Author: Taslakhchian Andranik

From: Sebouh Z Tashjian <[email protected]>
Subject: Little progress in latest Hrant Dink trial hearing

AZG Armenian Daily #088, 09/05/2008

Turkey

LITTLE PROGRESS IN LATEST HRANT DINK TRIAL HEARING,
BUT PRESS TO BE ADMITTED TO NEXT ONE

Little significant progress was made during the fifth
hearing on 28 April in Istanbul in the trial of the 19
people accused of the January 2007 murder of Hrant
Dink, a journalist of Armenian origin. Eight of the
defendants in the trial, which began 15 months ago,
have been detained since shortly after the murder.

One of the defendants, Coskun Igci, a police informer
in the eastern city of Trabzon, the home town of most
of the defendants, was due to have been questioned
during the 28 April hearing but he could not testify
as he was not represented by a lawyer.

Igci previously testified to a Trabzon court that he
had informed two police officers that Yasin Hayal, one
of the accused masterminds, was planning to kill Dink.
As a result of that statement, the two police officers
said they had passed on the information to their
superiors, and accused them of failing to take any
action.

The Istanbul court said it would provide Igci with a
lawyer for the next hearing on 7 July, which should be
open to the press because the accused gunman, Ogün
Samast, turns 18 on 28 June. Until now the press have
been barred from the hearings on the grounds that
Samast was a minor.

One of the defendants, Irfan Özkan, who was released
on 2 July 2007, gave damning testimony at the 28 April
hearing. He confirmed that he had heard Ümit Öksüz, a
Trabzon youth and friend of Samast, say: "A group from
Istanbul organized an important meeting in Trabzon
before the murder at which it was asked who was going
to shoot the journalist. When Samast stepped forward
to say ?I will do it,? everyone applauded."

When asked by one of the Dink family lawyers about the
participants at this meeting, Özkan refused to answer,
saying Öksüz himself should provide the information.

The court agreed to a request by the Dink family?s
lawyers for the Istanbul and Trabzon prosecutor?s
offices to be asked to provide situation reports on
the investigations under way into Istanbul police
officers, including police chief Celalettin Cerrah,
his head of intelligence and their aides, and into
gendarmes in Trabzon.

The Dink family?s lawyers is also seeking access to
official records that would help them to establish
what contacts Hayal may have developed during a
previous spell in prison in October 2004 after bombing
a McDonald?s restaurant in Trabzon. They have asked
for access to the prison computer in which all
prisoner visits are recorded but the prison
administration had not responded.

Finally, the Dink family?s lawyers also filed a
complaint against Hayal?s lawyer, Fuat Turgut,
accusing him under article 216.2 of the criminal code
of "inciting hate" by insulting novelist Orhan Pamuk
and Armenians during the hearing and in the presence
of journalists.

Reporters Without Borders, Press release

MEETING BETWEEN NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL SECRETARY AND AMBASSADOR OF
IRAN TAKES PLACE

YEREVAN, MAY 7, NOYAN TAPAN. During the May 6 meeting between Artur
Baghdasarian, the Secretary of the National Security Council, and Seid
Ali Saghaian, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Iran
to Armenia, the interlocutors touched upon issues related to further
development of Armenian-Iranian centuries-old relations, regional
security, further deepening of bilateral relations in transport,
energy, and other spheres. Noyan Tapan was informed about it by the RA
President’s Press Office.

Armenian political expert proposes adopting American model of state
governance

2008-05-05 14:20:00

ArmInfo. Armenian political expert, Doctor in Political Science Levon
Shirinyan proposes adopting the American model of state governance
system in Armenia.

In response to ArmInfo question at Friday Debate Club, Levon Shirinyan
said that once Armenia adopted the model of semi-presidential system of
governance from Russian and France that ‘were experiencing crisis of
governance’ . In the meanwhile an accurate semi-presidential system
like that in America that has no institution of prime minister and
where the power branches balance each other and the powerful executive
power operates on the basis of the Constitution and legislation and the
market is socially- orientated can much help leading the country from
the present domestic-political crisis, Levon Shirinyan said.

ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT DEVELOPS PROGRAM ON AVAILABILITY OF COMPUTER IN
EACH HOUSEHOLD OF COUNTRY

YEREVAN, MAY 5, NOYAN TAPAN. The Armenian government is developing a
program aimed at ensuring the availability of a computer in each
household of the country. It is possible that agreements will be
reached with big computer-producing companies on the sale of computers
of various prices to the population. It is also envisaged to use some
credit mechanisms to implement such agreements. The RA minister of
economy Nerses Yeritsian stated this at the press conference held
during the "without tie" meeting of the IT sector’s heads in
Tsakhkadzor on May 1-3.

In accordance with the draft concept on development of Armenia’s IT
sector, the level of the population’s physical, financial and content
access to the Internet shall be increased from 5% in 2006 to 90% in
1918. From the viewpoint of achieving this goal, the minister attached
special importance to the availability of e-content of the education,
health care, agriculture and other sectors in the Internet, which will
create demand for solution of physical (telecommunication) access
problems and investment attraction.

