Author: Kanayan Tamar

LETTER FROM NUBARASHEN PRISON CELL 33 – ARMAN DAVTYAN WANTS JUSTICE

10:22, June 21, 2012

Arman Davtyan, now serving time in the Nubarashen Criminal Penitentary,
has written to Hetq, asking that we publish a letter of his asking
for help. What follows is an abridged translation of his letter.

I write to you and request that you publish my letter since I can no
longer continue my struggle for justice through official channels or
according to the laws of the country.

I have petitioned a number of Armenian officials, including the
president, general prosecutor, president of the parliament, the chief
of police, and the UN office in Armenia, but have yet received any
positive response.

Early on the morning of June 14, 2012, police in civilian clothes
broke into my apartment without showing any identity papers or the
reason for their untimely visit.

They collected our telephones and didn’t allow me to call my parents.

They forcibly removed me and took me to the Mashtots office of Internal
Affairs. There I was beaten and the fingers of my left hand were broken
in an attempt to force me to confess to a theft that I didn’t commit.

I was presented with a confession supposedly written by my wife and
friend Artur and told that this was basis enough for me to be sent
to court on criminal charges. I said I didn’t believe that the letter
was written by my wife.

The fact that my wife was being tortured in the other room, and
that I could hear her cries, forced me to tell the police officer in
charge that I would sign any confession, just so long as they stopped
persecuting my wife.

He told me to write that I and my friend Garik had committed a number
of thefts. I did as he said even though I have no friend named Garik.

They held me and my wife and Artur at the police station for one
whole day.

On June 15, the same police official had us brought into his office and
told us that he would release my wife and my friend Artur on condition
that I agree to nine thefts committed by myself and Arman Sargsyan,
another friend of mine who was arrested.

In the end, the number of alleged thefts increased to 16 without any
physical evidence.

In fact, the police official instructed my friend Artur to plant
loudspeakers in my apartment so that cops could find them during
their search.

On June 15, the police released the others as promised and told me
that I would receive a three year sentence but would be released from
the court after being sentenced due to a general amnesty.

I was taken to prison where I remain till today. After coming here
I began a hunger strike and sent the entire story to the general
prosecutor.

Officials at the Mashtots Internal Affairs office have continuously
tried to convince me to withdraw all my petitions and complaints.

I can only thank God that Judge V. Rshtouni is hearing my case for I
have heard that he is an honourable man who believes in legal justice.

I have been found guilty on four occasions in the past and have paid
for those crimes by spending the best years of my youth in jail.

My ailing mother waits for my release and I don’t want to be deprived
the chance of seeing her for a crime that I have not committed.

I have irrefutable proof of my innocence and am ready to present it
during my court case.

PLAN FOR FUTURE?: GOVERNMENT’S FIVE-YEAR PROGRAM APPROVED BY PARLIAMENT DESPITE HARSH CRITICISM FROM OPPOSITION
By Naira Hayrumyan

ArmeniaNow
22.06.12

Photo:

At a special meeting on Thursday the Armenian parliament approved a
five-year program of the government by a vote of 75 to 47, with one
abstention. The “for” votes came from lawmakers representing the
ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) and its junior coalition
partner, Orinats Yerkir. All the other factions, including ARF
Dashnaktsutyun, Heritage, the Armenian National Congress (ANC) as
well as the Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) which refused to form a
coalition with the RPA following the May 6 parliamentary elections.

The voting in the National Assembly revealed several important
vectors, and first of all the fact that an opposition camp capable of
consolidating efforts and pressurizing the government is emerging in
Armenia. Despite the fact that the government’s program was adopted
by the two coalition parties that have an absolute majority in the
parliament, some very strong criticism was heard during the debate
and Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan, overall, could not answer the
main points of this criticism.

