Ombudsman On Prosecutor General’S Activities

OMBUDSMAN ON PROSECUTOR GENERAL’S ACTIVITIES

03:18 pm | Today | Social

Armenian Human Rights Defender (Ombudsman) has released another report,
this time assessing the activities of the Prosecutor General’s Office

Though many law violations by investigation and preliminary
investigation bodies have been revealed and processed as a result
of prosecutorial control including cases relating to records on
crimes, their registration, record keeping and the process itself,
however, the complaints addressed to the Ombudsman evidence that there
were significant contradictions in the explanation materials given
to citizens, and in some cases the investigation and preliminary
investigation bodies have made decisions “on proceeding rejection
of criminal cases by the materials”. Such kind of violations of the
rights and interests of citizens by the investigation and preliminary
investigation bodies mainly took place as a result of a non proper
control by the Prosecution over the investigation and preliminary
investigation, when disputable or illegal decisions have not been
eliminated.

And again as a result of non proper control over the investigation and
preliminary investigation there exist many cases when the investigation
and preliminary investigation bodies have violated the 10 days time
period – prescribed by Article 180 of the RA Criminal Procedural Code
– of consideration of reports on crimes. Actually, the problem is a
result of an unrealistic legislative regulation, about which evidences
the Prosecution’s reply to the Ombudsman, where it is mentioned that
the prescribed by law 10 days time period is not usually sufficient
for revealing the grounds of criminal case proceedings.

In many cases, as a result of non sufficient control by the
Prosecutor’s Office, the period prescribed by the Criminal Procedural
Code was not kept towards detainees in the RA Police Detention
Facilities (hereinafter – detention facilities).

Though the order of discussing complaints in the Prosecution is
regulated by N59 order “About approving the order of the prosecutor’s
office of the Republic of Armenia” of the RA Prosecutor General, made
on 20.06.2008, and according to point 224 of the order it is forbidden
to send the application for discussion to a state or local government
body or an official, whose decision or activity (inactivity) is in
the process of appealing, nevertheless, in certain cases citizens,
complaining of an investigator’s activities, guided by the Article 290
of the Criminal Procedural Code, applied to the Higher Prosecutor and
the latter in order to solve the further process of the application
submitted it to the investigator, whose actions are challenged. As a
result of such actions, citizens’ right to appeal that is- the right
to effective legal protection was violated.

Though the legislative process of responding to possible cases of
violence and torture in places of detention or penitentiaries is
strictly regulated in the RA Prosecution system, however, according
to citizens the Prosecutor’s Office not in all cases was informed or
effectively intervened.

The court and the legislative body did not sufficiently ensured the
parties’ equality- the principle of competition- at the trial stage.

The results of monitoring carried out by human rights organizations
evidence that the prosecutor while implementing its activities at the
trial stage has advantages over the other party, which leads to an
inequality of the trial parties. In such cases the right to a fair
trial is violated.

A worrying fact is that the Prosecutor’s Office, generally, while
solving the issue of precautionary measures, prefers submitting
detention request to the court, whereas detention should be observed
as an exclusive preventive measure and be applied in case when it
is impossible to ensure the accused proper behavior in the course of
proceedings by means of other preventive measures prescribed by the
RA Criminal Procedural Code. In practice “Personal guarantee” and
“Organization guarantee” preventive measures almost were not applied.

At the same time the most effective alternative preventive measures
are not prescribed by the RA Criminal Procedural Code.

The RA Prosecutor’s Office, in the scope of its authorities, carries
out control over application of Article 190 (“Subordination of
Investigation”) of the RA Criminal Procedural Code. The controlling
prosecutor should take measures to except the cases of violations of
subordination of investigations transferring those cases to appropriate
preliminary investigation bodies to be investigated accordingly. Some
local and international human rights organizations and experts
expressed their negative opinion on this function of Prosecutor’s
Office, who think that subjective approaches should be minimized;
the approaches and standards, which are applied while deciding the
matter of subordination of investigation of criminal cases, should
be clearly defined.

Despite of some favorable amendments and more effective and transparent
implementation of works, however, there were complaints regarding
the RA Military Prosecutor’s Office in the course of the year. In
particular, complaints of parents and relatives of military servicemen
-died or killed during military service in RA Armed Forces, related
to non comprehensive, non complete and non objective preliminary
investigation by the preliminary investigation body -in the result
of no proper control carried out by the RA Military Prosecutor’s
Office. Such kind of complaints mainly referred to crimes committed
before 2011.