It is also planned to ensure Internet access by setting up 100
Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) access centers
throughout Armenia in 2008-2013. Local government bodies, 900 postal
offices, bank branches, about 1,500 schools, and 51 centers of the
Social Security Service may become such centers. The draft concept
envisages the availability of at least 250 ICT centers, which,
according to N. Yeritsian, may play a great role in dissemination of
electronic literacy and stimulate demand for computers.

He said that the IT sector cannot develop without creation of IT
product necessary for the formation of electronic society. The draft
concept envisages increasing the annual production of IT sector to a
billion dollars in 2018. In the minister’s opinion, this is realistic
if in the IT sector Armenia proceeds along the path passed by developed
countries and uses their experience.

He added that 10 main programs will be developed after the concept’s
approval by the government. 5 programs will be related to information
society, another 5 – to development of the IT sector.

106th DIOCESAN ASSEMBLY OF ARMENIAN CHURCH OF AMERICA TO TAKE PLACE
THIS WEEKEND

RHODE ISLAND, MAY 6, ARMENIANS TODAY – NOYAN TAPAN.

The 106th Diocesan Assembly of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)
is being hosted by Saints Sahag and Mesrob Armenian Church in
Providence this weekend, the first time in more than 30 years.

The gala banquet will be held on May 6 at the Providence Marriott hotel
ballroom, during which Oscar Tatosian, chairman of the Diocesan
Council, will make presentations. Honored as Friend of the Armenians
will be Senator Jack Reed. Honored as Armenians of the Year are
brothers, Kevork Atinizian of Belmont, and Nishan Atinizian of
Winchester. On May 7 a celebration of the Divine Liturgy will be
officiated by His Eminence Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, the primate of
the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern). This service
will be conducted at the Marriott.

YEREVAN MUNICIPALITY TO BUILD 110 APARTMENTS FOR RESIDENTS OF RUN-DOWN RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS

ARMENPRESS
May 5, 2008

YEREVAN, MAY 5, ARMENPRESS: The Yerevan municipality will have built
this year two ten-storey residential blocks with 110 apartments for
residents of four four-storey run-down residential buildings.

A deputy Yerevan mayor Karen Davtian said today these four buildings
are the last run-down residential buildings in Yerevan rated as
category 4.

He said the municipality then will turn to residents of four-category
run-down hostels, which will be supported by a special government
decision.

He said there are 58 development sites in Yerevan.

He said residents of old houses which are razed to ground to give room
for high-rise buildings are provided either with housing in the same
area or offered monetary compensations at market prices with extra
15 percent pay.

Prosperous Armenia party criticizes Armenian opposition’s demand to
start a dialogue with authorities only after solving the problem of
political prisoners

2008-05-04 17:12:00

ArmInfo. The authorities’ suggestion to start a dialogue with the
opposition remains in force, Naira Zohrabyan, a member of the
parliamentary faction of Prosperous Armenia Party, said at a briefing
at the National Assembly of Armenia. At the same time, the MP expressed
misunderstanding over the fact that the radical opposition led by the
first president of Armenia Levon Ter-Petrosyan demands closing the
criminal case of the March 1 mass disorders and releasing all the
political prisoners to start a political dialogue with the authorities.
"I don’t qualify Ter-Petrosyan’s speech at the Second Congress of his
supporters as a work of art", Zohrabyan said. Nevertheless, she
welcomed the opposition’s willingness to start a dialogue with the
authorities.

AZG Armenian Daily #084, 03/05/2008

Culture

VALMAR EXHIBITION OPENED

In the Armenian National Gallery Valmar’s (Volodia Margarian) works
exhibition opened yesterday.

Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsian, Culture Minister Hasmik
Poghosian and many artists and art lovers participated in the opening
ceremony of the exhibition.

The PM mentioned that Armenia will become a culture center in the
region.

Valmar mentioned that he is going to exhibit his works abroad but
first of all he wanted to show them his people in order to warm their
souls.

Valmar was born in 1948 in Gyumri (Armenia). He is one of the students
of Ervand Kochar. He is a Member of the Union of Artists in Armenia
since 1976, also a Member of International Union of Artists (UNESCO)
since 1994.

Valmar’s works have been exhibited in the galleries and museums of
Armenia, Russia, USA, Italy, Japan and France.

During his 30-year creative life he has presented his works in 40
personal and 120 group exhibitions.

Translated by L.H,

PanARMENIAN.Net

EAFJD: article 301 amendment is nothing but manipulation of words
03.05.2008 14:56 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ On Wednesday, April 30, 2008, the Turkish Parliament
adopted the AKP bill which `amends’ the disturbing article 301 that
penalizes freedom of expression in Turkey. The amendment, which
consists only of replacing the crime of `insulting Turkishness’ with
that of `insulting the Turkish nation,’ was adopted by 250 votes for
and 65 against. In addition, prosecutions will now have to be
pre-approved by the Ministry of Justice and the maximum penalty will
be reduced from three to two years imprisonment.

