Category: 2021

Morning Star, UK
Syria’s Kurdish administration calls for talks with Damascus in pivot
away from pro-US strategy
By Steve Sweeney
Nov. 1, 2021
KURDISH leaders in northern Syria issued an appeal for talks with
Damascus today indicating a dramatic U-turn from its previous pivot
toward the United States.
Democratic Union Party (PYD) co-chair Aldar Khalil said talks should
take place in the Syrian capital however, without the need to travel
to Geneva.
“What is wrong with us sitting and deliberating as Syrians and
proposing possible solutions to reach a formula…to all issues in
Syria,” he said in an interview with Rojava TV.
The party, which dominates the Autonomous Administration of North East
Syria (AANES) as the Rojava government is formally known, insists that
the system operated under its control could be applied to the whole of
Syria.
Mr Khalil’s pronouncement comes days after Kurdistan Workers Party
(PKK) second-in-command Cemil Bayik pressed the case for Syrian unity,
saying that the future for Kurds lay with Damascus.
In an interview with the al-Nahar newspaper last week he said the
Syrian government’s demand for all occupying forces to leave the
country was “legitimate.”
And he welcomed President Bashar al-Assad’s plans for decentralisation
announced in April, saying it “opened the door to reconciliation.”
It was viewed by many as an attempt to distance the PKK from the
Kurdish-led administration in northern Syria and its strategy of
seeking recognition from the US and other imperialist powers.
But a tour by Syrian Democratic Council co-chair Ilham Ahmed received
a lukewarm response, with little in terms of concrete results for the
Kurdish administration.
The strategy was criticised by a number of sources close to the
movement who feared that what was initially badged as a short-term
military alliance to defeat Isis was developing into a longer-term
political alliance.
Ms Ahmed came under fire earlier this year for comments made at a
virtual meeting of the US-based Newlines Institute – a CIA cut-out
supporting US regime change operations across the world – in which she
called for the US to maintain its presence in northern Syria.
Kurdish officials have previously stated their desire for talks with
Damascus, insisting dialogue has stalled on a number of key issues.
Today’s about-turn comes as Kurdish forces fear an imminent invasion
by Turkey which has amassed hundreds of military vehicles and hardware
in areas under its occupation.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met US President Joe Biden at
the G20 in Rome on Sunday amid fears he was seeking the green light
for a new offensive.
Last week Damascus mobilised Syrian Arab Army units to the Syrian
Democratic Forces (SDF)-held Tel Rifaat in anticipation of an attack
by Ankara’s forces.
T-90 battle tanks and BMP-2 infantry vehicles bearing the Syrian flag
were positioned in south-eastern Aleppo as part of defensive build-up.
 

Human Rights Watch
Nov. 2, 2021
[Their Rights and Freedoms Must Be Secured.]
Statement by Nongovernmental Organizations
02 November 2021
We, representatives of nongovernmental organizations, would like to
express our grave concern over the deteriorating situation for Turkmen
migrants in Turkey – primarily those who criticize Turkmen government
policies. Over the past few weeks many of them have been subjected to
threats, presumably as a result of pressure from the Turkmen
authorities on the law enforcement authorities of Turkey as well as
physical attacks. We call on the Turkmen government to stop this
harassment and call on the authorities of Turkey to uphold their
international legal obligations and ensure the protection of rights
and freedoms of Turkmen nationals residing in Turkey. We urge the
international community to closely monitor this worrying situation and
assist in resolving it. Turkey is one of very few countries to which Turkmen citizens can
travel without a visa and where they may apply and obtain a residence
permit that is renewable on an annual basis. Similar languages and
culture foster auspicious conditions for employment, education, and
successful integration into local communities. According to some
sources, over a million Turkmen nationals reside in Turkey, including
migrant workers, students, and their family members. In recent years, officials in Turkmenistan’s consulates abroad, in
violation of Turkmen law, have refused to renew and replace Turkmen
citizens’ passports, and force Turkmen residents to return to
Turkmenistan in order to renew their Turkmen identity documents. As a
result of this refusal, many Turkmen migrants cannot conform to
migration laws of the countries where they reside, including Turkey. In the past eighteen months the situation has been exacerbated by the
Covid-19 pandemic: due to travel restrictions the number of Turkmen
nationals who are experiencing problems with their documents and are
unable to return to their home country has considerably increased. As
a result, thousands of Turkmen migrants with expired passports in
Turkey cannot exercise their rights to employment, education, health
care, and freedom of movement. They cannot register marriages, births,
and other civic acts. This appalling situation has forced Turkmen migrants in Turkey to
organize a group of civil activists, who requested that the Consulate
fulfill their obligations under the Turkmen and international law to
renew passports. They also criticized the government’s refusal to
acknowledge the presence of Covid-19 infections in Turkmenistan, its
inadequate response to the country’s economic crisis, and the
authorities’ suppression of free speech. People started taking to the
streets to participate in peaceful rallies and sharing their problems