In the anti-corruption strategy program framework, prescribed by
the RA decision N1272, 08.10.2009 “About Establishing the Program
of Events of the RA Anti-corruption Strategy Implementation during
2009-2012”, the RA General Prosecutor’s Office took some measures in
the sphere of prevention of corruption in the respect of elimination
of gaps in legislative and law enforcement practices and also other
issues. Nevertheless, the main conditions promoting to the reduction of
corruption are social conditions, in the context of which legislative
settings regarding salaries of prosecutors should be reconsidered –
possibly increasing them and making independent from the executive
body’s discretion.

The RA Prosecutor’s Office ensured to a maximum degree transparency and
publicity of its activities, the evidence of which is presentation of
its daily activities on the website. According to published monitoring
results in 2011, conducted by “Freedom of Expression Committee” NGO,
the Prosecutor’s web page was considered the most transparent one
in terms of accessibility of information. Besides, the RA General
Prosecutor’s Office received a letter of thanks from “Freedom of
Information Center” NGO for promoting freedom and publicity of
information in Armenia.

http://www.a1plus.am/en/social/2012/03/30/ombuds-prosecutor

Hollande: Ankara’s Persistent Denial Of Armenian Genocide Unacceptab

HOLLANDE: ANKARA’S PERSISTENT DENIAL OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE UNACCEPTABLE

Panorama.am
30/03/2012

French Socialist candidate to presidential elections Francois Hollande
said Turkey was not committed to democracy deserving membership in EU
family. According to him modern Turkey doesn’t correspond to European
norms and standards.

“Equality in men and women, freedom of pres and expression, reforms
of judicial system, defence of rights of national minorities are not
guaranteed in Turkey. Ankara’s persistent denial of Armenian Genocide
is unacceptable. Turkey is also highly recommended to settle its
Cypriot conflict,” Turkish news agency İhlas quotes Mr. Hollande
as saying.

Russia-Armenia: 20 Years Of Diplomatic Relations And "mutually Benef

RUSSIA-ARMENIA: 20 YEARS OF DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS AND “MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL COOPERATION”
By Naira Hayrumyan

ArmeniaNow
30.03.12 | 12:58

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will pay a visit to Armenia
on April 2-3 and then leave for Azerbaijan.

Although the visit is called a South Caucasus tour, it is clear
that Lavrov will not visit the third country of the South Caucasus
– Georgia. After the Russo-Georgian war in August 2008, these two
countries have no diplomatic relations. Earlier, Georgia had forced
Russia to withdraw its military bases stationed in the territory of
that country and now Tbilisi is seeking to become a NATO member.

Enlarge Photo Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov In this context,
experts believe that the purpose of the Lavrov tour dedicated to the
20th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations with Armenia
and Azerbaijan is an attempt to reaffirm the fact that these two
South Caucasus countries are in the zone of Russia’s influence.

The reasons for suspecting that, in particular, Armenia begins
to straighten up after a strong bias towards Russia is that its
parliamentary minority party, Heritage, joined its efforts with another
liberal party, Free Democrats, on a joint platform to contest the
May 2012 parliamentary election. This political alliance is known to
be against Armenia’s decision two years ago to prolong the lease on
Russia’s military base in the country till nearly the middle of the
century. Besides, these liberal forces believe that while Armenia
should try to build friendly relations with Russia, it still needs
to strive for Europe.

Pro-European orientation is felt even in the programs of the ruling
coalition parties, and Armenian Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan,
who paid a three-day visit to the United States last week, stated on
Thursday that Armenian-American military cooperation will be expanded
in the near future.

It is yet early to speak about Armenia having decided to review its
current relationship with Russia, but it is already obvious that the
taboo from this subject has been removed.

Remarkable in this regard is the statement by the Russian Foreign
Ministry issued before Lavrov’s visit. The statement emphasizes that
“intensive contacts with Armenia make it possible to solve urgent
issues of cooperation and coordinate positions on key issues of
international politics on a pragmatic and mutually beneficial basis.”

The Russian Foreign Ministry highly evaluates the work of Russian
companies in Armenia’s economy. According to its data, they “fully
provide the internal demand of Armenia in natural gas and fresh nuclear
fuel, as well as a steady supply of industrial and social spheres
with electric power.” In other words, the Russian Foreign Ministry
“hints” that Armenia completely depends on Russia both in terms of
international politics and for its energy security.

