Author: Kanayan Tamar

HRACHYA HARUTYUNYAN’S LAWYER APPEALED AGAINST TAKING HIS CLIENT TO COURT IN BATHROBE

19:26, 17 July, 2013

YEREVAN, JULY 17, ARMENPRESS: The lawyer of truck driver Hrachya
Harutyunyan who caused serious car accident in “New Moscow”, appealed
for taking his client to court with women’s bathrobe. “Armenpress”
informs calling ITAR-TASS that Alexander Maltsev presented his appeal
against policemen and doctors. The lawyer insisted that those actions
degrade human dignity and also “degraded state power in face of court;
man has been taken to place where justice reigns not a circus.

He also thinks that now it is senseless to look for guilty men in the
accident. “Not only Harutyunyan is guilty. Many people are guilty in
the death of those people, including representatives of Ministry of
Internal affairs,” said the lawyer. He asks how the driver could drive
with a license which expired three months earlier and why plicemen
did not stop his car and the organization which gave such car to him…

On July 13 at 13:00 in New Moscow, nearby the Podolsk Village,
Kamaz truck came out of the second line and crashed into a bus
driving from Podolsk to Kurilovo, sharing it into two parts. In
the result of the car accident 18 people died and more than 60 were
wounded. The driver of the truck Hrachya Harutyunyan was accused of
the violation of the traffic security rules, causing the death of two
or more people. Two-month detention was imposed to the Armenian. He
was taken to the court in a woman’s bathrobe.

Earlier the Human Rights Defender of the Republic of Armenia Karen
Andreasyan sent an official letter to his Russian counterpart Vladimir
Lukin requesting for the protection of the dignity and other rights
of Hrachya Harutyunyan.

Hrachya Harutyunyan has been provided with two experienced lawyers
and a translator.

ARMENIAN BUSINESSMEN DID NOT TRANSFER MONEY TO “VAHE AVETYAN” FUND

Wed, 07/17/2013 – 15:59

“Vahe Avetyan” fund was founded on 7 August 2012, but started its
activities in the last 3-4 months” said director of “Vahe Avetyan”
fund Garnik Avetyan at a meeting with journalists.

According to him beneficiaries of the fund are deceased freedom
fighters, families of soldiers, orphaned children, and military
doctors. Fund managed to help 4 families and provided them with up
to 1.5 million AMD financial assistance. G. Avetyan pointed out that
each beneficiary received as much money as they needed.

The most part of the budged is generated from donations of the
Armenians living in Russia. The Fund has not received any money from
businessmen in Armenia yet.

According to the President of the fund few people know about the fund
in Armenia and the main objective of the conference is to inform.

Author: Factinfo – See more at:

BOHJALIAN PRESENTS NEW BOOK AT HOVNANIAN SCHOOL
By Lori Cinar

July 16, 2013

NEW MILFORD, N.J.-On Wed., July 10, the Hamazkayin Armenian Educational
and Cultural Society of New Jersey hosted a discussion and book signing
with Chris Bohjalian for his new novel The Light in the Ruins. The NY
Times best-selling novelist spoke at the Hovnanian Armenian School
in New Milford about his recent trip to historic Armenia as well as
his inspirations for his new novel.

LITR1 Bohjalian Presents New Book at Hovnanian School Members of
the Team Michigan Book Group dive into Bohjalian’s ‘The Light in
the Ruins.’

Bohjalian received great acclaim within both the Armenian and literary
communities with last summer’s publication of The Sandcastle Girls,
a captivating story of a woman who must delve into the history of
the genocide in order to understand her past. The novel has been
highly acclaimed since its release and has brought a great deal of
attention to the Armenian cause. His newest work, The Light in the
Ruins, tells a quite different, while at the same time extremely
engrossing, narrative. Bohjalian himself described it at his own
“Romeo and Juliet” story.

Both novels jump back and forth in time, slowly revealing different
facets of the storyline. This works to create an effect that the
author himself refers to as “dread.”

“There are moments when I’m practically on the edge of my seat and I
keep saying ‘Don’t open the door! Don’t do it!'” Bohjalian said. This
heart-wrenching feeling that comes with the foresight of characters’
decisions is what gives stories their substance, he explained.

