Author: nina hovnanian

AZERBAIJAN VIOLATES GENEVA CONVENTION AND USES ARMENIAN CAPTIVES FOR POLITICAL PURPOSES

15:48, 13 August, 2013

YEREVAN, AUGUST 13, ARMENPRESS: The actions of Azerbaijan, made towards
the Armenian soldier, who crossed the ArmenianAzerbaijani border and
was captured by the Azerbaijanis, contradict the Geneva Convention on
“Treatment with military captive”.

This was stated to Armenpress by the first Human Rights Defender
of the Republic of Armenia Larisa Alaverdyan. “The clauses of the
Geneva Convention, which concern to the citizens, who crossed the
border and were captured, define that no pressure should be put on the
captured. It violates the human rights of the person, who is already
in quite an extreme condition. It is worth mentioning that at this
moment it does not create the atmosphere of mutual trust, which is
so important for the negotiations process”, – said Larisa Alaverdyan.

The first Human Rights Defender of the Republic of Armenia noted
that in any such situation, when an Armenian soldier appears on the
Azerbaijani side, Azerbaijan uses the incidents for political purposes.

Concerning the fact that the Baku Office of the Red Cross International
Committee has not yet visited the Armenian captured, Larisa Alaverdyan
called it inactivity.

The President of the Committee for Prisoners and Missing Persons
Viktor Kocharyan stated that on the very day of the incident he had
contacted the Red Cross Office in Stepanakert and informed about the
incident but no response has been provided.

The Spokesperson of the Human Rights Defender of the Republic of
Armenia Naira Karmirshalyan informed that the Office is in constant
contact with the Armenian Office of the Red Cross International
Committee and the Ministry of Defense of Armenia. “We do not have any
other powers, as the Armenian soldier is on the territory of another
country”, – said Naira Karmirshalyan.

On August 8 the Armenian Office of the Red Cross International
Committee applied to the RCIC Baku Office on the incident. Earlier
the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic Defense Army informed that Hakob
Injighulyan, born in 1991, at about 03:00 at night of August 7-8
during his service did not manage to orient in the territory and
crossed the Karabakh-Azerbaijan border and appeared on the territory
protected by the rival’s troops.

The First Deputy Defense Minister of the Republic of Armenia
Davit Tonoyan on August 9 hosted the delegate of the Red Cross
International Committee Dragana Rankovich and discussed issues related
to Hakob Injighulyan. In order to exclude possible manipulations and
misinformation Davit Tonoyan officially applied to the Red Cross
International Committee to assure Hakob Injighulyan that the case
will not create legal consequences for him. The aim of applying to
the Committee is also the organizing the safe return of the Armenian
citizen in case of readiness of the Azerbaijani side.

Prepared by Ani Nazaryan

RETURNING HISTORICAL CHURCHES IS OUR MOST TOPICAL ISSUE: BP. MIRZAKHANIAN

16:04, 13 August, 2013

YEREVAN, AUGUST 13, ARMENPRESS. The returning of the historical
Armenian churches and lack of clergy are the most topical issues of
the Diocese of Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Holy Church in Georgia. As
reports “Armenpress”, “Union” information centre of the Armenian
community of Georgia had a conversation with the Primate of the Diocese
of Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Holy Church in Georgia Bishop Vasken
Mirzakhanian regarding the Armenian community, diocese of the Armenian
Apostolic Church in Georgia and its relations with the Georgian Church.

The Primate of the Diocese of Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Holy Church
in Georgia Bishop Vasken Mirzakhanian stated that at the course of
ten years of his being in office the acting cathedrals and churches
have been restored. A lot of work has been conducted with the people
via the organized events, information sources, and active presence
thus changing the attitude of the Georgian officials and the Georgian
people towards the Armenian nation and Armenian Church. “This year the
Prime Minister of Georgia attended the ceremonies dedicated to the Holy
Nativity. One year ago the President himself honored the liturgy served
in Holy Nativity. The Mayor and a number of Ministers, Deputies, and
spiritual leaders of other churches as well attended the Easter Mass.

These all prove that the people’s attitude towards the Armenians
changes,” the Primate of the Diocese of Armenian Apostolic Orthodox
Holy Church in Georgia Bishop Vasken Mirzakhanian noted.

Bishop Vasken Mirzakhanian (baptismal name Edward) was born on 21 July
1965 in the village of Artimed (formerly Atarbekian) of the district
of Vagharshapat (Etchmiadzin). He studied in the secondary school of
the village starting in 1971, and graduated in 1982.