Though, he said, he was satisfied with the discussions of the program,
he also said that some opposition MPs voiced “artificial” arguments
against him. The head of the government stressed that almost all
concerns voiced during the debate are reflected in the program, which
also indicates ways of overcoming these problems. At the same time,
Sargsyan admitted that the government led by him failed in late 2008
to predict the economic crisis that had a significant negative impact
on the economy of Armenia.

Armenia’s former foreign minister, PPA faction member Vartan Oskanian,
however, noted that the prime minister who, before being appointed to
his current post in April 2008, headed the Central Bank, was unable
to move beyond his “monetarist thinking”, which is also reflected in
the program of the government. He reminded Sargsyan that in 2008 he
returned from the United States, where the financial crisis had already
begun and then presented a draft budget for 2009 with a projected
economic growth of 9.5 percent, while the country eventually got a
14.5-percent GDP fall.

The opposition accused the government of lacking specific estimates and
proposed steps in the program. Member of the Heritage faction Alexander
Arzumanyan called the program “a collection of toasts and good wishes”,
saying that would be difficult to implement. Some oppositionists also
said that by making general statements, the government reserves for
itself the way for a retreat so that it would not later be accused
of reneging on specific items.

Meanwhile, presenting the achievements of the past four years in the
National Assembly, the head of the Armenian government also spoke
about some concrete plans. In particular, Sargsyan said that a venture
capital fund will be set up to encourage innovative business. For
the first time the government intends to provide financial and
technical assistance to small businesses for which it is going to
simplify taxation procedures. Sargsyan intends to introduce a system
of medical insurance, a contributory pension scheme, make education
free for socially vulnerable categories, provide young families with
subsidized mortgages, issue 1 million drams (about $2,500) for the
birth of third and fourth child and 1.5 million (about $3,700 ) for
the birth of the fifth and subsequent children. The government intends
to ensure an annual economic growth of 5-7 percent, increase exports,
to double the current minimum wage, which is 32,500 drams (about $80)
a month, to reduce the official poverty rate by 8-10 percentage points,
and to create more than 100,000 jobs.

But speaking in the Parliament, PAP faction secretary Naira Zohrabyan
said that the government promised to reduce poverty three years ago,
but instead it has increased to the level of 35.8 percent. Emigration
has also reached unprecedented levels, as the population of an average
village daily leaves the country. She said that the policy of the
government, in fact, has not changed, even though the previous program
failed, and the composition of the government has seen little change,
too. Zohrabyan stressed that someone must be made to answer for the
14.5-percent economic decline in 2009.

However, it is not excluded that, as MP Arzumanyan said, “the program
is of a temporary nature” and that considerable changes will take
place in it after the presidential election of 2013. “What has been
submitted by the Government aims for the next 6-7 months, to somehow
survive the winter,” he said.

ODNOKLASSNIKI SOCIAL NETWORK AVAILABLE ON ARMENIAN LANGUAGE

news.am
June 22, 2012 | 14:05

Russian Odnoklassniki (Classmates) social network is available on
the Armenian language.

The mobile version has been translated, while the Armenian version
of the website will be available in a month.

The number of Armenian internet users is actively growing. According
to InternetWorldStats, the number has reached $1.4 million.

The daily website audience reaches 787,000 and the number of users
is growing. Meanwhile, 35% of users prefer the mobile version.

“Odnoklassniki is one of the most popular websites in Armenia together
with Mail.ru, Youtube.com, Yandex.ru, Google.com,” said Alexander
Izryadnov, representative of Mail.Ru Group, owner of Odnoklassniki.

MINISTER NALBANDIAN HAD BILATERAL MEETINGS ON THE SIDELINES OF THE RIO+20 SUMMIT

armradio.am
22.06.2012 11:11

On June 21 Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian had bilateral meetings
on the sidelines of the Rio+20 Summit, Press and Information Department
of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported.

During the meeting with Raymond Tshibanda, the Minister of Foreign
Affairs of the Democratic Republic of Congo, an agreement was reached
to establish diplomatic relations between the two countries. The
Foreign Ministers discussed the possibilities to cooperate in the
frames of international organizations, as well as preparatory works
of the Summit of the International Organization of the Francophonie
to be held in October in Kinshasa.