Creating a compelling story requires a great deal of historical context
and research, too. Creating lifelike characters and realistic scenarios
for The Light in the Ruins took a lot of time, effort, and sometimes
luck, Bohjalian said. He admits that aside from his own research,
a friend’s uncle helped him to understand how police investigations
were conducted in the 50s in Italy, where The Light in the Ruins
is set. Bohjalian seemed thrilled by the documents and facts he had
uncovered during his research.

Bohjalian’s ardent interest in preservation and history were also
reflected in his description of his recent trip to historic Armenia.

Bohjalian spent time visiting sites that were previously monasteries,
churches, and cemeteries, but that now bear little resemblance to
their original facades because of extreme desecration and destruction,
which was sometimes committed very recently. His powerful descriptions
made his cultural immersion truly come to life for the audience.

Bohjalian stressed how disheartening it was to see monuments in their
present state after having seen their prior glory in old photos. He
also discussed the negative associations that some villagers had
with the ancient Armenian sites, describing “treasure hunters” who
sought relics at the cost of destruction. Somewhat happily, however,
visiting those monuments often led him to meet individuals who helped
him piece together valuable information about the genocide and Armenian
history in general.

After an engaging question and answer session, Der Mesrop Lakissian
of St. Illuminator’s Apostolic Cathedral in New York City performed a
traditional blessing of the book ceremony (kinetson). Members of the
audience-some of whom came from hours away just to meet Bohjalian-were
then able to meet him and have him sign a few copies of his books. Ani
Tchaghlasian, the MC for the evening and a member of Hamazkayin of New
Jersey Executive Board, was very pleased with the turnout of the event,
saying, “Chris Bohjalian is a talented, inspiring, and passionate
writer who has become the most eloquent speaker on the Armenian
Cause. Hamazkayin of New Jersey is honored to have the opportunity
to support Chris to promote his new book The Light in the Ruins.”

RECONSTRUCTION IN PROGRESS IN ANTELIAS AHEAD OF GENOCIDE 100TH ANNIV.

July 17, 2013 – 16:51 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Holy See of Cilicia resumed works for reconstruction
of a chapel dedicated to the victims of the 1915 Armenian Genocide
in Ottoman Empire.

According to Antelias press service, Bikfaya cathedral reconstruction
is also in progress where the Armenian Genocide memorial was installed
in 1965.

The construction works are monitored by the Catholicos of the Great
House of Cilicia Aram I and Antelias synod, the Catholicosate press
service reported.

TOP SYRIAN OFFICIAL SHOT DEAD IN LEBANON

July 17, 2013 – 17:21 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – A senior Syrian official, Mohammed Darrar Jamo,
has been shot dead in the southern Lebanese town of Sarafand, BBC
News reported.

Jamo, a supporter of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, was attacked
early on Wednesday morning as he entered his house.

Lebanese sources say gunmen opened fire on him but left his wife,
who was with him at the time, unharmed.

The attack is being seen as the latest sign of how the conflict in
Syria is threatening to destabilise Lebanon.

The Syrian state news agency, Sana, said Mohammed Darrar Jamo was
head of the political and international relations division of the
International Organisation for Arab Immigrants.

He had also frequently appeared as a political expert on
Arabic-language television channels, defending President Assad.

SYRIAN ARMY ARRESTS TENS OF TURKMEN ARMED REBELS IN ALEPPO

Wed Jul 17, 2013 5:0

TEHRAN (FNA)- The Syrian army has arrested a large number of Turkmen
nationals fighting alongside the al-Qaeda terrorists against President
Bashar al-Assad’s government, media reports said.

Tens of Turkmen terrorists have been arrested by the Syrian army
troops in different parts of Aleppo, the country’s second largest city,
Jahineh news website quoted an informed source as saying.

A Salafi group named Marateb is in charge of recruiting Salafi
elements from Turkmenistan and other former Soviet Union republics
and dispatching them to Northern Syria to join armed rebels in those
areas, the source said.

“And now the Syrian army has managed to arrest tens of these Salafi
elements, including Roshan Gazakov,” he added.