He entered the Gevorkian Theological Seminary at the Mother See of Holy
Etchmiadzin in 1982. From 1984 to 1986 he deferred the continuation
of his education to serve in the Soviet Army. After the completion
of his tour of duty, he continued his studies at the Seminary.

He was ordained to the diaconate on 7 May 1989 by Archbishop Housik
Santourian. In 1990, he successfully defended his final theses entitled
The life and Literary Heritage of Archimandrite Grigor Skearatsi.

On 4 September 2002, he was appointed to serve as the Primate of the
Diocese of Georgia. Father Vazken was consecrated as a Bishop on 23
July 2003, by the Catholicos of All Armenians, His Holiness Karekin
II, in the Mother Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin.

On 20 November 2003 he was appointed to serve as the executive director
of the Episcopal Council’s Organizational office

ARMENIAN GENOCIDE MEMORIAL PROJECT TO BE REVIEWED IN PASADENA

August 13, 2013 – 09:56 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – In couple of years, Armenians all over the world
will be commemorating the 100th anniversary of the first genocide of
the 20th century when 1.5 million Armenians were massacred.

To keep the memory of 1.5 million Armenians alive, 166 memorial
monuments have been erected in 33 countries worldwide. Those who
erected the monuments want the history to stay alive and the people
of the world to be informed of that barbaric event.

The Armenian community in Pasadena wanted to bring their share in the
commemoration effort. The Pasadena Armenian Genocide Memorial Committee
has planned a very impressive memorial to be constructed in Pasadena
Memorial Park by 2015, with adequate informational inscriptions about
the genocide, PASAGMC said in a press release.

On July 16, 2013, the Recreation and Parks Commission unanimously
approved the proposed design by Catherine Menard, a student at the
Pasadena Art Center College of Design.

The City of Pasadena has scheduled the City Council hearing for
September 9 for the review and approval of the memorial design.

The PASAGMC asks the community members attend the City Council hearing
and show support of the proposed memorial project.

MOTHER OF AIDS PATIENT: “DISCHARGE MY SON SO I CAN ARRANGE PROPER TREATMENT FOR HIM”
Kristine Aghalaryan

12:55, August 13, 2013
32 year-old Ararat Tchagharyan has AIDS.

So why is he lying in the general ward of the Armenian Ministry of
Health’s Psychiatric Medical Center’s Avan clinic?

Ararat’s mother Ofelia says he son is receiving no treatment at all
for AIDS, but that a court is not allowing her to have Ararat
discharged and taken elsewhere for care.

As to how Ararat ended up in a psychiatric ward is a long story.

Basically, this past February he met up with another young man named
Armen Tamrazyan who had left his native village of Haghartzin for
Yerevan to look for work. Finding out that Armen had no place to stay
in Yerevan, Ararat suggested that he spend the night at his father’s
property. On the way, the two used an underground passageway to cross
Mashtots Street. Halfway along, Ararat bashed Armen on the head, beat
him, and took his bag. The cops detained the fleeing Ararat

During the investigation, the police declared Ararat to be intoxicated
and charged him with bodily assault. He was also charged with
robbing Armen of property (clothes, iPhone, etc) worth 103,800 AMD.

Ararat’s parents compensated Armen for the full value of the damage.

On February 25, Ararat received long-term pre-trial detention, during
which he mothers claims the police severely beat her son. She claims
the beating was so bad that her son can’t remember anything of the
incident.

Ararat was given a psychiatric evaluation on April 3 and was diagnosed
with AIDS related “weak mindedness” (This diagnosis is the literal
translation of the Armenian “toulamtoutyun” – HG). The psychiatric
evaluation also concluded that Ararat was incapable of governing or
being aware of his actions. Basically, the physicians found that he
was not guilty of the assault on Armen due to his condition. They also
concluded that he posed a danger to society at large and committed him
to the psychiatric ward for supervision.

Ofelia Tchagharyan claims that her son never manifested any signs of
psychiatric imbalance and that they were caused by the beating he
received while being held in police custody.

On April 8, an investigator with the Kentron Police ruled that Ararat
be given mandatory treatment for his psychiatric disorder and that his
detainment be prolonged.

The case was reviewed by the Kentron and Nork Marash Administrative
Court which also found Ararat not guilty of the assault due to AIDS
related “weak mindedness”. The court also ruled that Ararat be
discharged from the Sovetashen Correctional Facility and be admitted
to a psychiatric ward for mandatory treatment. The ruling failed to
specify the duration of such treatment.

