worldwide protests last September by Muslims enraged by
the release of the satirical YouTube film “The Innocence of Muslims,”
Mr. Nisanyan argued in a Sept. 29 post that such discourse should
not be criminalized. While mocking Muhammad is “ugly,” it does not
constitute a “hate crime.” Putting emphasis on the distinction, Mr.

Nisanyan wrote:

“Mocking an Arab leader – who claimed that he contacted God hundreds
of years ago and who gained political, financial and sexual profit
from this – is not a hate crime. Almost at the level of kindergarten,
it is a test case of the thing called ‘freedom of expression.'”

Mr. Nisanyan subsequently explained that his 377-word posting was
spawned by Mr. Erdogan’s uproar over “that cheapo Muhammad film”
and his demand that the West recognize “Islamophobia as a crime
against humanity.”

The post not only prompted 15 separate criminal complaints, but
Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag, an Erdogan confidant, called on
prosecutors to launch an investigation. Breeching the sovereignty of
the Turkish judiciary, he declared, “I’m announcing a crime. This is
a typical hate crime. It is a hate crime, and it is a crime that is
defined in our penal code.”

On Oct. 15, Mr. Nisanyan appeared on CNN Turk’s “Contrary to the
Questions” to discuss the “The Innocence of Muslims” riots and the
Turkish government’s denouncements of the film. The Supreme Board of
Radio and Television fined the private broadcast on the grounds that
Mr. Nisanyan’s comments “insulted the Prophet Muhammad,” “exceeded the
boundaries of freedom of expression” and were “insulting and injurious”
to society.

In April, a month before Mr. Nisanyan’s trial, world-renowned pianist
Fazil Say was handed a 10-month suspended jail sentence under Article
216(3) for tweets made in jest about a call to prayer and heaven. On
April 15, European Union foreign-policy chief Catherine Ashton’s
office criticized Mr. Say’s sentence, calling for Turkey “to fully
respect freedom of expression.” Three days later, Mr. Bozdag defended
the conviction because Mr. Say “was swearing at someone’s values,” and
“[n]obody should confuse freedom of thought with freedom of swearing.”

With both Mr. Bozdag’s public declaration of Mr. Nisanyan’s guilt and
endorsement of the Say verdict, combined with the radio-TV board’s
ruling, Mr. Nisanyan could not expect an impartial trial. Prosecuted
under Turkish Criminal Code Article 216(3), which declares, “Any person
who openly disrespects the religious belief of a group is punished
with imprisonment from six months to one year if such act causes
potential risk for public peace,” the magistrate judge of course found
Mr. Nisanyan guilty, sentencing him to a 13½-month prison sentence,
six weeks beyond the statutorily permissible punishment.

Currently appealing his conviction in the Court of Cessation, Mr.

Nisanyan will have to serve the entire jail sentence should the
magistrate’s sentence be upheld. The sentence violates the European
Convention on Human Rights’ Article 6 (right to a fair trial) and
Article 10 (freedom of expression). Mr. Nisanyan’s next best course
is an appeal with the European Court of Human Rights.

Reporters Without Borders immediately condemned the sentence as a
“grave violation of freedom of information” and called for the
immediate repeal of the “draconian” Article 216(3), which “has no
place in a secular country such as Turkey.”

While the Turkish government is secular, the Erdogan regime is not.

Following his narrow 2002 victory, Mr. Erdogan declared, “Secularism
is the protector of all beliefs and religions. We are the guarantors
of this secularism, and our management will clearly prove that.” Now
in the 11th year of his rule, Mr. Erdogan has abandoned any moderate
facade.

Neither the State Department nor any EU agency has issued a statement
about Mr. Nisanyan’s plight. At this critical juncture, human rights
organizations should file appeals on his behalf in the European Court
of Human Rights. It is imperative that the international community
become engaged; otherwise, opinions will continue to be criminalized
by the Erdogan regime.

Sam Nunberg serves as director of the Legal Project, an activity of
the Middle East Forum.

CHRISTIAN CEMETERY UNDER THREAT IN IRAN

Deutsche Welle , Germany
Aug 8 2013

DW.DE

Mr Ahmadi* stands in front of one of the graves on a Christian
cemetery in Teheran and can’t believe his eyes. There’s yet another
broken tombstone. Last fall, there hadn’t been a single sign of a
crack. “Bloody cold,” he mumbles to himself and continues his morning
round at the graveyard.

Ahmadi has been guarding this Christian cemetery in Teheran’s Darvazeh
Doulab neighborhood for the past 15 years. He watches over the huge
iron gate at the entrance and takes care of duties like cutting grass.