on social media. Many Turkmen nationals and human rights defenders
have repeatedly urged the Turkmen authorities to assist migrants in
legalizing their documents. To the credit of the Turkish migration authorities, for a long time
they had been sympathetic towards Turkmen migrants and had not
penalized them because of expired passports. However, the situation
recently changed: in the course of preparations for the meeting of the
Cooperation Council of Turkic Speaking States, scheduled for 12
November in Istanbul, there has been an increasing number of reports
of arbitrary detention of Turkmen civil activists by the Turkish
police, their placement in deportation facilities and threats of their
immediate deportation to Turkmenistan. Experts[1] believe that the
Turkish authorities are trying to convince Turkmenistan to join the
Council and are making efforts to ensure this happens during the
upcoming session. Changes in the policy pursued by the Turkish
authorities towards Turkey-based Turkmen activists have occurred,
apparently, in response to requests by the Turkmen government, which
seeks to put an end to its nationals’ civic activities abroad. Taking into account that Turkmenistan has a long record of severely
punishing peaceful critics of its government, forcibly returning
activists to Turkmenistan would place them at grave risk of
persecution, including a high risk of arbitrary arrest, torture, and
even enforced disappearance in prisons. A number of recent cases illustrate this dramatic situation. This is
not a comprehensive list because not everyone is willing to disclose
their situation out of concern for the safety of their families in
Turkmenistan. Turkmen authorities are pressuring family members of
Turkey-based activists because of their civic activism. *
When detaining Turkmen migrants, Turkish police reportedly refer to a
list of 25 individuals, which was allegedly handed over to them by
Turkmenistan’s Consulate with a request for their detention and
deportation. Neither the detained activists nor Turkish lawyers
representing them have been able to see the list of 25 activists and
learn about the legal grounds for their detention. Turkmen human
rights defenders have on file a list of 13 individuals (№44/05-5490
dated 1 August), which the Turkmen Consulate sent to the Turkish
police. Despite statements of Turkmen activists and international human rights
defenders, the Turkish authorities have continued to side with staff
of the Turkmenistan’s Consulate. The latter, in turn, are engaged in
creating false and arbitrary complaints against their fellow
countrymen, based on which the Turkish police arbitrarily and
illegally detain Turkmen migrants and threaten to deport them. In addition, there are numerous alarming reports that Turkmen
nationals – supporters of Berdymukhammedov’s government – regularly
attack Turkmen civil activists in Turkey and threaten reprisals
against them and their family members. The complaints that these
activists have filed with Turkish law enforcement and judicial
authorities did not result in effective investigations or
prosecutions, which contributes to impunity and new assaults. **
There is also evidence that supporters of the Turkmen authorities have
routinely threatened and harassed activists in Turkey, and regularly
intimidate young activists on the phone and on the Internet. They
intimidate activists and their relatives with serious threats,
including murder, both in Turkey and Turkmenistan. Activists have
repeatedly filed reports with the Turkish police presenting
screenshots of the threats and giving names of perpetrators, but the
police do not undertake any effective action. These attacks and threats are egregious examples of foreign nationals
persecuting Turkmen activists in Turkey. Inaction by the Turkish law
enforcement authorities in connection with this criminal wrongdoing
cannot be justified and contradicts Turkish and international law. We call on the Turkish authorities:
    to halt any plans to deport detained Turkmen activists to
Turkmenistan, ensure they have access to a lawyer, immediately release
them from deportation custody, and allow them to continue with their
steps to regularize their status in Turkey;
    to promptly carry out an effective investigation of incidents of
attacks on and intimidation of Turkmen activists in Turkey and hold
those responsible accountable. We hope that Turkey will abide by the rule of law and will not, in
order to advance geopolitical interests, pressure Turkmen activists
and cover up for those violating the law on its territory, at the
behest of illegal demands of Turkmen authorities. The Turkish
authorities must abide by its international obligations and the
fundamental principle of nonrefoulement, which obliges states to
ensure that they do not send anyone to a place where they face a real
risk of torture or other ill-treatment. Turkey is bound by its
obligations to protect fundamental rights and freedoms of people on
its territory and ensure they are not persecuted, and should not be
complicit in gross violations of human rights. We urge intergovernmental organizations and Turkey’s international
partners to draw their attention to this acute situation and call on
Ankara to abide by its obligations under international law and prevent
deportation of Turkmen civil activists to Turkmenistan, including
those who are now in custody. Annadurdy Khadjiev, Turkmen Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights (Bulgaria)
    Farid Tukhbatullin, Turkmen Initiative for Human Rights (Austria)
    Yuri Dzhibladze, Centre for the Development of Democracy and Human
Rights (Russia)
    Adaem Çevik, Adalet Human Rights Platform (Turkey)