For several years now, article 301, in its initial form, has been
widely invoked to prosecute any author of dissident opinions on
Turkish taboos such as the Armenian Genocide and its acknowledgment,
the Kurdish issue or the occupation of Cyprus. A segment of the
Turkish public opinion considers that the charges against journalist
Hrant Dink, at that time, for his article led to his tragic
assassination in January 2007.

Throughout Europe and even in Turkey, a number of entities have
denounced this parody of reform and have demanded a complete abolition
of article 301 and other clauses.

The general view is that the `reform’ adopted will not change anything
with respect to the critical situation regarding freedom of expression
in Turkey and intellectuals will still be prosecuted. Indeed, the
Turkish Minister of Justice intervened during the debates in
Parliament to make clear that `with this law, there is no question of
letting people freely insult the `Turkish identity’.

`This so-called reform is a joke’, declared Hilda Tchoboian, the
chairperson of the European Armenian Federation. `It curiously
resembles the manipulation of article 305, which remained absolutely
identical in its punitive clauses, but from which the Turkish
Parliament just removed the statement of motives that cited the
Armenian Genocide and the occupation of Cyprus,’ she explained.

`The European Union should not let itself be anaesthetized by this
gross manipulation of words,’ stated Hilda Tchoboian.

The European Armenian Federation reminds that, in the hope of
significant reform, the report on Turkey introduced by the MEP from
EPP group (CDA – Christian Democrat – Netherlands), Ria Oomen-Ruijten,
and adopted on April 21st 2008, used for the second consecutive year a
complacent and flattering tone on the situation, however critical, of
Human Rights in Turkey.

The Federation takes note, with admiration, of the official
declaration in Turkey by two intellectuals – Eren Keskin and Erdogan
Aydin, affirming and recognizing the Armenian Genocide.

`When we see the courage of these persons, we cannot accept that MEPs
betray them by accepting this official trickery. The Parliament should
also not accept `the omerta’ (code of silence) imposed by Ankara on
the Genocide in the report that will be adopted in plenary session in
the coming weeks,’ concluded Hilda Tchoboian.

US GROUP: TURKEY RANKED PARTLY FREE IN PRESS FREEDOM INDEX

Today’s Zaman, Turkey
May 1 2008

Although Western Europe has continued to boast the highest level of
press freedom worldwide, Turkey is the only country ranked as "partly
free" in the region following a two-point dip in the country’s score,
the US-based Freedom House announced in a report on Tuesday.

The survey, released annually in advance of World Press Freedom
Day on May 3, assessed the degree of print, broadcast and Internet
freedom in every country in the world. Out of the 2008 ratings of
195 countries and territories, 72 (37 percent) were rated "Free,"
59 (30 percent) "Partly Free" and 64 (33 percent) "Not Free." The
evaluations are based on an assessment of the legal, political and
economic environments in which journalists worked during 2007.

"The continued prosecution of large numbers of journalists and the
high-profile January 2007 assassination of Turkish-Armenian editor
Hrant Dink, apparently with some involvement by state actors, were
the primary factors behind a two-point decline in the score from
49 to 51," according to the report, titled "Press Freedom in 2007:
A Year of Global Decline."

Turkey’s legal and political environments were both ranked 20 and
its economic environment ranked 11. A lower number indicates more
freedom. "With heightened polarization regarding issues of secularism,
nationalism and separatism, reform efforts toward enhanced freedom
of expression stalled in 2007," the report said.

The report also noted developments related to the newly revised
Article 301, which restricts freedom of expression. "Convictions
against journalists are made much less frequently than are
prosecutions, but trials are time-consuming and expensive. A total
of six convictions were made for charges under Article 301 in 2007
(nine were acquitted). In a positive development, the Supreme Court of
Appeals confirmed a lower court’s prior decision to drop the Article
301 case against Turkish writer Orhan Pamuk in August."

Freedom House noted setbacks in press freedom outnumbered advances two
to one globally and that there was some improvement in the regions with
the least press freedom: the Middle East and North Africa. Gains in
these regions have been attributed to a growing number of journalists
who are willing to "challenge government restraints, a pushback trend
seen in other regions as well."

Western Europe continued to boast the highest level of press freedom
worldwide in 2007, with 24 countries (96 percent) being listed as
free, including top-ranked Finland and Iceland and lower-ranked
Denmark, Norway, Belgium, Sweden, Netherlands, Switzerland, Ireland,
Estonia, Germany, Portugal, the Czech Republic and the United
Kingdom. Countries registering declines included Portugal, whose
score worsened due to a new law that could strip journalists of their
right to protect confidential sources and gives employers the right
to reuse journalists’ work in any way for 30 days following initial
publication, as well as Malta, whose score deteriorated by several
points due to a series of a threats and attacks against journalists
covering public demonstrations and debates.