Category: 2018

WASHINGTON—Armenian Americans visiting the nation’s capital for the centennial of the First Republic of Armenia and the Smithsonian’s landmark “Armenia: Creating Home” program took to Capitol Hill Wednesday to advance the Armenian National Committee of America’s policy priorities: a qualitative strengthening of U.S.-Armenian relations, security and status for the independent Republic of Artsakh, and justice for the Armenian Genocide.

The advocacy day is a precursor to nationwide meetings scheduled in congressional districts across the U.S. during the “August Recess,” when Senators and Representatives reconnect with constituents through local meetings and events.

“We were pleased to be able to arrange face-to-face congressional advocacy opportunities for so many Armenians from around the Eastern United States who gathered this week in Washington for the Smithsonian Folklife Festival and the Centennial of the First Armenian Republic,” ANCA National Board member Greg Bedian, who travelled from Chicago to lead advocacy teams, said.

“It’s great to be in our nation’s capital with so many Armenians from across the Western United States — celebrating the first century of U.S.-Armenia relations, visiting the Smithsonian’s remarkable Armenia: Creating Home program, and sharing our policy priorities with our elected officials,” ANCA Western Region Communications Coordinator Dickran Khodanian said.

Khodanian, along with ANCA-Western Region Government Affairs Coordinator Serob Abrahamian and Community Development Coordinator Simon Maghakyan, traveled to Washington, D.C. to join in constituent meetings.

Local advocates were joined by 2018 ANCA Leo Sarkisian Summer Internship members and Hovig Apo Saghdejian Capital Gateway Program interns in meetings across Capitol Hill.

Among the bipartisan Senate and House offices visited by ANCA advocates were: Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO), and Representatives: Dave Bratt (R-VA), Anthony Brown (D-MD), Tony Cardenas (D-CA), Michael Coffman (R-CO), Jim Costa (D-CA), John Curtis (R-UT), Danny Davis (D-IL), Dwight Evans (D-PA), Brian Higgins (D-NY), Trey Hollingsworth (R-IN), Joe Kennedy III (D-MA), Peter King (R-NY), Ruben Kihuen (D-NV), Doug Lamborn (R-CO), Jim McGovern (D-MA), Bill Pascrell (D-NJ), Erik Paulsen (R-MN), Ed Perlmutter (D-CO), Jared Polis (D-CO), John Sarbanes (D-MD), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Brad Sherman (D-CA), Albio Sires (D-NJ), Scott Tipton (R-CO), Dave Trott (R-MI), and David Valadao (R-CA).

ANCA advocacy day was part of a three-day Capitol Hill celebration of a century of U.S.-Armenia friendship, which was launched on Tuesday evening with a special congressional reception headlined by President of the Republic of Armenia Armen Sarkissian. June 28 will feature the planned unveiling of Armen Garo’s (Garegin Pastermadjian) bust at the Armenian Embassy followed by a reception honoring President Sarkissian. Pastermadjian served as the first ambassador to the U.S. from the First Republic of Armenia between 1919 and 1920. The events will culminate in the kick-off of the 2018 Smithsonian Folklife Festival on June 28, where Armenian culture and history take center-stage along with Catalonia.

JERUSALEM—On June 28, His Royal Highness Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, visited the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the Christian Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem, where he met with leaders of Jerusalem’s three Christian communities. His Eminence Archbishop Sevan Gharibian represented the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem and gifted an Armenian cross to His Highness.

During the prince’s visit to the Armenian Chapel inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, a welcoming speech was delivered by the Armenian Superior of the Holy Sepulchre Church The Rev. Fr. Samvel Aghoyan. After the speech, the Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem presented the cross to the prince.

An inscription on the cross reads: “A present of an Armenian Cross from the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem presented to His Royal Highness Prince William Arthur Philip Louis, Duke of Cambridge, during His visit to the Holy Sepulchre Church on .”

MARTAKERT—On June 28, President of the Republic of Artsakh Bako Sahakyan visited Martakert to participate in events dedicated to the 25th anniversary of the town’s liberation from Azerbaijan.

During the anniversary event, President Sahakyan awarded two freedom fighters with “Battle Cross, Order of the Second Degree,” medals and five freedom fighters with “For Service in Battle” medals in recognition of their bravery during combat and defense of the homeland.

The president gave a speech on Martakert’s liberation from military-political and moral perspectives. He added that the town’s liberation was crucial in restoring confidence to the region and ensuring future military and developmental successes. Specifically, he said, the liberation allowed for the region’s revitalization after the destruction caused by the Azeris.