No one knows more about the tombstones here than he does. “Not even
the president has as many graves as I do,” he says.

It’s spring in the city. People hustle and bustle in the streets,
while diplomats from seven European countries have gathered at the
Austrian embassy in Teheran’s wealthy north to discuss the future
of Ahmadi’s cemetery, which has come under threat from the city’s
construction boom.

Saving the cemetery

Doulab cemetery (photo: David Eickhoff)

Some tombstones have been severely damaged over the years The Europeans
have decided to save the graveyard. “Something needs to be done”,
says Miklos Karpati, a Catholic priest in Teheran. According to
reports by the Christian Iranian news agency Mohabat there have been
numerous cases of vandalism targeting Christian monuments and places
of worship in Iran.

“This kind of destruction is not exceptional. But complaints about it
just falls on deaf ears with authorities,” Karpati says. That’s why
they have decided to set up an internet website to inform the public.

Narrow streets with two-story buildings covered in sandy bricks lead
up to the Doulab cemetery. The roadside ditch carries a dirty stream
full of trash from the city. Men sit in parks, stretch their legs
and spit out sunflower seed husks. Every now and then dice roll over
their backgammon board. They then move their checkers – the air is
dry and smells like exhaust fumes.

The iron gate at the cemetery squeaks loudly as Ahmadi opens it. He
sticks out his head, his smile reveals black teeth. Siavesh Rastegar
came here to visit the grave of his grandmother. He enters the cemetery
and Ahmadi shuts the door behind him.

Rastegar works as an architect; he studied at the renowned
Architectural Association School of Architecture in London and has
done research on the cemetery’s history.

“The first burial was in 1855,” he says. “Dr Louis Cloquet, a
Frenchman, he was the personal physician for [Iranian King] Nasereddin
Shah. And since there was no cemetery for Catholics at the time,
the shah built him a mausoleum.” Europeans were highly regarded in
Iran at the time. The royal court wanted to profit from technical
advances and the sciences. Differences in terms of religion were not
a problem at all.

Doulab cemetery (photo: David Eickhoff)Investors’ plans want to
convert the graveyard into a park instead

Investors’ plans want to convert the graveyard into a park instead
Until 1996, the cemetery was used by Christian parishes and
eventually covered an area the size of seven soccer pitches. The
city’s authorities then pulled the cemetery’s license – now, it runs
the risk of slowly rotting away.

Part of Iran’s national heritage

Ahmadi takes Rastegar to the newly discovered broken tombstone.

“Constructors and investors have cast an eye on this piece of land.

There are plans to convert this area into a park. But this cemetery
is part of [Iran’s] national cultural heritage and is protected. But
we are in Iran,” Rastegar says, suggesting that anything could happen.

The cemetery’s five sections host deceased from different Christian
confessions: Armenian-Catholic, Armenian-Gregorian, Assyrian-Chaldean,
Orthodox and Roman Catholic. They all used to be part of a religious
minority when they were still alive. But most of the Iranians don’t
distinguish between the groups – they call the Doulab cemetery “the
Armenian cemetery,” even though numerous Europeans, Russians and
Georgians have been buried there as well.

Doulab cemetery (photo: David Eickhoff)

Since the autorities revoked the permit, the Doulab cemetery is
slowly rotting away Ahmadi sits in front of his small hut. He boiled
rice and now eats his dish with a piece of bread – despite the fact
that it’s the fasting month of Ramadan. Outside, on the streets,
the loudspeaker cracks as the muezzin calls Muslims to prayer.

Ahmadi ignores the call and continues to watch his dogs while they play
around. He is of Muslim belief, but it’s been a while since he paid a
visit to one of the mosques. Dealing with Christians and foreigners,
maybe his exceptional profession as well, have turned him into a quirky
outsider. Whenever someone comes to visit him at work, it’s usually
guards from the other cemetery districts or a couple of conscripts
from the nearby barracks who come here to repair their motorcycles.

Behind closed doors

Recognized religious minorities in Iran are not allowed to evangelize.

They usually hold their rituals behind closed doors. This discretion
comes with privileges that the Muslim majority doesn’t have. The
Armenian clubs in Teheran for instance are popular meeting points
for Armenians and foreigners, because alcohol can be served here and
people are allowed to dance. Muslims are not allowed to enter though.

Ahmadi says he has heard from such places in Teheran where women
without headscarves are sunbathing on deckchairs. This sounds promising
to him, but he has never dared to ask visitors if it’s actually true.