The Tchagharyan family holds Russian citizenship. While Ararat is thus
not eligible for free AIDS treatment in Armenia, his mother requested
as much from the Ministry of Health. In response, the Ministry granted
the family an exemption and issued an order so that Ararat could
receive free care at the Ministry’s “AIDS Prevention Center”. The
Ministry added that given the mandatory nature of the treatment, it
would be the responsibility of the Avan Psychiatric Clinic to see to
it that Ararat also being treated for AIDS.

Ararat has been lying in a bed in the Avan Clinic for the past two
months. He hasn’t been receiving any psychiatric care, let alone
treatment for AIDS.

“I went to the clinic director and asked him why my son was being held
there if he isn’t being treated for anything. The director merely
responded that it was the decision of the court,” says Ofelia
Tchagharyan.

She’s thoroughly disillusioned with the health and legal system in
Armenia. Now, all she wants is to get her son out of the clinic so
that she can arrange for proper care.

“I’ll sell the house and my wedding ring. I’ll work and save. Just let
me take care of my son, she says.

Ararat’s parents have appealed the court decision but the Court of
Appeals has yet to review the case. The case was to have been heard on
August 6, but was delayed till the 21.

In the meantime, Ararat lies in a bed in the Avan Psychiatric Ward and waits…

KARABAKH MANUFACTURER PLANS EXPORTING WOOLEN THREAD TO RUSSIA

August 13, 2013 | 01:51

Forest Company of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) is preparing
to export woolen thread to Russia, Company Director Irina Petrosyan
told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

The enterprise will start operations in September and it will
manufacture woolen socks, too.

This project is a part of the program prepared by NKR Deputy PM
Arthur Aghabekyan.

Two other companies will purchase thread from Forest.

Aside from Armenia and NKR, Russia likewise will serve as a market
for the thread.

“We are helped by the fact that there is no woolen thread manufacturing
plant in southern Russia and in Georgia and Armenia,” Petrosyan
concluded.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

ARMENIA’S REGIONS DISTRIBUTED AMONG SENIOR OFFICIALS? – NEWSPAPER

August 13, 2013 | 07:41

YEREVAN. – The regions of Armenia are distributed among the senior
officials of the country, Zhamanak daily reports.

“The officials must visit these regions, get familiar on location
especially with the villagers” problems and coordinate them.

“On August 2, for example, [Deputy PM and Territorial Administration
Minister] Armen Gevorgyan paid a visit to [several village] communities
of Lori Region.

“[But] an eyewitness told Zhamanak that, several days before his visit,
news was already circulating in the villages that the PM was coming.

“So few officials visit these remote villages that ‘cleaning’ had
started in the villages with great fanfare, days before the deputy
PM’s visit,” Zhamanak writes.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

328 PERSONNES SONT MORTES DU VIH / SIDA EN ARMENIE ENTRE 1988 ET 2013

ARMENIE

Il y a 493 porteurs du VIH en Armenie qui sont traites avec des
traitements antiretroviraux et ont ir la possibilite de vivre une
longue vie, se marier et avoir des enfants sains. La seule condition
necessaire pour eux est de faire le depistage du VIH, et si necessaire,
recevoir un traitement adequate.

A la date du 30 Avril, il y avait 1445 personnes porteuses du VIH
en Armenie et leurs nombre est en augmentation. La plupart des cas
(228) ont ete signales en 2012.

Quelques 328 personnes sont mortes du VIH / SIDA en Armenie entre
1988 et 2013.

mardi 13 août 2013, Stephane ©armenews.com

POUR IBRAGIMBEKOV, UNE QUESTION CLE : SERA-T-IL PRESENT OU PAS ?

AZERBAIDJAN

Lorsque l’opposition en Azerbaïdjan a termine sa session de strategie
de deux jours cette semaine a Tbilissi, il y avait de l’espoir qu’ils
reviendraient a la maison avec une personne de plus que quand ils
sont partis.

Mais a la fin Rustam Ibragimbekov – actuel meilleur espoir de
l’Azerbaïdjan pour un changement politique – est reste eloigne.

” Je vais absolument aller a Bakou. Il n’y a pas de doute a ce sujet ”
a declare Ibragimbekov. ” Mais aujourd’hui, mes amis et mes camarades
ici m’ont categoriquement conseille de ne pas y aller tout de suite,
parce que certaines questions juridiques doivent encore etre resolus.

C’est seulement après que je viendrai “.

Le cineaste de 74 ans, qui avait enfin mis un pied en Azerbaïdjan
en Janvier, avait promis de retourner a la maison le 31 Juillet pour
commencer a travailler sur sa campagne comme challenger de l’opposition
unie face a Ilham Aliyev lors de l’election presidentielle prevue
pour le 9 octobre.

