Category: 2020

​Protesters in Armenia besiege parliament

Chakrian Hovsep
Deniliquin Pastoral Times, Australia
Dec 9 2020
 
 
Protesters in Armenia besiege parliament
By AAP Newswire
 
 
Thousands of protesters have converged on the parliament building in Armenia’s capital to push for the resignation of the country’s prime minister over his handling of the conflict with Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh.
 
Nikol Pashinyan’s opponents are angry at a peace deal that ended six weeks of fighting over the separatist region but allowed Azerbaijan to take over wide areas that have been controlled by Armenian forces for more than 25 years.
 
Armenia’s opposition parties gave Pashinyan an ultimatum to resign by Tuesday but he has ignored the demand, defending the peace deal as a bitter but necessary move that prevented Azerbaijan from overrunning the entire Nagorno-Karabakh region.
 
About 15,000 protesters marched through downtown Yerevan to the parliament building, chanting “Nikol go away!”.
 
The opposition has been pushing for Pashinyan’s resignation since the Russia-brokered peace deal took effect on November 10.
 
Protests have grown over the past days, with demonstrators blocking traffic in various sections of the capital and also rallying in other cities.
 
The Armenian Apostolic Church and all three of the country’s former presidents have joined the demand for Pashinyan to step down.
 
Undeterred, the prime minister told MPs in parliament on Wednesday that the country needs consolidation in the current difficult period.
 
“Voices of different groups mustn’t be mistaken for the people’s voice,” he said.
 
Speaking outside parliament on Wednesday, Artur Vanetsyan, the former head of the National Security Service who leads the Homeland opposition party, argued that Pashinyan should step down to allow opposition forces to “normalise the situation” in the country.
 
“Each day he stays on the job raises a new threat to the nation,” Vanetsyan said.
 
Nagorno-Karabakh lies within Azerbaijan but has been under the control of ethnic Armenian forces backed by Armenia since a separatist war there ended in 1994.
 
That war left Nagorno-Karabakh itself and substantial surrounding territory in Armenian hands.
 
In 44 days of fighting that began in late September and left more than 5600 people killed on both sides, the Azerbaijani army forged deep into Nagorno-Karabakh, forcing Armenia to accept the peace deal which lets Azerbaijan reclaim much of the separatist region along with surrounding areas.
 
Azerbaijanis have celebrated it as a major victory and the country is set to hold a massive military parade on Thursday – to be attended by visiting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
 
 
 

Azerbaijan accused of ethnic cleansing as horrifying footage appears to show elderly Armenian man being beheaded by soldiers

Alex Jidarian
RT – Russia Today
Dec 9 2020
9 Dec, 2020 11:31


Shocking video purporting to show Azerbaijani troops executing a civilian has gone viral online, with Armenia alleging that it’s just one of a series of war crimes committed during the recent Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

In the unauthenticated footage, shared widely by social media users, a man reported to be an elderly ethnic Armenian living in the contested province is seen pinned down by a man in army fatigues, before his throat is cut.

The incident comes as Armenia’s foreign minister used a meeting with his French counterpart in the capital, Yerevan, to allege that “ethnic cleansing” was taking place in Nagorno-Karabakh, according to reports by Russian news agency Sputnik. He also warned that the terms of the current ceasefire may not hold, saying that “by launching military aggression against the self-determination of [the province], Azerbaijan and Turkey have violated their international obligations. Azerbaijan has also violated its obligations in the peace process.”

In October, another viral video sparked fears that war crimes were being committed in the conflict. The footage showed two Armenian men being captured before being shot with their hands tied behind their backs. Armenian authorities identified them as Benik Hakobyan, 73, and Yuri Adamyan, 25. The Council of Europe, the continent’s top legal watchdog, confirmed that it would look into the video as an alleged abuse of human rights. However, the following day, Azerbaijan’s top legal official announced that an investigation into the videos had concluded that they were fake.

At the time, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan told reporters that deep-seated ethnic tensions underpinned the conflict. He claimed that “Turkey [which provided support to Azerbaijan] has returned to the South Caucasus a hundred years later to continue its policy of genocide against Armenians.”

Baku has also accused Yerevan of committing similar violations of the laws governing warfare. In November, the Azeris announced that they would open an inquiry into potential crimes committed by both sides during the fierce fighting over the disputed province. Another clip shared on social media was said to show Armenian troops executing and beheading an Azeri prisoner of war.

In November, both sides announced a ceasefire agreement after talks brokered by Russian President Vladimir Putin. As part of the deal, Moscow announced that it would deploy troops to the region, in order to act as a barrier between the two sides, as well as to protect civilians.