It is noteworthy that the same processes are now taking place in
Azerbaijan, which is increasingly leaning towards the construction of
the Trans-Caspian pipeline, through which, together with Turkmenistan,
it expects to transport natural gas to Europe, bypassing Russia.

Besides, Azerbaijan and Russia still cannot come to terms on the
Gabala radar station after Azerbaijan raised its rent from current
$7 million to $300 million a year.

In other words, the top Russian diplomat has something to talk about
in both South Caucasus republics.

Turkish Factor: Moscow Conference Reviews Geopolitical Threats And D

TURKISH FACTOR: MOSCOW CONFERENCE REVIEWS GEOPOLITICAL THREATS AND DYNAMICS IN MIDEAST AND FORMER SOVIET SPACE
By Gayane Lazarian

ArmeniaNow
30.03.12 | 12:08

The Turkish factor in the Middle East and post-Soviet countries
was the main issue of research at the conference held at Moscow’s
Strategic Research Center recently. Expert in Turkish studies Ruben
Safrastyan says Russia has concerns over the Turkish factor and is
trying to define its role in the region.

“The conference was the first step that will lead to a closer
investigation of Turkey’s role in geopolitical developments and,
most importantly, what threats the Turkish factor is posing,” says
Safrastyan, head of the Institute of Eastern Studies at the RA National
Academy of Sciences, who participated in the conference.

He says after the collapse of the Soviet Union scientific relations
between Russia and Armenia had seen a decline. However, today, when
Moscow is becoming an extremely important factor in the Middle East,
the mutual ties in the sphere are being resumed and strengthened.

At the conference the Institutes of Eastern Studies of both countries’
National Academies of Sciences signed agreements. Safrasyan says
the conference will become a fulcrum for enhancing cooperation with
Russian institutes in particular, which has to do with the Russia’s
activated regional politics.

Twelve reports were presented on how the Turkish factor influences
many countries’ domestic political affairs, among them Georgia and
Azerbaijan. By a number of reports, experts from different countries
clearly demonstrated Turkey’s backstage activities.

In his report Safrastyan touched upon the Turkish factor, structure
and dynamics, stressing that Turkey had intruded into South Caucasus.

After the collapse of Soviet Union it has shifted its policy and
has been following it in relations with Russia, Middle East and
CIS countries.

“The Turkish factor has turned into Turkish expansion by peaceful
means and spreading of pan-Turkism and Islamism,” he says. “Turkey
has started consolidating its positions in the geopolitical struggle.

However, in most cases, those positions do not match with the ones it
actually has. The next couple of years will show whether Turkey will
remain within its frame or will go beyond it and by doing so pose a
threat to geopolitical processes. ”

Safrastyan stresses that the Turkish factor has to be thoroughly
researched, and measures taken, to prevent it from strengthening.

He does not rule out Turkey’s potential military involvement in Syrian
affairs, which would endanger the Syrian Armenian community.

“If hostilities burst out in Iran Turkey might be part of it as well.

This fits into the so-called “trade relations” with the United States”
the main purpose of which is to keep the United States from using
the word ‘genocide’,” he says.

In his report Safrastyan raised an issue, saying that although Russia
had long recognized the Armenian Genocide however was lagging behind
France which is trying to adopt the law on criminalizing genocide
denial.

“The key message was that Russia, too, has to start a similar process,”
he says. “A number of countries are following the evolution of the
issue, so if France passes the bill, quite possible, that several
European countries might accede as well.”

The Azeri press, particularly the Trend.az online newspaper, covering
Safrastyan’s Moscow report, qualified it as “an attempt to drive a
wedge between Turkey and Russia.”

ARF Dashnaktsutyun Member Concerned Over Foreign Policy Concept

ARF DASHNAKTSUTYUN MEMBER CONCERNED OVER FOREIGN POLICY CONCEPT

NEWS.AM
March 30, 2012 | 12:29

YEREVAN. – Armenia is facing lots of foreign challenges, parliament
opposition ARF Dashnaktsutyun MP Armen Rustamyan said on Friday.

“These challenges include Armenian-Turkish relations, Nagorno-Karabakh
peace process and the Javakhk issue. And we are to seek the solution
within ourselves,” he said.

Rustamyan said that the authorities have been discussing the draft of
the foreign policy concept, which he got familiarized with and made
some offers as a head of the Standing Committee on Foreign Relations.

Moreover, he has serious concerns over the concept, which lacks a
very important provision.

“It should be based on such an ideology, which will be able to
protect national and state interests effectively, and to be adequate
in overcoming the challenges,” Rustamyan stated.

