Author: Kanayan Tamar

GNC-ALFA TO INVEST $12 MLN TO EXPAND PRESENCE IN ARMENIA

December 18, 2012 – 16:58 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Armenia became the first country in the near abroad
to be using Rostelecom services under the company’s own brandname,
the vice-president of the Russia-based company said.

As Naum Marder told a December 18 news conference in Yerevan, the
new type of work will produce a synergetic effect to serve as a good
cooperation example.

As the director general of GNC-ALFA CJSC, Rostelecom subsidiary,
Hayk Faramazyan said, the services will be provided under Rostelecom
brandname, with a $12 million investment to be provided in 2013 to
expand the company’s presence. The company’s investments in 2012
amounted to $10 mln.

“The investment will allow fulfilling the company’s ambitious plans
by carving its own niche in Armenia’s retail sector to cover virtually
all the cities in Armenia,” he said.

Earlier, GNC Alfa CJSC, the affiliate company of Rostelecom OJSC
long-distance telephony provider entered the Armenian market.

GNC-ALFA has launched fixed telephony and broadband Internet services,
with ITV catch-up to be included in the package later.

GNC-ALFA is one of the leading telecom operators in Armenia, with a
network based on fiber-optic cable. The company’s service portfolio
includes data transmission, broadband Internet, IP transit, voice,
international leased lines. It operates in all the provinces of
Armenia with network coverage in more than 47 cities.

CONVERSATION RECORD’S PUBLICATION ON THE EVE OF ELECTION CULTURE OF DISCREDITING, ASHOT MANUCHARYAN SAYS

TERT.AM
18.12.12

Posting of the secret record of the conversation between the Armenian
National Congress MP Levon Zurabyan and Prosperous Armenia party MP
Vartan Oskanian is a pre-electoral culture to discredit each other,
member of Karabakh committee Ashot Manucharyan told the reporters
on Tuesday.

Manucharyan said today’s ANC is much narrower than what it used to be.

Today many are leaving the opposition bloc. “The secret record of
Zurabyan-Oskanian conversation testifies the disputes existing inside
the ANC,” he said, adding that there was no need to make the record
public as everyone knows everything in Armenia.

Manucharyan said the worthy presidential candidate from the ANC is
Vardan Malkhasyan, who was a police officer during the soviet years.

“He is a devoted person. I have said his name as he was the first to
come to my mind. There are other worthy people in other parties as
well,” Manucharyan said.

ARMENIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS: THE ELECTORAL SLOGAN OF THE PRESIDENT “TOWARDS SECURE ARMENIA!” HAS DISCREDITED ITSELF

ARMINFO
Tuesday, December 18, 14:19

The audiotape of the private conversation between a deputy from
Armenian National Congress Levon Zurabyan and a deputy from Prosperous
Armenia Party Vartan Oskanian is a provocation of the authorities
and secret services, Levon Zurabyan told journalists today.

At the same time he emphasized that the given provocation worked
against the authorities themselves, as they demeaned themselves,
though their purpose was to discredit the opposition. He added with
irony that the slogan put forward by President Serzh Sargsyan “Towards
secure Armenia!” has already discredited itself. “The audiotape of
our conversation and its further publication showed how secure and
safe Armenia is. Perhaps, it is secure and safe only for employees of
secret services”, – Zurabyan said and added that the interception was
organized by secret services under the instruction of the president
of the country. If it is not so, let the authorities investigate and
clear out who published the audiotape in Internet, and after that it
will be easy to find who made the audiotape, Zurabyan said.

He declined to comment on the core of the conversation. “Any attempt
to analyze the core of the conversation will mean that we have gorged
the bait of the authorities”, – Zurabyan said.

NATURE PROTECTION MINISTER LEAVES FOR NAGORNO-KARABAKH

news.am
December 18, 2012 | 12:45

YEREVAN.- The delegation headed by Armenia’s Minister of Nature
Protection Aram Harutyunyan will leave on Wednesday for a two-day
working visit to Nagorno-Karabakh.