The next meeting of Edward Nalbandian was with Gamini Lakshman Peiris,
the Foreign Minister of Sri Lanka. In the course of the meeting,
the sides touched upon the boosting of political dialogue, ways of
expanding legal framework, economic cooperation and the steps to be
undertaken towards the development of cultural ties. The Foreign
Minister of Sri Lanka presented the steps undertaken towards the
interstate solidarity in his country, as well as implementing reforms.

The Ministers agreed to hold consultations between the MFAs of the two
countries. Foreign Minister Peiris invited his Armenian counterpart
to visit Sri Lanka.

In the frames of the Summit, Edward Nalbandian attended the meeting of
the heads of the Francophonie member-countries’ delegations, as well,
which was dedicated to the agenda issues of the Organization.

NKR Military Council discusses first-semester situation

news.am
June 23, 2012 | 13:06

STEPANAKERT. – The Nagorno-Karabakh Republic Defense Army (NKR DA)
Military Council on Thursday convened a regular session devoted to the
first-semester results of the 2012 military academic year.

NKR Defense Minister, DA Commander, Lieutenant General Movses Hakobyan
delivered opening remarks, and reflected on the latest developments in
the Karabakh peace process and the important politico-military events
that occurred in the region, DA Media and Propaganda Department
informs.

Following the Army Commander’s introductory remarks, DA deputy
commanders and unit and military unit commanders delivered remarks and
reports on the first-semester results.

Movses Hakobyan ended the Military Council session with closing
remarks, once again reflected on the activities carried out in the
first semester of the 2012 military academic year, and gave
instructions for the second semester.

Georgian expert criticizes wiretapping of Armenians in Tbilisi

June 24, 2012 | 00:49

TBILISI. – If the fact of wiretapping and secret video surveillance during
the conference of Armenian community representatives in Tbilisi is
confirmed, it is very sad, Georgian expert Alexander Rondeli told Armenian
News-NEWS.am .

`Information is not yet confirmed but even if it occurred, it may be a
matter of nationalism,’ Rondeli said stressing Georgia faces quite a
difficult political situation and the given incident should be reviewed
within this context.

Asked whether the wiretapping may be linked to the conference organizer and
president of the Association for the Protection of Armenians in Georgia
Karine Barseghyan’s joining Georgian opposition Georgian Dream party, the
expert said that nothing is possible to say for sure. He also found it
difficult to answer the question who could have arranged the wiretapping.

To note, a scandal with the Armenian community participants is developing.
Armenians in Tbilisi have organized a conference on Thursday, and
accidentally wiretapping and secret video surveillance equipment was found.

Epiphany Project on stage at Steel City
By DENNY DYROFF
For the Journal Register News Service

Saturday, June 23,2012

It was just over three years ago when Epiphany Project performed its
most recent show in the Philadelphia area — a concert at Steel City
Coffee House in Phoenixville. Not long after that tour, the duo —
husband-and-wife team Bet Williams and John Hodian — relocated to
Europe and has been living in Berlin.

Now, Epiphany Project is coming back to the states for a very short
tour — just eight shows. Not surprisingly, making a return visit to
Steel City was a high priority for Williams and Hodian. The twosome
will perform at the comfortable venue in Phoenixville tonight (June
23) at 8 p.m.

`Steel City is a great place to perform,’ said Williams, during a
phone interview from the couple’s home in Berlin. `We’ve always had
great shows there and we’re really looking forward to coming back.’

Back in 2009, the duo was just back in America after living in
Armenia’s capitol city Yerevan for almost a year. The result of living
in the shadow of Mount Ararat and interacting with the Armenian people
was the album `Hin Dagh’.

Epiphany Project’s new music not only included Armenian influence but
also several songs written in the Armenian language. Their sound has
been described as a hybrid of folk, Americana and world music.