Israel Strengthens Its Presence In Azerbaijan – Military Expert

ISRAEL STRENGTHENS ITS PRESENCE IN AZERBAIJAN – MILITARY EXPERT

news.am
March 30, 2012 | 04:12

YEREVAN. – It is difficult to judge whether reports on alleged Israeli
airbases in the territory of Azerbaijan are true, says Armenian
military expert.

“It is unclear whether talks, Azerbaijan’s approval or discussions
stand behind the rumors,” Artsrun Hovhannisyan told Armenian
News-NEWS.am, commenting on recent publication of influential Foreign
Policy magazine.

The article published in the magazine says Israel has recently been
granted access to airbases in Azerbaijan. An anonymous senior diplomat
says the airbases may host Israeli aircrafts after attacking Iran.

The report was followed by a wave of refutations by the Azerbaijani
top officials who claim Azerbaijan’s territory will be never used to
attack Iran, Georgia, Russia and Turkey.

Speaking about refutation, Hovhannisyan recalled the recent weapon
deal signed by Azerbaijan and Israel.

“The Azerbaijani side ‘tried’ to explain the deal by the fact that it
will be used against Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh, not Iran,” he said.

However, the expert stressed that according to preliminary information,
the major part of purchased weapons is anti-ship missile systems.

“They can be hardly used against Armenia,” he emphasized, adding
that it will be used not only against Iran but also Russia with
its powerful Caspian fleet. “Airbases are just a detail. Israel is
obviously strengthening its presence in Azerbaijan and it may be
nothing but a threat to Iran.”

Bako Sahakyan Met A Group Of Intellectuals, Arrived To Artsakh Withi

BAKO SAHAKYAN MET A GROUP OF INTELLECTUALS, ARRIVED TO ARTSAKH WITHIN THE FRAMEWORKS OF THE DAYS OF THE RUSSIAN LANGUAGE

Noyan Tapan
2012-03-29

On 29 March President Bako Sahakyan met a group of intellectuals from
Russia and Armenia who have arrived to Artsakh within the frameworks
of The Days of the Russian Language.

As informs Central Information Department of the office of the Artsakh
Republic President, a wide range of issues related to studying the
Russian language in our republic was discusses during the meeting.

President Sahakyan welcomed the organization of such events in
Artsakh underlining that in our country a serious attention is given
to the Russian language considering it important both for cultural
development and further deepening friendly ties between the Armenian
and Russian peoples.

Minister of education and science Vladik Khachatryan and other
officials partook at the meeting.

Le Diocese Annonce L’ouverture D’une Nouvelle Paroisse a Nice

LE DIOCESE ANNONCE L’OUVERTURE D’UNE NOUVELLE PAROISSE A NICE
Ara

armenews.com
vendredi 30 mars 2012

Le Primat du Diocèse Armenien de France, Monseigneur Norvan ZAKARIAN
et le President du Conseil diocesain, Monsieur Patrice DJOLOLIAN,
souhaitent informer la communaute armenienne de France de la creation
d’une nouvelle paroisse de notre Eglise a Nice intitulee ” ASSOCIATION
CULTUELLE DE LA PAROISSE DE L’EGLISE APOSTOLIQUE ARMENIENNE DES ALPES
MARITIMES, DU VAR ET DE MONACO “.

Son siège est sis en l’Eglise Saint Philippe, 40 avenue Estienne
d’Orves – 06000 NICE

Cette nouvelle association cultuelle a ete creee car la precedente
association cultuelle appelee ” PAROISSE DE L’EGLISE APOSTOLIQUE
ARMENIENNE DE NICE COTE D’AZUR ” n’etait plus en communion avec notre
Eglise Apostolique Armenienne au point d’entrer en conflit direct
avec la hierarchie Supreme de celle-ci.

Toutes les tentatives de conciliation et de reconciliation se
sont averees vaines, les responsables de cette ancienne paroisse
prenant toutes les initiatives possibles pour calomnier et tenter de
discrediter la hierarchie religieuse de notre Eglise.

Devant cette situation, Sa Saintete Karekine II, Catholicos de tous
les Armeniens et le Conseil Spirituel Supreme de notre Eglise ont
ete amenes, par decision en date du 26 janvier 2012 a retirer a cette
ancienne paroisse le droit de se prevaloir de l’appellation d’Eglise
Apostolique Armenienne. Ils ont, a l’unanimite, considere qu’elle
ne representait plus celle-ci et lui ont interdit de proceder a la
celebration de notre culte.