The objective of the visit is to hold discussions on the issues related
to nature protection. The Minister will hold meetings with President
Bako Sahakyan, Prime Minister Ara Harutyunyan. The delegation members
will hold meetings in the NKR department on natural resources and
will also visit Drmbon mine.

‘ARAQS’ POULTRY FARM CHICKEN LEGS SOLD WITHOUT LABELING IN THE SHIRAK REGION

Tue, 12/18/2012 – 14:29

Analytics

The food safety in a disastrous condition in Armenia

Even a superficial inspection held in one region of the republic
shows that the food safety is in a disastrous condition in Armenia.

After the research held in the region of Shirak during one week the
RA State Food Safety Inspectorate revealed a number of products sold
in violation of the requirements of the RA legislation. Particularly
it was revealed that in 5 shops the ‘President’ butter (200 g), in
8 shops cream butter ‘Slatko’, in 12 meat dumplings ‘SamRoza’, in 6 G.

Grigoryan’s khinkali and meat dumplings, in 25 ‘Frangosul’, in 33
‘Fazenda’, in 12 ‘Pilgrims’, in 10 ‘Gastar’, in 14 frozen chickens of
‘Golden too’, in 45 ‘Doux’, in 48 frozen chicken ‘Seara’, in 43 frozen
chicken chest and chicken ‘Sadia’, in 4 chicken hip of unknown origin,
in 14 fish caviar ‘Sanich’, in 7 ‘Sprat’ and ‘Sardine’ pickles of
‘Proliv, Southern Manufacturer’ LLC, in 9 ‘Favorite’, in 8 ‘Darinka’
and in 8 ‘Sardine’ pickles of ‘Vostok’, in 8 ‘Sprat’ pickles of the
company ‘Pickles sprat Latvia LLC Zvani’, in 34 Vietnamese pangasius
fish did not have Armenian language labeling. In 8 shops ‘Rossini’
cutlets (5 kg package) did not have any labeling at all.

Additionally, chicken lungs of ‘Havitsa’ brand were reported without
any production date in 26 shops, fish pickles of ‘Eco’ brand with
the expiry date closed with the double date in 29 shops. In 22
shops semi-smoked sausage and cutlets of ‘Razmik 92’ of Gyumri were
reported without the production and expiry date, in 14 shops Kiev
cutlets and meat dumplings of ‘Arsen and Gohar’ LLC with incomplete
labeling (only the content and expiry date indicated) and many other
violations. In 5 shops frozen chicken chest was reported without the
producer’s details. In 28 shops chicken legs of ‘Araqs’ were reported
without labeling. In 13 shops meat balls of ‘Tamara Fruit’, in 9 shops
chicken poultry of ‘Oshakan’ poultry farm, in 14 broyler chicken of
‘Shirak’ poultry farm and many other products all reported without
production date. It’s far not the end of the exhaustive list.

The mass character of violations and the dangerous and threatening
situation in the food market are obvious. However the State Food
Safety Inspectorate of the RA Ministry of Agriculture fined neither the
producers of the above-mentioned products sold in violation of the law
nor the shops selling all those products, explaining that mentioned
violations were not revealed as a result of inspection, but by other
examinations, in which case they have no right to impose a fine.

This is the legislation of our country. It’s absolutely interesting,
whether the mentioned Inspectorate held inspection in the same shops
and among local producers after revealing the violations, and if not,
then why, if yes then what was revealed as a result of the inspection
and what measures have been taken to fine the law violators.

Artur Hovhannisyan Author: Factinfo

HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH CALLS ON RA PROSECUTOR GENERAL TO SUSPEND THE CHARGES IN THE MATAGHIS CASE AND INVESTIGATE TORTURE ALLEGATIONS

11:48, December 18, 2012

To Mr. Agvan G. Hovsepyan
RA Prosecutor General

Dear Mr. Hovsepyan,

We are writing to express our profound concern regarding the lack
of effective investigation into allegations of torture and inhuman
and degrading treatment relating to the cases of Razmik Sargsian,
Musa Serobian, and Arayik Zalian, accused of murdering two of their
fellow conscript soldiers in December 2003.