The source explained that Gazakov, along with his wife and five
children, arrived in Syria several months ago and as he was recruited
by Marateb.

In June, the Russian television channels showed that Syrian forces had
arrested Roshan Gazakov nicknamed Abu Abdollah, the ringleader of an
al-Qaeda-linked terrorist group who claimed to be a Turkmen national.

Gazakov said that he travelled from Turkmenistan to Istanbul and then
to borders with Syria where in an al-Qaeda camp he was trained on how
to professionally make bombs by trainers from former Soviet union,
Europe, Jordan and Qatar.

Gazakov noted that he had a choice to make between two terrorist
groups of Lava Ahrar al-Sham and Katibeh al-Mohajerin.

“The Syrian troops have gained access to videos showing Gazakov
training his young child on how to use Kalashnikov rifle and also
planting bombs in a car to be used later in suicide attacks,” the
source added.

EBRD PRESIDENT SIR SUMA CHAKRABARTI TO VISIT ARMENIA

YEREVAN, July 17. / ARKA /. The President of the European Bank for
Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), Sir Suma Chakrabarti will
arrive on his first official visit to Armenia on 18 July, during his
tour of the South Caucasus countries.

During the 2-day visit Mr. Suma is to meet with Armenia’s government
officials, including President Serzh Sargsyan, Prime Minister
Tigran Sargsyan, Minister of Economy and Armenia’s governor to EBRD,
Vahram Avanesyan, the Minister of Finance, Davit Sargsyan; the Mayor
of Yerevan, Taron Markaryan; the Chairman of Central Bank, Artur
Javadyan as well as the representatives of the local partner banks
and businesses.

Sir Suma Chakrabarti’s visit to Armenia coincides with the 20th
anniversary since EBRD commenced its activities in Armenia which the
Bank marks this year, with a press conference on Friday, 19th July
at 17:30 at the Elite Plaza Building to be followed by a reception.

Suma Chakrabarti was elected EBRD president in 2012 and assumed his
position on 3 July becoming the sixth President of the Bank. Earlier,
Sir Suma held the post of Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of
Justice of the United Kingdom and before that he was holding the
same post in the Ministry of International Development. He is a
graduate of Oxford and Sussex universities and has worked in the
British government from 1984 and was awarded the title of Knight of
the Order of the British Empire.

The EBRD has been active in Armenia since 1993 and to date has
invested over ~@656 million into 120 projects. Based on the current
EBRD country strategy for Armenia approved in May 2012, the Bank’s
key priorities are to develop the financial sector and improve access
to finance especially for MSMEs, to improve municipal and transport
infrastructure, to develop agribusiness and high value-added industrial
companies and support sustainable energy and mining projects with
high standards of environmental and social protection.

In 2012, the EBRD signed 15 projects worth a total of ~@94 million
in Armenia.-0-

– See more at:

ARF SLAMS PROSHIAN ELECTION

Tuesday, July 16th, 2013

Entrance to Proshian Village

YEREVAN (RFE/RL)-The Armenian Revolutionary Federation denounced on
Tuesday the conduct of a weekend local election that put an end to
its almost decade-long control of a major rural community near Yerevan.

The mayoral election in Proshian village took place three months after
the killing of its mayor, Hrach Muradian, who was affiliated with
the ARF. Official vote results gave a narrow victory to a candidate
of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia who was at loggerheads
with Muradian.

In a statement, the ARF’s governing body in Armenia said the election
outcome was decided by the use of administrative resources, vote buying
and “coercion.” “As a result, the Republican candidate who was the
slain community head’s rival in the previous elections was declared
the winner,” it said. “Such a display of political cynicism undermined
the electoral process and deepened existing tensions in the community.”

The opposition party at the same time urged its supporters in Proshian
not to “succumb to possible attempts to create further tension.” It
also assured them that the ARF leadership will save no effort to have
Muradian’s murder solved.

The election results were also rejected as fraudulent by Vova Sahakian,
the main opposition candidate backed by the slain mayor’s family.

The ARF statement came shortly after ballot recounts conducted in
two Proshian precincts. They did not change the official vote tally.