L’Assemblee des Delegues Diocesains, lors de l’Assemblee Generale
Extraordinaire du 25 Fevrier 2012, prenant acte de la decision du
Conseil Spirituel Supreme, a considere que cette association cultuelle
se trouvait de fait exclue de notre Diocèse.

La nouvelle paroisse “ASSOCIATION CULTUELLE DE LA PAROISSE DE L’EGLISE
APOSTOLIQUE ARMENIENNE DES ALPES MARITIMES, DU VAR ET DE MONACO”
qui sera bientôt membre de notre Diocèse, dès les formalites en cours
achevees, organise depuis deja quelques semaines la vie religieuse au
sein de la communaute et effectue les celebrations cultuelles d’une
manière regulière en l’Eglise Saint Philippe, 40 avenue Estienne
d’Orves – 06000 NICE.

Tous les membres de la communaute sont invites a rejoindre cette
nouvelle paroisse qui seule represente notre Eglise Apostolique
Armenienne en la ville de Nice.

Les Autorites Georgiennes Torpillent Une Reunion Sur Le Djavakhk

LES AUTORITES GEORGIENNES TORPILLENT UNE REUNION SUR LE DJAVAKHK
Gari

armenews.com
vendredi 30 mars 2012

Les autorites georgiennes ont deploye tous leurs efforts pour torpiller
une reunion de la communaute armenienne au cours de laquelle le
coordinateur du Counseil des organisations armeniennes du Djavakhk et
le directeur de l’agence de presse A-Info Artak Gabrielyan devaient
informer la communaute armenienne de cette province du sud de la
Georgie limitrophe de l’Armenie des duscussions avec les responsables
europeens a Bruxelles au debut du mois.

Les organisateurs de ce forum communautaire avaient invite des
journalistes, des responsables et activistes d’organisations de defense
des droits de l’homme ainsi que des representants d’associations
culturelles et de mouvements politiques de toute la province du
Djavakhk, a savoir Akhalkalak, Nino-Dzminda, Akhalktskha et Dzalka.

Pourtant, selon les organisateurs, quelques heures avant la reunion,
les membres des organisations invitees ont fait savoir qu’ils avaient
recu des appels “d’en haut” leur faisant comprendre qu’ils ne devaient
pas participer au forum. De plus, les organisateurs n’ont pas obtenu
l’autorisation d’utiliser une salle municipal pour la reunion. Lors de
ses entretiens a Bruxelles, M.Gabrielyan avait presente les doleances
des Armeniens du Djavakhk, non sans rappeler qu’il avait dû se rendre
justement dans la capitale de l’UE en raison du refus des autorites
georgiennes de rencontrer les representants de la communaute armenienne
du Djavakhk.

Selon M.Gabrielyan, les obstacles dresses par Tbilissi pour empecher la
tenue du forum soulignent l’importance de cette rencontre et trahissent
l’implication directe des autorites georgiennes -bureau du procureur
general, ministère de l’interieur et ministère de la defense – ce qui
constitue un motif serieux d’inquietude pour les Armeniens du Djavakhk.

Le forum communautaire s’est neanmoins tenu, mais dans les locaux du
Counseil des Organisations armeniennes, avec 30 participants seulement,
qui ont ete informes de la teneur des rencontres de Bruxelles et d’un
Memorandum au Parlement europeen, qui enumère les problèmes auxquels
font face les Armeniens du Djavakhk et reitère les demandes qui
avaient ete formulees par le Counseil des Organisations armeniennes
de Samtskhe-Djavakhk. Au nombre de ces demandes figurent :

1. L’octroi d’un statut d’autonomie territoriale (avec une assemblee
directement elue) a la province de Samtskhe-Javakheti ainsi qu’au
district limitrophe majoritairement armenien de Tsalka, au sein d’une
Georgie federale ;

2. L’usage de la langue armenienne dans les administrations des
localites de ces provinces–comme Akhalkalaki et Ninotsminda–dans
lessuelles les Armeniens sont majoritaires ; la Georgie s’y etait
pourtant engagee en integrant le Counseil de l’Europe en 1999,
singulièrement en signant la Charte europeenne sur les langues
regionales et minoraires ;

3. Mise en oeuvre de projets de developpement sociale et economique
pour la region, de telle sorte qu’elle atteigne le niveau du reste
du pays ;

4. Renforcement de la representation armenienne dans les institutions
locales et etatiques ;

5.Arret du processus visant a attirer des non-Armeniens venus d’autres
regions du pays dans la province de Samtskhe-Javakheti.