There are about 2,500 Iranian and European Catholics buried here
Reality in an Armenian club is much more modest than Ahmadi imagined:
Tables and chairs are placed on red concrete; visitors sit right
under grape-vines. There’s a sun-tanned piano man in a white suit and
a pink tie; some guest are dressed in evening attire, some have put
sweaters around their shoulders. They chat and joke over veal tongue
and red wine. People coming here certainly want to indulge in food
and the atmosphere.

One of these people might be buried in Ahmadi’s cemetery some day. But
for that to happen, the city authority would have to renew the permit.

There would be enough space – Karpati, the Christian priest, has
been working towards obtaining the permit for a long time. With the
embassies on board, chances might have increased. But mills grind
slowly, even in Iran.

In the meantime, yet another tombstone has fallen over in the
graveyard. Ahmadi just noticed it this morning. “Another one that’s
gone,” he mumbles as he continues his path.

* all names have been changed except names of public persons

Also appears in

POLICE REPORTEDLY ‘KIDNAP’ ACTIVISTS IN YEREVAN

16:08 08.08.13

The Armenian activists and journalist Tehmina Yenokyan has voiced
alarm over what she claims to be an unjustified police measure to hold
four civic activists over plan to protest the Yerevan municipality’s
decision to impose fees on automobile parking.

Yenokyan claims that the activists – Vahe Gevorgyan, Vahagn Minasyan,
Gor Arakelyan and Sevak Mamya – have been taken to a police station
without any legal justification.

“A protest against paid parking stations was to have taken place at
13:00 to show that citizens too, can treat streets as their property
if a private company does so. The police reacted to the participants
of the protest 15 minutes after the stops were closed,” Sevak Mamyan,
one of the activists, had said in a phone conversation with Yenokyan.

He was also later reported to have been taken to the police.

A source at the Police public information department told Tert.am
that the four citizens are now facing administrative liabilities.

JANUARY-JUNE DATA ON ARMENIAN CITIZENS TRAVELING TO TURKEY

August 08, 2013 | 00:04

ANKARA. – A total of 26,569 citizens of Armenia headed to Turkey from
January to June 2013.

The number of Armenian citizens that visited Turkey between these
months grew by 3.6 percent-or by 921 people-as compared to the same
time period in the year past, Armenian News-NEWS.am ascertained from
Turkey’s Culture and Tourism Ministry.

A total of 6,068 citizens of Armenia visited Turkey in June alone,
which is 2.64-percent more than the same time period last year. A
total of 5,912 citizens of Armenia had visited Turkey in June 2012.

To note, a total of 70,956 Armenian citizens had traveled to Turkey
in 2012.

“TONATSUYTS” FOLK THEATER TO PARTICIPATE IN ITALIAN FESTIVAL

17:33, 8 August, 2013

YEREVAN, AUGUST 8, ARMENPRESS: “Tonatsuyts” Folk Music Theater will
participate in the international festival “Folklore for peace” to
be held in the cities of Alatri and Norma, Italy. As reported by
Armenpress, the Head of the theater Hasmik Baghramyan noted that in
Italy the theater will present Armenian songs and dances.

“Tonatsuyts” Folk Music Theatre was founded in 2007 with a goal of
revival and dignified presentation of the Armenian early music and
traditional festivals to the world. The concerts are provided on
weekly bases and are opened to everyone, who is ready to not only
enjoy the music, but also actively participate in it.

“Tonatsuyts” Folk Music Theatre participated in numerous festivals
and concerts. During one of them, the Italian tourney, they presented
“Armenia on the crossroads of peace” project, which was successfully
adopted by the annual conference in Atina, on August 7, 2011 and was
included into “Folklore per la pace” program.

In 2010, During “Natale in sieme” international folk festival the
group successfully presented its “Avetis” program, devoted to the
celebration of the revived Armenian Christmas songs and rituals
to the Italian society, thus contributing to the promotion of the
Italian-Armenian cultural exchange projects.

In 2009, together with IFAM Studio, the theater produced the “Avetis”
documentary film. In 2008 being recognized and sponsored by the
Ministry of Culture, “Tonatsuyts” performed the recreated festivals
of the Armenian New Year. Since 2007, the theatre has created numerous
concert program, upgraded its costumes and decorations.

ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT PLANS TO FACILITATE IRAQI CITIZENS’ ENTRY TO ARMENIA

16:10 08/08/2013 ” SOCIETY

The Armenian government extended by one year the validity of the
decision on granting RA passports to citizens of Lebanon and Syria
at RA diplomatic missions and consulates.

Also, in his remarks at the cabinet meeting, Armenian Prime Minister
Tigran Sargsyan said that it is necessary that the Armenian Foreign
Ministry discuss the issue of granting visas to Iraqi citizens and
present the respective proposal.