Fact checkers have issued warnings over a number of shocking videos arising from the fighting in Nagorno-Karbakh, which they claim are part of an ongoing “information war.” One video, which attracted more than a quarter of a million views on Twitter, purported to show Iranians watching Azerbaijani and Armenian troops clash, as though it were a sporting event. However, it has since emerged that the video was taken from a military re-enactment in Russia in 2019.


An open letter to Armenia from a Romanian

Boshkezenian Garik
Greek City Times
Dec 9 2020
by GUEST BLOGGER
0

Armenia, I know your sorrow and your bravery. You fought for your ancestral land, for a righteous cause, and still the drums of victory and dances are heard on the side of those that are unfair and willful. Such tragic events often take place in human history.

As a Romanian, I know this better than most Europeans: my family had to leave their possessions from Macedonia due to Turkish oppression hundreds of years ago.

On another line of the family, we lost everything when the Bolsheviks took over our mansion and lands from Khotyn (in the historic Romanian region of Northern Bukovina) at the end of World War II.

I am thus sympathetic to the Armenian people, and pray for those that fought for their homeland and for their Orthodox faith and fell.

The conflict was asymmetric and the main disadvantage of Armenia was a lack of anti-UAV (Unmanned aerial vehicle) defense system, combined with a désuète military doctrine.

However, at individual level, it was evident that the character and training of the Armenian forces was superior to that of its opponents.

Right now the priority is to make measures in order to prevent further indirect or direct aggression from Turkey in the Caucasus and Balkan regions.

From my perspective, developing low-cost anti-UAV systems in Armenia (and Romania and Greece) is essential towards this purpose.

Autonomous systems and robotic drones technology can be made low cost, and with enough creativity, Armenia is able to develop its first medium range surveillance unmanned systems, anti-UAV UCAV (Unmanned aerial vehicle) and solid-propellant missiles in approximately one year, if a focused effort is made.

As I see the situation, Turkey would have an interest to create further political turmoil in both Armenia and the Balkans in order to distract people’s attention from the essential matters: it is up to the people to individually support and contribute to such a national effort.

This effort would require opening application-focused research projects at the National Polytechnic Institute of Armenia, the Yerevan University and other institutions. Hardware development would be done in research facilities distributed across the country.

Such facilities would be distributed across the country in the form of makerspaces with CNC machines and electronics laboratories.

These statements may surprise you, but I have to remind you that the beginnings of the Turkish UAV industry started with an MIT student drop-out, Selçuk Bayraktar, about ten years ago.

After obtaining support from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan a few years ago, Baykar was able to produce multiple high tech UCAV and they started an extended STEM program in Turkey in order to train the next generation of engineers, scientists and military personnel.


Such measures can be also taken in the Balkans and Armenia, in order to be able to produce the technology that allows us to protect our national sovereignty.

Those that observed the political movements of the last years have seen an alarming increase in Turkey’s military spending and many aggressive moves, such as starting conflicts in the Aegean with the Greeks, illegally extracting natural gas from Romania’s maritime space, bringing war criminals and terrorists into the Nagorno-Karabakh region and many others.

From a geopolitical and geostrategic point of view, Turkey has a neo-Ottoman agenda, which includes eliminating competent elites (STEM, military, political) in the Balkans through the use of their Turkish-speaking private schools.

Moreover Turkey is evolving on a line in which it seems more probable to exit (or be excluded from) NATO and try to extend its control over the Black Sea (due to economic reasons, such as the Silk Road presence).

As a Romanian, I know that it is imperative that we act before it’s too late. The sleep of reason produces monsters.

The views of the author do not necessarily reflect those of Greek City Times.

Codrin Paul Oneci is a Romanian student studying aerospace engineering and physics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).





LHK leader Edmon Marukyan doesn’t rule out joining “Homeland Salvation Movement”

Ophelia Vardapetian

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 11:55, 8 December, 2020

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 8, ARMENPRESS. The leader of the Bright Armenia (LHK) opposition party and bloc of the Armenian parliament Edmon Marukyan says he doesn’t rule out joining the 16 political parties who have initiated the “Homeland Salvation Movement” demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and his administration.

Marukyan told reporters that he must first of all have a meeting with Vazgen Manukyan, the Homeland Salvation Movement’s candidate for prime minister. Asked to elaborate on the agenda of the meeting, Marukyan said that it is Manukyan who initiated the meeting.

After holding numerous protests and demonstrations, the Homeland Salvation Movement announced that they are giving PM Pashinyan until noon December 8 to step down, or else they will start nationwide civil disobediences.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

Catholicos of All Armenians to address the nation

Arbi Tashjian

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 12:39, 8 December, 2020

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 8, ARMENPRESS. The Supreme Spiritual Council is holding a meeting in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, Priest Vahram Melikyan said on Facebook.