Mais une multitude de defis, y compris des accusations criminelles
potentielles a Bakou et les efforts afin de revoquer sa citoyennete
en Russie, ont fait de son retour une perspective risquee, a la fois
personnellement et politiquement.

Ibragimbekov, dont les travaux incluent “Burnt by the Sun” et le
classique sovietique “Soleil blanc du desert “, a exprime la crainte
qu’il pourrait etre arrete sur des accusations d’evasion fiscale s’il
retourne en Azerbaïdjan.

Il n’a pas reussi non plus a se defaire de son passeport russe et ce
double statut de citoyen l’empeche formellement de s’inscrire comme
candidat a la presidentielle.

Le Conseil national, un groupe de coordination qui soutient
Ibragimbekov, a conclu sa reunion des 30-31 juillet a Tbilissi avec
un plan pour appeler personnellement le president russe Vladimir
Poutine a accelerer la demande de denaturalisation de Ibragimbekov.

On avait espere qu’Ibragimbekov, qui detient une emprise considerable
parmi l’intelligentsia azerbaïdjanaise, pourrait constituer un
formidable defi pour Aliyev, dont la famille a maintenu une règle
dynastique de style sur le pays riche en petrole depuis plus de
deux decennies.

Mais l’absence prolongee d’Ibragimbekov a alimente la speculation
que la frustration augmentait entre les membres de l’opposition face
a un candidat invisible.

Au moins un autre membre du conseil, Isa Qambar, president du Parti
Musavat dans l’opposition, a indique ces dernières semaines qu’il est
pret a intervenir en tant que remplacant. S’exprimant le 31 Juillet
sur RFE / RL, Qambar cependant a dit que pour l’instant tous les yeux
restent sur Ibragimbekov.

” Notre priorite actuelle est de se debarrasser de tous les obstacles
artificiels permanents entre la nomination d’ [Ibragimbekov] a la
candidature, de l’inscrire comme candidat, et remporter la victoire
” a declare Qambar. ” C’est le sens de nos activites. Pour les les
autres questions elles peuvent etre regles en temps opportun “.

L’impasse de l’opposition semble avoir stimule la confiance du regime
au pouvoir.

Le responsable de l’administration presidentielle Ali Hasanov cette
semaine a note avec une joie evident qu’Aliyev – qui a attire
officiellement près de 90 pour cent des voix lors des dernières
elections en 2008 – est pret au dialogue avec ” les partis politiques
” ayant des candidats a l’election presidentielle .

La presse d’Etat de l’Azerbaïdjan a egalement caracterise la visite
imminente par Poutine comme un signe certain que le pari de Moscou
est avec le regime au pouvoir plutôt qu’Ibragimbekov – malgre les
liens de longue date du cineaste avec la Russie et l’independance de
la politique energetique d’Aliyev de l’influence russe.

Ibragimbekov a declare a RFE / RL n’y avait ” aucune raison ” de
supposer que la Russie jouait un favori d’une manière ou l’autre.

Cependant, avec Poutine en mesure de retarder indefiniment la
denaturalisation de Ibragimbekov, la visite des 12 et 13 août peut
voir le president russe exigeant des concessions majeures d’Aliyev
en echange d’une conduite souple et sans adversaire lors des elections.

Ibragimbekov, quant a lui, a declare que meme s’il ne pouvait
etre enregistre, il continuerait a travailler avec l’opposition
azerbaïdjanaise pour lutter contre la corruption et la brutalite du
gouvernement. Mais a Tbilissi – 550 kilomètres de route de Bakou –
le candidat a declare qu’il avait toujours pour objectif de devenir
le prochain president de l’Azerbaïdjan.

” Je suis assez critique de moi-meme. Mais j’ai toujours le sentiment
que le peuple azerbaïdjanais veut un changement de gouvernement et
qu’il fera tout pour s’assurer que je gagne”, a declare Ibragimbekov.

Redige a Prague par Daisy Sindelar, basee sur les rapports de Bakou et
de Tbilissi par Maarif Chingizoglu et Tchinguiz Sultansoy du service
azerbaidjanais de RFE / RL et de Tea Topuria du service georgien de
RFE / RL

mardi 13 août 2013, Stephane ©armenews.com

GILBERT MINASSIAN, HEROS DE GUERRE EN ARMENIE, DE RETOUR A MARSEILLE

justice-politique-conflit-armenie

Gilbert Minassian, militant des Jeunesses communistes puis du
nationalisme armenien a Marseille avant de devenir heros de guerre
dans son pays, a fait son retour lundi dans la cite phoceenne après
26 ans d’exil force en raison d’une condamnation judiciaire dont la
peine est desormais prescrite.