We urge you to ensure that an effective investigation is carried
out into the credible torture and ill-treatment allegations without
further delay. Considering that the confession allegedly made under
duress remains key evidence in new charges against the defendants,
we also call upon the prosecutor’s office to suspend the charges
until such an investigation is carried out.

On May 13, 2005, the Syunik Marz Court sentenced Razmik Sargsian,
Musa Serobian, and Arayik Zalian to fifteen years of imprisonment on
charges of murdering the two conscripts.

On May 30, 2006, the Court of Appeals changed the sentence to life
imprisonment. However, in December 2006, the Court of Cassation
dismissed the case, sent it for re-investigation, and ordered the
release of the defendants.

It is our understanding that the prosecutor’s office continued to
press the charges against Sargsian, Serobian, and Zalian and sent
the case back to the first instance court in 2008.

It is also our understanding that neither the courts nor the
prosecutor’s office have carried out independent, prompt, thorough,
and effective investigation into the serious allegations of torture
and ill-treatment.

In May 2008, the Shirak Regional Court began a new trial against
Sargsian, Serobian, and Zalian related to the same incident, this
time on charges of causing serious bodily harm that led to the death
of the two other conscripts. This is the second time that their case
is under judicial consideration related to the same incident.

Taking no position on the defendants’ innocence or guilt, we are
profoundly concerned that the new charges are again largely based on
the confession of one of the defendants, Razmik Sargsian.

There are reasonable grounds to believe that his confession was made
after he was subjected to torture and other cruel treatment. Sargsian
stated first to his lawyer and then later in court that after he had
been initially questioned as a witness in the case on April 19, 2004,
he was subjected to several days of brutal beatings and psychological
pressure by the military procuracy investigators, as a result of
which he confessed to the crime and incriminated Serobian and Zalian
as his accomplices.

Sargsian states that the investigators handcuffed his hands behind
his back, suspended him from his hands, and beat him in this position.

They also threatened him with rape. In a videotape of the confession,
Sargsian’s face was swollen and bruised, strongly suggesting that he
had suffered ill-treatment prior to making the confession.

Later, during the pretrial investigation and at the trial, Sargsian
stated his innocence saying that he had been forced under physical
and psychological pressure into making the confession.

The other defendants, Serobian and Zalian, also told the Syunik Marz
Court, the first trial court, that they had been tortured during
interrogations by investigating officers and that they never pleaded
guilty.

The Syunik Marz Court failed to consider the defense’s motions that
were introduced to substantiate the torture complaints. For instance,
the court refused to grant the defense’s motion to do an examination
of the wooden floor in the investigation room in which the men were
questioned.

According to the defense, the floor has blood stains as result of the
torture of Sargsian, Serobian, and Zalian. The court also refused to
examine medical documents from the hospital where Sargsian was taken
during his hunger strike that indicate a variety of medical problems,
some of which appear to be the result of beatings.

International treaties to which Armenia is a party, including the
European Convention on Human Rights, the International Covenant on
Civil and Political Rights, and the United Nations Convention against
Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
all require respect for international and absolute prohibition on
the use of torture.

These treaties also emphasize that statements made under torture
cannot be invoked as evidence, except against a person accused of
torture. International law also obliges states to guarantee defendants’
right to a fair trial and to ensure that any criminal proceedings are
conducted in accordance with fundamental due process requirements. The
failure to uphold these standards would constitute serious breaches
of Armenia’s international obligations.

Human Rights Watch believes that it is very important that given
the credible allegations of torture in this case, and Armenia’s
obligations to do so, that a prompt and thorough investigation into
the allegations is ordered, and that the charges are suspended until
the completion of the investigation.

Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter.

Sincerely, Rachel Denber

Deputy Director Europe and Central Asia Division Human Rights Watch
December 17, 2012

LES ECOLOGISTES PAS CONVAINCUS PAR LES ASSURANCES DU PREMIER MINISTRE
Stephane

Les militants ecologistes a Erevan ont rejete les assurances du
Premier ministre Tigran Sarkissian que son gouvernement approuve leur
mouvement et repond a leurs preoccupations au sujet de l’industrie
minière armenienne.