He informed that at the end of the meeting His Holiness Garegin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, will address the nation.

Edited and Translated by Aneta Harutyunyan

Protesters demanding resignation of Pashinyan start civil disobedience campaigns, block streets

Emma Nadirian

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 12:56, 8 December, 2020

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 8, ARMENPRESS. The Homeland Salvation Movement – comprised of 16 opposition political parties, has launched what they describe as “civil disobedience campaigns” aiming for the resignation of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.

The Homeland Salvation Movement announced during their previous rally that they are giving Pashinyan until noon December 8 to step down or else they would launch the protests.

Shortly after midday, ARF official Ishkhan Saghatelyan took to social media to announce the start of the disobediences after it became clear that the premier won’t step down.

“As you can see, it is already 12:08 and Nikol Pashinyan hasn’t tendered his resignation. Therefore, from this moment until 17:00 the citizens of Armenia have the legitimate right to hold peaceful civil disobedience campaigns and actions, to voice their protest and demand. I am addressing our citizens to carry out their actions within the law, not to give in to provocations, I am also addressing the law enforcement system to ensure the citizens’ right to free assemblies, rallies and protests,” Saghatelyan said.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

Catholicos Aram I calls on PM Pashinyan to step down

Tatoyan Vazgen

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 13:16, 8 December, 2020

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 8, ARMENPRESS. Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia Aram I has called on Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan to resign and allow parliament to elect a new leader.

“The Armenian people are deeply alarmed,” the Catholicos said in a statement. The defeatist emotional state has caused uncertainty and despair.”

He noted that besides losing the large part of Artsakh, Armenians also lost “national dignity and pride”. “We have large numbers of victims, captives, wounded and refugees. There is not a single Armenian around the world who doesn’t feel the suffering of this huge loss of the nation. The people are demanding a comprehensive and clear accountability about this horrible tragedy,” he said, calling on PM Pashinyan to step down.

“We expect that an interim government of accord led by a new elected prime minister will prioritize holding without delay early elections of parliament,” he concluded.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

Justice Minister sees need for eliminating some shortcomings in Criminal Code

Badalian Vardan

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 13:20, 8 December, 2020

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 8, ARMENPRESS. Justice Minister of Armenia Rustam Badasyan says some shortcomings in the current Criminal Code need to be eliminated.

The minister delivered remarks at the debate of the draft Criminal Code in the Parliament, stating: “The draft proposes new systematic solutions aimed at raising the efficiency of the state’s counteractions to criminal acts, as well as ensuring the harmonization of principled approaches the criminal code and the state’s criminal policy are based on. The current Criminal Code has undergone a number of changes within over 15 years of its operation which led to internal disagreements and gaps in the Code. The importance of adopting the draft is conditioned by eliminating various shortcomings existing in the Code”.

He said the draft proposes to solve a number of key issues.

Edited and Translated by Aneta Harutyunyan

Protesters rallying against Pashinyan block streets in Yerevan

Elizabeth Jabejian

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 13:51, 8 December, 2020

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 8, ARMENPRESS. Protesters calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan are blocking streets in different parts of Yerevan. Police officers are attempting to restore traffic.

Protesters have blocked the Myasnikyan Avenue with a heavy truck.

ARF official Gegham Manukyan, who was demonstrating with the protesters on Mashtots Avenue, was detained by police.

Demonstrations are ongoing in many parts of the city.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

Pashinyan chairs consultation on future activity of Military Insurance Fund

Aram Torosian

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 14:16, 8 December, 2020

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 8, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan chaired a consultation today discussing issues relating to the future activities of the Military Insurance Fund, the PM’s Office told Armenpress.

The PM reminded that the Fund is the main tool which should provide social insurance to the killed, disabled or missing soldiers and their families. “Today we must discuss the “roadmap” of the further activity of the Fund and understand what actions the government, the Central Bank need to take there, as well as what issues we should solve in the future”, the PM said.

Director of the Military Insurance Fund Varuzhan Avetiqyan briefed the consultation participants on the measures envisaged by the “roadmap” aimed at expanding the funds directed to the Fund, effectively fulfilling the obligations assumed before the beneficiaries, solving and regulating the organizational issues, the work with philanthropists.

Summing up the consultation, PM Pashinyan highlighted taking concrete actions to increase the resources of the Fund for quickly serving the beneficiaries. In this respect Pashinyan gave concrete instructions to the responsible officials.

Edited and Translated by Aneta Harutyunyan