“There is a huge tourism potential in Iraq and therefore we need to
facilitate Iraqi citizens’ entry to Armenia. We should discuss with
the Civil Aviation Department the operation of direct flights. We will
discuss this issue with the ministers in one week,” Mr Sargsyan said.

Source: Panorama.am

LIDUSHIK TO SING WITH TAMARA GVERDTSITELI IN CRIMEA

14:48, 8 August, 2013

YEREVAN, AUGUST 8, ARMENPRESS. Popular young singer Lidushik (Lida
Arakelyan), who introduced Armenia in “Junior New Wave” contest in
2011, will perform a duet with prominent singer Tamara Gverdtsiteli
at Crimea’s “Artek” Concert Hall within the framework of “Junior New
Wave 2013” song contest. In a conversation with “Armenpress” Lidushik
stated that she and Tamara Gverdtsiteli will perform “Mom’s Eyes”
song. The song received confirmation on August 8.

The nine-year-old Elina Cholakhyan, representing the Republic of
Armenia at the international contest of young singers of popular music
New Wave Junior 2013, left for Simferopol on August 7 at night with
her mother. From there the Armenian delegate will leave for the Crimea,
where the final selection of the songs will be held on August 18-20.

“Notwithstanding the fact that Elina is very excited, she is ready
to represent Armenia at the contest and is leaving in a good mood”,
– said Marina, Elina’s mother, to the Armenpress correspondent.

Aguilera’s song “Hurt” and Niloo’s “Ola-Ola” were selected as an
international hit, but Elina prefers the Aguilera’s song.

On the second day of the contest the delegate of our country will
perform the song “Return” from the repertoire of Varduhi Vardanyan.

In the New Wave Junior 2012 the Armenian representative Sona
Gyulkhasyan took the second prize.

The Armenian delegation will visit the Crimea on August 11. The
broadcast right in Armenia belongs to the Armenia TV Company.

In 2008-2009 New Wave Junior was carried in Moscow “Cosmos”. In
April 2010 a Memorandum of holding the contest under the patronage
of the President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovich at the International
Children’s Center “Artek” was signed. In 2011 the Organizing Committee
of the contest decided to change age category of the participants,
that is, from 8 to 13 years. In 2012 New Wave Junior celebrated its
fifth birthday.

Every year, more than 7,000 children and adults from around the world
come to the International Children’s Center “Artek” to the contest
New Wave Junior. The International contest of young singers of popular
music New Wave Junior has an extensive regional program.

Selection rounds are held in all the federal districts of Russia,
Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Ukraine,
Estonia, Finland, China and many other regions.

CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE AGAINST PAID PARKING INEVITABLE IN ARMENIA – OPINIONS (VIDEO)

13:38 08.08.13

The Yerevan City Hall’s decision to introduce fees for car parking
has raised a wave of protest among both drivers and civic activist,
as well as political figures.

Activists are preparing for a civil disobedience campaign to which
the drivers express support.

It is now several days the plan is being actively discussed in
Yerevan’s Mashtots Park. Ani Kaghinyan, an activist speaking to our
correspondent, said their efforts will succeed in case drivers are
willing to join the campaign. “It is our sidewalk, and belongs to the
Yerevan residents. So no company has a right to earn money on that,”
she said, considering a public revolt inevitable.

The new procedure will be effective beginning September. No fees will
be charged from drivers who park cars for less than five minutes.

Under the new rules, the payment will be made without cash. Drivers
can also opt for short message texting services.

Addressing the problem, the former presidential candidate Andrias
Ghukasyan said he considers civil disobedience absolutely possible.

“We see the society does not find the decision legitimate; people
have no idea of what service they get in return,” he said.

Styopa Safaryan, a member of the opposition Barev Yerevan (Hello
Yerevan) bloc, said those disputing the measure have to do everything
within their power to prove their standpoint. “I cannot express
disobedience; if there are people who do, it is their right,” he said.

Safaryan, who is a secretary of the opposition Heritage party,
didn’t rule out the possibility of a civic campaign either. “We have
received several acts for fines. If they announce now that they will
be effective beginning September, for example, that won’t leave the
citizens satisfied either,” he added.

The politician noted that an earlier protest in front of the
municipality saw each driver holding over 40 acts. “If we see people
complaining every day, then it is time to make calls for refusing to
pay,” he said, promising support to the people.

All the drivers speaking to Tert.am expressed willingness to protest
the new measure. Some were concerned, however, that they will be fined
and face tough sanctions, but they too promised to join the campaign
in case there is a unanimous decision.

“I never park my car at those stations; this is how I express my
protest,” an elderly driver told our correspondent.