Tigran Sarkissian a fait face a une manifestation de rue par des
sympathisants du mouvement armenien aux Etats-Unis quand il s’est
rendu en Californie. Il a parle aux manifestants et a entendu leurs
plaintes au sujet du coût environnemental de l’exploitation minière
en Armenie. ” Votre gouvernement doit mettre un terme a ces projets
desastreux ” a dit l’un d’eux au Premier ministre.

” Je suis heureux que ce mouvement prenne de l’ampleur en Armenie
” a repondu Tigran Sarkissian a la petite foule. Le gouvernement
armenien prend au serieux les preoccupations des ecologistes, meme
si elle n’est pas necessairement d’accord avec eux, a-t-il dit.

Artur Grigorian, militant de l’environnement base a Erevan, a rejete
les remarques de Sarkissian, en disant que le Premier ministre a ete
un solide partisan des societes minières armeniennes et de leurs
activites controversees. Il a declare que Tigran Sarkissian avait
deja promis aux groupes de protection de l’environnement en 2008
d’examiner l’arret de la destruction de la foret dans le nord de
l’Armenie a Teghut qui est riche en cuivre et en molybdène.

” Les ordres donnes par le Premier ministre sont restees lettre morte ”
a dit M.Grigorian lors d’une conference de presse. ” La meme personne
essaie maintenant de nous faire de nouveaux engagement. Ce n’est pas
serieux “.

Une autre militante, Anna Shahnazarian, a rejete les engagements de
Tigran Sarkissian de rencontrer les dirigeants des ONG lors de son
retour a Erevan. ” Il a dit quelque chose qui est bien en deca de
nos attentes ” a-t-elle dit. ” On peut toujours lui repondre. Mais
ce que nous voulons de lui, c’est des actions “.

mardi 18 decembre 2012, Stephane ©armenews.com

ARMENIAN CONTINGENT MAY STAY IN AFGANISTAN FOR 1 MORE YEAR

Mediamax News Agency
Dec 17 2012
Armenia

Yerevan/Mediamax/. The National Assembly will discuss the issue of
extending the date of stay of Armenian contingent within ISAF forces
Ñ~HÑ~B Afganistan till December 31, 2014, at the special session.

The issue was discussed at the session of the Permanent Committee on
Foreign Relations of the National Assembly with participation of the
Deputy Defense Minister of Armenia Ara Nazaryan today.

The Committee made a positive conclusion for including the issue in
the upcoming special session of the National Assembly.

ARMENIAN-IRANIAN TIES HAVE GREAT FUTURE: IRI AMBASSADOR REISI

10:24, 18 December, 2012

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 18, ARMENPRESS. Ancient fraternal relations of
the Republic of Armenia and Islamic Republic of Iran are based upon
mutual respect and have great prospects of future development in
economic, political, and cultural spheres. “Armenpress” introduces
interview with Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Armenia
Mohammad Reisi dedicated to the present and future relations of the
two countries, Iran’s position regarding the Nagorno Karabakh issue,
and Iran’s efforts for the regulation of the Syrian crisis.

– Honorary Mr. Ambassador, how would You characterize the relations
of Armenia and Iran and their peculiarities? What is Your assessment
of the development of Armenian-Iranian political dialogue?

– There are no limitations for the development of the relations of the
two countries. The Presidents and other higher officials of Armenia
and Iran always have been in touch with each other. As well as we
have witnessed many times reciprocal visits of Armenian and Iranian
delegations. The authorities of Armenia and Iran strive to develop
relation in the whole spheres. The relations and cooperation of the
two countries have brilliant prospects for future development and
target establishment of peace and stability in the region.

– What regional role plays Armenia for Iran?