Au centre culturel armenien, où il etait accueilli par plus d’une
centaine d’amis alors qu’il arrivait directement d’Armenie via Paris,
il a d’abord embrasse de nombreuses personnes avant de deposer des
gerbes de fleurs et de se recueillir devant les monuments aux morts.

Barbe fourni, jeans delave et polo, “Gib”, 57 ans, a ensuite exhorte
la communaute armenienne a continuer le combat pour la reconnaissance
du genocide armenien et contre le “negationnisme turc”.

“Nous avons commence ce combat avec nos grands-parents, nous le
continuerons avec nos enfants”, a-t-il lance avec une ferveur intacte.

Revenant sur les conditions de son depart de France, qu’il date du 28
juillet 1987, il explique : “Pour mener ce combat, j’ai dû choisir
la liberte”. Estimant qu’a l’epoque, il n’etait “pas du tout sûr
d’avoir un procès equitable” en raison de certains accords entre des
membres des services secrets francais et turcs, il dit “avoir choisi
la clandestinite après discussion avec les camarades”.

La justice lui reprochait le braquage d’un fourgon postal en 1984,
qu’il nie toujours farouchement 29 ans après. “Je ne suis pas un
braqueur, je suis un militant armenien”.

Condamne par contumace en 1989 par la cour d’assises des
Bouches-du-Rhône a la perpetuite, sa peine a ete declaree prescrite
le 26 juin par la cour de cassation, dans un arret qui a fait grand
bruit dans la classe politique, car il ouvre la voie a la liberation
de plusieurs dizaines de detenus en France.

“La prescription, c’est l’oubli”, souligne-t-il.

“J’aimerais bien avoir un nouveau procès pour me rehabiliter, mais
30 ans après, ce n’est pas realiste”.

Gilbert Minassian a ainsi pu recuperer son passeport francais a Erevan
la semaine dernière avant de gagner la France.

Militant communiste, notamment a la fac d’Aix-en-Provence a la fin
des annees 1970, journaliste dans une radio libre, puis porte-drapeau
du nationalisme armenien au debut des annees 1980 a Marseille, il
devient dans ses annees d’exil un heros de guerre en Armenie.

Il participe notamment aux combats dans le conflit contre les Azeris
dans le Haut-Karabakh, avant de prendre part a la construction de
l’armee armenienne, dont il sort avec l’un des grades les plus eleves,
celui de colonel.

Il devient par la suite heros de film, en France, où son histoire est
racontee par Robert Guediguian – les deux hommes se connaissent bien –
dans “Le voyage en Armenie”, sorti en 2006.

MARSEILLE (Bouches-du-Rhône), 12 août 2013 (AFP)

mardi 13 août 2013, Stephane ©armenews.com

CENTRE PRESSE
10 août 2013 samedi

Un héros arménien pour l’amour de Marseille

Ancienne figure des jeunesses communistes à Marseille dans les années
70, puis de l’indépendantisme arménien, soupçonné de braquage et
condamné par contumace, Gilbert Minassian fuit vers son pays d’origine
où il devient un héros de guerre, avant d’inspirer un film de Robert
Guédiguian : c’est lui qui a poussé la Cour de cassation à se
prononcer sur la prescription. En 1989, l’homme a été condamné par
contumace à la perpétuité, par la cour d’assises des Bouches-du-Rhône,
pour son implication dans l’attaque d’un fourgon postal près de
Marseille, qu’il a toujours niée. Vingt ans après, sa peine devait
être considérée comme prescrite et M. Minassian en a demandé donc la
prescription. Mais la chancellerie s’y est opposée. Elle lui avait
opposé une série d’actes interrompant cette prescription.

Or, la définition de ceux-ci avait été fixée par un décret de décembre
2004 et la Cour de cassation a souligné qu’une telle liste ne pouvait
être fixée que par la loi. Elle a depuis été transcrite par une loi en
mars 2012, mais la Cour de cassation a donné raison au demandeur, qui
contestait la validité des actes interruptifs. La Cour permet ainsi à
M. Minassian d’envisager de revenir à Marseille, la ville de son c?ur.
Suite à cet arrêt le ministère de la Justice a dû faire vérifier
toutes les condamnations en cours d’exécution dont la prescription
avait été rejetée aux mêmes motifs entre le décret de 2004 et la loi
de 2012. À ce jour, 1 784 des 3 499 condamnations susceptibles d’être
concernées par les décisions de la Cour de cassation ont été
examinées. Sur ces cas, 14 personnes ont été remises en liberté.