`Armenia is a very special place,’ said Hodian. `Armenia is the source
of our latest project — the Nagash Project. It’s a large composition
with text based on the poetry of Mkritch Nagash, a 14th-century priest
and mystic.

`There are 17 poems by this medieval poet from Armenia that were used
in this project. In our current live show, we’ll be performing
excerpts from the piece.’

Williams added, `We also have a bunch of new songs that we’re
bringing. At least half of the show is new material.’

Epiphany Project has a new album but it doesn’t really focus on new
material. It’s a double album called `Live in Germany’ and features
Williams and Hodian performing along with drummer Mal Stein.

`Our sound has really evolved because we’ve been touring so much,’
said Williams. `Our shows are very organic. I know these guys so well
that, when I improvise, they’re right there with me.’

Hodian said, `I used to be such a studio person. Now, our live shows
are where it all comes together. There is a lot of energy. When the
three of us interact, it’s very loose and very energetic. We never
play songs the same way every night. It’s always fresh.’

Epiphany Project will perform tonight at 8 p.m. at the Steel City
Coffee House (203 Bridge St., Phoenixville, 610-933-4043 or
). Tickets are $18.

Armenian-French expedition hosts France’s ambassador

news.am
June 23, 2012 | 16:56

YEREVAN. – French Ambassador Henri Reynaud on Saturday morning visited
the ancient Erebuni Fortress located in Armenia’s capital, Yerevan.

The Armenian-French archeological excavation, which resumed at the
Fortress on June 5, is funded by the `Erebuni’ Historical &
Archaeological Museum-Reserve and the French ministries of Foreign
Affairs and Culture.

The Ambassador toured the excavation site, the Museum-Reserve informs.

And speaking with news reporters, Reynaud confessed that he knows
solely Erebuni from the wealth of Armenia’s ancient settlements, but
he assured that he is planning on visiting other monuments in the near
future.

In his turn, the French expedition team’s leader Stéphane Deschamps
noted that the Erebuni Fortress is an interesting ancient settlement,
both in terms of architecture and archaeological objects. He
considered Erebuni as an important archaeological monument for the
entire Middle East.

During her talk with the French Ambassador, Armenia’s Deputy Minister
of Culture Arev Samuelyan underscored Erebuni’s importance for Yerevan
and stressed the need to present the Fortress in a wholly new way to
the people.

And `Erebuni’ Historical & Archaeological Museum-Reserve Director
Gagik Gyurjyan informed the Ambassador that they are already working
with their French partners toward holding a joint exhibition.

Paper says ARFD ready to cooperate with Prosperous Armenia

June 23, 2012 – 17:53 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – MP from ARF Dashnaktsutyun Vahan Hovhannisyan
expressed readiness to cooperate with Prosperous Armenia in some
issues, 168 Zham daily reports.

`On the one hand, it’s good, while on the other hand it makes
development of a holistic political course impossible. You must either
back the opposition or authorities’ the paper quoted Mr. Hovhannisyan
as saying.

EU stresses the importance of negotiations with Armenia

news.am
13:25, 23 June, 2012

YEREVAN, JUNE 23, ARMENPRESS: For further development of Eastern
Partnership EU stresses the great importance the signing of
associative treaty with Armenia, Georgia, Moldova and Azerbaijan.
Armenpress reports that about this declared European Commissioner for
Enlargement and European neighborhood policy Stefan Fule during the
interview given to ENPI informational centre.

`The associative treaties are the main tools of Eastern Partnership
which have the aim to create free trade zones with corresponding
regions. On these issues we still continue negotiations with Armenia,
Azerbaijan, Georgia and Moldova and hope that we will be close to the
finish of negotiations with those countries before the next summit of
Eastern Partnership in 2013′ said Fule.

In his words European Union is going to deepen relations with Eastern
Partners in the sphere of mobility.