– For Iran Armenia is a friendly neighboring country and Iran
cherishes particular respect towards Armenia. Armenia is of an
essential importance for Iran and vice versa Iran is of an essential
importance for Armenia. Fraternal relations of the two countries have
historical roots. Armenia is the sole Christian country neighboring
Iran and fraternal relations always prevailed in our ties. Iran has
established good relations with all countries of the South Caucasus.

By all means, relations of the Islamic Republic of Iran and Republic
of Armenia can serve as a good example for other countries of relations
of Christian and Muslim states.

– Regulation of Nagorno Karabakh conflict is of a certain importance
in South Caucasus. What is Iran’s position regarding the present stage
of the negotiation procedures and the principles of its regulation?

– As an important and influential country in the region the Islamic
Republic of Iran always directed its efforts towards the establishment
of fraternal relation between countries, and stability, security, and
peace in the region. The Islamic Republic of Iran always supported
peaceful solution of conflicts and contradictions in the region,
and always warned about the interference of external powers. The
conviction of the Islamic Republic of Iran is that regional problems
have regional solutions, and they can be solved via support and
like-mindedness of the countries of the region. The Islamic Republic
of Iran supports the regulation of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict via
peaceful negotiations based upon “the principles of international law”
and this position did not change.

(THE FULL VERSION OF THE INTERVIEW IS AVAILABLE IN ARMENIAN)

BRUXELLES : LA FONDATION INFO-TURK HONORE RAGIP ZARAKOLU

Publié le : 18-12-2012

Info Collectif VAN – – Profitant de sa mise en
liberté provisoire en Turquie, Ragip Zarakolu, auteur, journaliste,
éditeur et défenseur des droits de l’Homme, se réunit actuellement
avec ses amis en Europe. Après une série de rencontres a Paris,
Zarakolu tiendra une conférence de presse le mercredi 19 décembre
2012 a 11h a la Fédération européenne des journalistes (EFJ) sur
l’état actuel de la liberté d’expression en Turquie. Le même jour,
a partir de 16h30, Ragip Zarakolu se réunira avec ses amis dans les
locaux des Ateliers du Soleil. Lors de cette rencontre, la Fondation
Info-Turk, qui contribue a la lutte pour les droits de l’Homme et les
libert̩s en Turquie depuis plus de 40 ans Рet dont le pr̩sident
est Dogan Ozguden – lui remettra le certificat de prix “Info-Turk 2012
Pour la liberté”, décerné début de cette année alors que Zarakolu
se trouvait dans la prison de haute sécurité de type-F de Kocaeli.

Copyright photo : Collectif VAN

Info-Turk

Remise du prix 2012 de la Fondation Info-Turk a Ragip Zarakolu

Profitant de sa mise en liberté provisoire en Turquie, Ragip Zarakolu,
auteur, journaliste, éditeur et défenseur des droits de l’Homme,
se réunit actuellement avec ses amis en Europe.

Après une série de rencontres a Paris, Zarakolu tiendra une
conférence de presse le mercredi 19 décembre 2012 a 11h a la
Fédération européenne des journalistes (EFJ) sur l’état actuel
de la liberté d’expression en Turquie.

Le même jour, a partir de 16h30, Ragip Zarakolu se réunira avec
ses amis dans les locaux des Ateliers du Soleil.

Lors de cette rencontre, la Fondation Info-Turk, qui contribue a la
lutte pour les droits de l’Homme et les libertés en Turquie depuis
plus de 40 ans, lui remettra le certificat de prix “Info-Turk 2012
Pour la liberté”, décerné début de cette année alors que Zarakolu
se trouvait dans la prison de haute sécurité de type-F de Kocaeli.

Nous serons ravis de partager ces moments avec vous le mercredi 19
décembre 2012 a 16 h30.