Sahakyan emphasized that Martakert must return to its former glory. He encouraged the thousands of Martakert residents who moved away from their native homeland after the war to return and contribute to the town’s development and growth.

“The most important mission for Armenians is to live and create in the native land, to protect and develop the motherland,” Sahakyan said. “Doing the utmost in this direction is our common duty.”

High-ranking officials, representatives from Armenia and the diaspora, and foreign guests were present at the events.

STRASBOURG—The Rules of Procedure, Immunities and Institutional Affairs Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) examined corruption reports during its summer session and determined that 14 assembly members had violated ethical standards by engaging in corrupt activities with Azerbaijan. Specifically, members had accepted gifts and other monetary bribes from the Azeri government to lobby on its behalf and present Azerbaijan in a positive light.

In a report published April 15, the Committee on Rules of Procedure stated that, “The allegations made and the facts supporting them are examined under four principal headings: (1) the various activities in  favour of Azerbaijan within PACE; (2) the exchange of gifts and different forms of benefits; (3) the influence of extra-institutional actors (lobbyists); and (4) money and other corruptive activities being used as a means of fostering Azerbaijan’s interests in PACE.”

Arpine Hovhannisyan, the deputy speaker of Armenian parliament and the head of the Armenian delegation to PACE, said the committee has sanctioned the parliamentarians who are mentioned in the reports — she explained that the group is comprised of both former and current PACE members. The sanctioned parliamentarians include Alain Destexhe, Luca Volontè, Agustín Conde, Karin Strenz, Elkhan Suleymanov, Göran Lindblad, Tadeusz Iwiński, among seven others.

“As I had explained earlier, the independent Investigative Body of PACE had presented its report on corruption processes in PACE at the spring sitting,” Hovhannisyan said. “The Rules of Procedure, Immunities and Institutional Affairs Committee immediately touched upon the report. The committee continued working over the reports during the summer session.”

The committee ruled that the 14 PACE members who were found to have breached the organization’s Code of Conduct should be deprived of the right to access Council of Europe and Parliamentary Assembly premises for life.

This was the third Rules Committee hearing concerning the conduct of individual members and served as a follow-up to the Investigation Body’s report. Two previous hearings took place April 25 and May 15, and the committee will continue its hearings of current and former PACE members at its next meeting.

YEREVAN (Azatutyun.am)—Vachagan Ghazaryan, a high-ranking officer who served as former President Serzh Sarkisian’s bodyguard for over two decades, was remanded Thursday while in custody. He was arrested on corruption charges three days prior.

A court in Yerevan allowed Armenia’s Special Investigative Service (SIS) to keep Ghazaryan in detention while an investigation stemming from the over $2 million worth of cash confiscated from him is pending.

The SIS on Wednesday formally charged him with illegally enriching himself and failing to disclose the bulk of his massive assets to a state anti-corruption body.

Ghazaryan was detained on Monday, five days after police raided his apartment in Yerevan and found $1.1 million and 230,000 euros ($267,000) in cash there.

The National Security Service (NSS), which made the arrest, said Ghazaryan carried $120,000 and 436 million drams ($900,000) in a bag when he was caught outside a commercial bank in Yerevan. It said Ghazaryan claimed that he was going to give the money to its “real owner” but refused to identify that person.

According to an NSS statement, Ghazaryan was also planning to withdraw 1.5 billion drams ($3.1 million) kept by him and his wife at another Armenian bank. He claimed that he “forgot” to add these sums to his official income declarations.

Such declarations are mandatory for Armenia’s high-ranking state officials and their close relatives. Ghazaryan, who has the rank of NSS general, was among them until Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan dismissed him last month as first deputy head of a security agency providing bodyguards to the country’s leaders.

Detailing the accusations against Ghazaryan, the SIS argued that the cash seized from him “substantially exceeds his legal revenues.” It portrayed this as clear proof that he “illegally enriched himself.”

It is not clear whether or not Ghazaryan will plead guilty to the accusations carrying between two and six years in prison. His lawyers made no statements and did not publicize their names as of Thursday afternoon. Ghazaryan is the first person in Armenia prosecuted on such charges.

The ex-president has not yet commented on the corruption case against his longtime bodyguard.

Armenia’s new government has been instrumental in a series of high-profile corruption inquiries launched against former officials. Pashinyan has repeatedly pledged to “root out” endemic corruption in the country since he swept to power about two months ago.