En denoncant les efforts des autorites georgiennes visant a torpiller
le forum, M.Gabrielyan a exprime la deception des members de la
communaute armenienne qui ont ete prives de la possibilite d’etre
informes, directement, du deroulement des entretiens de Bruxelles.

M.Gabriyelian a reitere ses exigencies concernant l’evolution de
la Georgie vers un Etat federal, une proposition qui a recu, selon
lui, un echi favotrable a Bruxelles. Il a souligne qu’il envisageait
l’avenir du Djavakhk comme celui d’une entite autonome au sein d’une
Georgie federale

Stage Carnage: The Armenian And Rwandan Genocides Are At The Centre

STAGE CARNAGE: THE ARMENIAN AND RWANDAN GENOCIDES ARE AT THE CENTRE OF THE COMPLEX AND COMPELLING STATE OF DENIAL
by NEIL BOYCE

Montreal Mirror
March 29 2012
Canada

It’s a great opener. The first scene of Rahul Varma’s new play for
Teesri Dunyi Theatre, State of Denial, is a funeral.

A cast of six take on multiple roles in a story that links Canada
and Turkey and spans nearly a century. Varma’s text touches on
both the Armenian and Rwandan genocides, but the main focus is the
plight of women in armed conflicts, where as one character puts it,
“Our bodies became their battleground.”

Odette (Helen Koya) is a documentary filmmaker and survivor of the
Rwandan genocide, now living in Canada. She’s deep into a project
that’s taken her to Turkey where she interviews Sahana (Rachelle
Glait), an elderly Turkish woman widely known for her work helping
Armenian survivors. As Sahana reveals to Odette her true past–that
she was a pregnant Armenian woman sheltered by a kind Muslim Turkish
family–the scene shifts back to when she was a girl with a different
name and religion.

In director Deborah Forde, Varma’s found a sizzling talent to make
the difficult story understandable and bearable. Like many past
Teesri Dunyi productions, the play has an engaging, agitprop feel
that carries its audience along, and Varma’s writing and pacing here
has never been sharper or more layered.

Sahana’s dying wish is for Odette to find her missing daughter,
who was entrusted with a guardian to take her to Canada. When an
outraged Turkish diplomat hears about Odette’s research, he demands,
“Why not talk about whites killing aboriginals?” All the Canadian
consular official accompanying her can do is counter lamely, “We’re
all shackled to our histories.”

The strong ensemble cast, which also features Davide Chiazzese,
Matthew Kabwe, Olivier Lamarche and Natalie Tannous (as the young
Sahana), show great range and unflinching commitment to the material.

The problem in producing a work on genocide is, once the lid of
horrors is pried open–mass rapes, killings and the smiling savagery
of the perpetrators–how do you keep from overwhelming and numbing the
audience? Varma and Forde accomplish it by focusing on human actions
and human motivation in scene after scene of compelling and complex
theatre. Towards the end, the wizened Sahana gives the story its coda,
“They killed my people because they hated them. I do not want to be
like them.”

INTIMATE COSTUMES

With actors and directors hogging the limelight, no one seems to
bother with the people who make them look good–the design team. But
a new Centaur play, Intimate Apparel, is opening and Lynn Nottage’s
story (set in New York City in 1905) is about a seamstress who makes
lingerie for hookers and high-class dames. So who better to talk to
than costumer Susana Vera, designer of the outfits for the show?

“I started selling doll clothes to my friends when I was eight,”
Vera laughs. Her career trajectory took her from studies in historic
costume making at Dalhousie, to a lengthy apprenticeship at Mon­ument
National, to her current steady freelance work at theatres all over
the city.

“I got 30 books on the era, from corsets to drawers to silhouettes.

One of my books was The History of Underwear.” Vera says. “It’s
wonderful for us when the actors come into the dressing room, they
leave and they’re a different person. It’s beautiful to allow them
that transformation.”

The show’s directed by Micheline Chevrier, with Lucinda Davis and
Quincy Armorer in lead roles.

STATE OF DENIAL TO APRIL 1 AT MCCORD MUSEUM (690 SHERBROOKE W.).

TICKETS INFO: (514) 848-0238, TEESRIDUNIYA.COM.

INTIMATE APPAREL TO APRIL 29 AT CENTAUR (453 ST-FRANCOIS-XAVIER).

TICKETS INFO: (514) 288-3161, CENTAURTHEATRE.COM

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