Dogan Ozguden Président Fondation Info-Turk

Iuccia Saponara Présidente Ateliers du Soleil

Ateliers du Soleil 53 rue de Pavie – 1000 Bruxelles Tel: 02-736 78 95;
0477-508 349 E-mail: [email protected]

Ragip Zarakolu

Zarakolu mène ses activités de pensée et d’édition
depuis 43 ans sans avoir donné aucune concession aux pouvoirs
politiques. Aujourd’hui, le pouvoir actuel qui donne des lecons de
démocratie aux pays arabes, tente de faire payer a Zarakolu le prix
de sa détermination en l’incarcérant, a 63 ans et malgré des graves
problèmes de santé, dans une prison de haute sécurité sous des
prétextes ridicules.

Ragip Zarakolu avait déja été emprisonné après le coup d’état
de 1971.

Après sa mise en liberté, avec son épouse Ayse Nur Zarakolu, il
a ouvert un nouvel horizon dans le monde des livres par la fondation
de la maison d’éditions internationale Belge.

Ragip et Ayse n’ont pas seulement démoli le tabou du génocide
arménien, mais ils ont aussi apporté une contribution indéniable a
la lutte pour la démocratisation en Turquie, en publiant des centaines
de livres sur l’injustice et la discrimination dont le peuple kurde
et toutes les minorités nationales et religieuses de l’Anatolie ont
souffert pendant des siècles.

Ragip Zarakolu a également pris part a la fondation de l’Association
des droits de l’Homme de Turquie (IHD). Il est actuellement le
président du Comité pour la liberté de publication de l’Union
des éditeurs de la Turquie (TYB) et le représentant en Turquie du
Comité pour la liberté de publication de l’Union internationale
des éditeurs (IPA).

En 2005, le prix “la liberté d’expression” a été conjointement
attribué a Zarakolu par l’Union des écrivains norvégiens et le
Ministère norvégien de la Culture. Il a également recu le prix
“la liberté de pensée et d’expression” décerné par l’Union des
éditeurs de Turquie, le prix “la liberté de la presse” donné par
l’Association des journalistes de Turquie et récemment il a recu de
la bibliothèque nationale arménienne la médaille d’honneur “Hagop
Megapart” pour sa contribution a la reconnaissance de l’histoire,
la culture et la littérature arménienne en Turquie.

Pendant des années, Zarakolu a été invité par de nombreux pays
a participer a des réunions sur les droits humains. Il a participé
comme conférencier a deux conférences sur la liberté de pensée et
le militarisme en Turquie, organisées a Bruxelles par la Fondation
Info-Turk, les Associations assyriennes de Belgique, l’Association
des Arméniens démocrates en Belgique, l’Institut kurde de Bruxelles
et les Ateliers du Soleil.

Lire aussi:

Liberté pour Ragip Zarakolu : Dossier complet

” Qu’est-ce qui ne va pas avec la Turquie ? ”

L’opposant turc Ragıp Zarakolu recu a Paris

Turquie : procès-fleuve pour 205 accusés, dont l’éditeur Zarakolu

Qui dénoncera le Goulag turc ?

Turquie : un futur Prix Nobel en prison ?

Turquie : des procès inquiétants le 2 juillet a Silivri

Le 22 avril 2012, votez contre les génocides et leur négation

Turquie : quel modèle pour le monde arabe ?

2/11/2011 : Affaire Zarakolu – Lettre du Collectif VAN au Maire
de Paris

2/11/2011 : Affaire Zarakolu РLettre du Collectif VAN au Pr̩sident
de la République

La détention de l’écrivain turc provoque la colère des ONG

Stop aux arrestations en Turquie !

Turquie : l’éditeur Ragip Zarakolu arrêté

Turquie : Zarakolu et Ersanli inculpés de terrorisme

De Zarakolu a Charlie Hebdo : la liberté d’expression menacée

Zarakolu est un écrivain de valeur

Nomination de Ragip Zarakolu au Prix Martin Ennals

Juppé : Paris accueillerait une commission sur le génocide arménien

Turquie : 20 journalistes arrêtés, dont un de l’AFP

Turquie : ouverture du procès du KCK

Turquie : libération conditionnelle pour Busra Ersanlı

Génocide arménien : l’analyse de l’éditeur turc Ragip Zarakolu

Turquie : l’IPA demande l’acquittement des Zarakolu

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