The local Republican Party of Armenia campaign denies the vote
rigging allegations, saying that the Sahakian campaign itself resorted
to fraud.

Meanwhile, Muradian’s brother Zohrab said on Tuesday that the election
outcome reinforced the family’s belief that the former Proshian mayor
was assassinated for political reasons. He stressed the fact that
Hrach had a tense rapport with the provincial and central governments
during his tenure.

“They have achieved their goal. They were interested in liquidating
him and taking his place. It was a political murder because he didn’t
obey them,” Zohrab Muradian told RFE/RL’s Armenian service, pointing
the finger at the authorities.

UNE AUTRE CRISE AU CANADA
EGLISE

Depuis plusieurs semaines, le diocèse de l’Eglise armenienne du Canada
vit une grave crise liee a l’election du Primat.

Le 25 mai dernier, reunis dans la cathedrale saint Gregoire
l’Illuminateur de Montreal, les delegues du diocèse du Canada avaient
elu d’une courte voix la père le père Aren Djebedjian Primat du diocèse
du Canada face a l’eveque Bagrad Galstian, son predecesseur elu en
2003. Le troisième candidat de la liste etait le père Dadjad Yardemian
sans que celui n’ait jamais eu de veritable chance d’etre elu.

Dans les semaines qui ont suivi, s’appuyant sur une petition lancee
sur internet et où des propos d’une grande violence ont ete parfois
tenus, en particulier a l’egard de quatre pretres juges ” felons
” par les partisans de l’eveque Kalesdian, le Catholicos Karekine
II a demande au père Djebedjian de renoncer a cette election. Au
nom de la ” discipline de l’Eglise “, ce dernier a presente sa
demission de Primat. Le 20 Juin, le Catholicos a nomme l’archeveque
Nathan Hovhanissian, responsable des editions d’Etchmiadzine, comme
locum-tenens du diocèse du Canada pour une periode de transition de
un an durant laquelle il aura pour mission d’organiser une nouvelle
election. Il est a noter que le père Aren Djebedjian est ne en diaspora
(Etats-Unis).

Rentre en Armenie, l’eveque Bagrad Galsdian vient d’etre nomme
responsable du ” service du protocole de l’Eglise armenienne “,
a Etchmiadzine. Poste qui vient juste d’etre cree, sans doute pour
le consoler de la perte de son siège episcopal et en attendant des
jours meilleurs.

mercredi 17 juillet 2013, Ara ©armenews.com

HARUTYUNIAN’S BROTHER: THEY TREAT HRACHIA WORSE THAN A TERRORIST

[ Part 2.2: “Attached Text” ]

Wednesday,July 17

“Hrachia Harutyunian lost his son, he could not have wanted anyone
to suffer or die because of him,” Seda Harutyunian told reporters
during the protest outside the Russian embassy in Yerevan today. She
is the sister of Hrachia Harutyunian, the alleged perpetrator of the
car crash, in which 18 people were killed in new Moscow.

“He didn’t do it intentionally, nor did he take to flight. He was
not drunk. I regret that such a tragedy happened, but they take him
for a hardened criminal. A former participant of the Karabakh war
was brought to court in a housecoat,” Seda Harutyunian noted.

According to her, Hrachia got into debts after the surgeries and
death of his son who had a brain tumor. “Hrachia went to Russia
to earn money for his son’s gravestone. Hrachia himself suffered a
concussion. If he is imprisoned, he will have a mental disorder when
he comes out. But he has children,” she said. Seda Harutyunian called
on the authorities to intervene in the matter.

Hrachia’s brother, Hayk Harutyunian, was also among those protesting
outside the Russian embassy in Yerevan. He said the organization
that employed his brother is owned by an Armenian. In his words,
they learn the latest information mostly from the Internet.

In his words, their relatives in Russia have no opportunity to
see Hrachia Harutyunian. “Hrachia is being treated worse than a
terrorist. They humiliate him and don’t allow him to meet with
relatives,” Hayk Harutyunian said.

We would remind you that Hrachia Harutyuinian is charged in the
car crash that left 18 people dead. He was sentenced to two month
preliminary arrest today. Gross violations of human rights were
committed when H. Harutyunian was brought to the courtroom.