    Vyacheslav Mamedov, Turkmen Civil Democratic Union (the Netherlands)
    Ruslan Myatiyev, Turkmen.News (the Netherlands)
    Тimur Misrikhanov, Turkmenistan’s Independent Lawyers Association
(the Netherlands)
    Kate Watters, Crude Accountability (USA)
    Ivar Dale, Norwegian Helsinki Committee (Norway)
    Olga Zakharova, Freedom Files (Poland)
    Krassimir Kanev, Bulgarian Helsinki Committee (Bulgaria)
    Valentin Gefter, expert with the Presidential Council for the
Development of Civil Society and Human Rights under the President of
the Russian Federation (Russia)
    Rachel Denber, Human Rights Watch (international)
    Alexander Cherkasov, Human Rights Centre “Memorial”, included by
the Ministry of Justice of Russia in the list stipulated by p. 10 art. 13.1 of the Federal Law “On NGOs” (Russia)
    Gerald Staberok, OMCT (World Organisation Against Torture) (international)
    Svetlana Gannushkina, Civic Assistance Committee (Russia),
included by the Ministry of Justice of Russia in the list stipulated
by p. 10 art. 13.1 of the Federal Law “On NGOs”
    Oleksandra Matviichuk, Center for Civil Liberties (Ukraine)
    Artur Sakunts, Helsinki Citizens Assembly – Vanadzor office (Armenia)
    Tolekan Ismailova, Human Rights Movement “Bir Duino – Kyrgyzstan”
(Kyrgyzstan)
    Eldar Zeynalov, Human Rights Center of Azerbaijan (Azerbaijan)
    Lenur Kerymov, Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights (Poland)
    Natalia Taubina, Public Verdict Foundation, included by the
Ministry of Justice of Russia in the list stipulated by p. 10 art. 13.1 of the Federal Law “On NGOs” (Russia)
    Evgeny Zhovtis, Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights
and Rule of Law (Kazakhstan)
    Anara Ibraeva, NGO “Kadyr-Kasiet” (Kazakhstan)
    Elena Shakhova, Human rights NGO "Citizens' Watch", St. Petersburg, included by the Ministry of Justice of Russia in the list
stipulated by p. 10 art. 13.1 of the Federal Law “On NGOs” (Russia)
    Ucha Nanuashvili, Human Rights Center (Georgia)
    Vadim Pivovarov, Association UMDPL (Ukraine)
    Alex Postica, Promo LEX (Moldova)
    Giorgi Marjanishvili, Center for Participation and Development (Georgia)
    Anders Bjurner, Swedish OSCE Network (Sweden)
    Sabuhi Gafarov, Human Rights Club (Azerbaijan)
    Matthias Hui, humanrights.ch (Switzerland)
    Matthew Schaaf, Freedom Now (USA)
Examples of persecution of Turkmen activists in Turkey
* On 27 September a civic activist, Dursoltan Taganova, was detained
and placed in a deportation centre, allegedly because the Migration
Office did not have a document confirming that she holds temporary
refugee status legalizing her stay in Turkey, despite the fact that
the Migration Office had previously granted her this status. Only on
12 October, after publication of appeals by human rights defenders and
the interference of a lawyer, Taganova was released under the pretext
of “a misunderstanding”. In mid-October she was again summoned to the
Migration Office, where officials tried to convince her to revoke her
refugee application which guarantees that she will not be deported. In September 2021, in the presence of witnesses, activist Aziz Mamedov
submitted his passport to the Turkmen Consulate for extension. Since
then he has visited the Consulate three times, but diplomats have not
returned the document, claiming it has been lost. His lawyer is denied
access to the Consulate. Furthermore, every time the activist appears
at the Consulate, diplomats call the police. On 18 October, 2021 47-year-old Akhmed Rakhmanov was sent to a
deportation centre soon after he had visited the Migration Office in
Antalya to extend his residence permit. Rakhmanov, the administrator
of an online chat group for a Turkmen political opposition
group-in-exile, Democratic Choice of Turkmenistan, has repeatedly
criticized the Turkmen regime on YouTube and TikTok and gave comments
to the Turkmen Service of Radio Liberty. He was kept in the Tuzla
deportation facility, where he went on hunger strike on 22 October,
2021. Later on 18 October, 35-year-old Kamil Abulov was taken from his
apartment in Istanbul. Abulov’s spouse was informed by law enforcement
officers that the Turkish authorities have a list of 25 names of
Turkmen activists in Turkey who are at risk of detention at the behest
of the Turkmenistan’s Consulate. Abulov was also placed in the Tuzla
deportation centre. He is known to be one of the Turkmen activists who
had previously been detained by the Turkish police after a failed
rally attempt in front of Turkmenistan’s Consulate in Istanbul on 1
August. On 26 and 27 October 2021, after HRW’s appeal and the lawyer’s
interference, both were released. Police officers were looking for three other Turkmen activists,
including Merdan Badrov, at their registered place of residence in
Istanbul on 20 October 2021, in order to detain them. Fortunately,
they were not at home. On 22 October 2021, Bayram Allalyev was detained in a migration office
in Istanbul, to which he had been summoned to file for a renewal of
his residence permit. While he was filling in the documents, law
enforcement officers detained him. On 1 November, Allalyev was
released from the Pendik deportation centre. ** On 1 August 2021, with the collusion of employees of Turkmenistan’s
Consulate, a violent incident occurred when several activists were
beaten in front of the Consulate by unidentified officials. Two of the
victims had to seek medical help because one of them sustained an
injury to his head with a heavy object. There are solid grounds to
believe that the attackers are connected to Consulate staff because
when asked to return a telephone confiscated from the beaten activist
Aziz Mamedov, the attackers said that they could collect it in the
Consulate. The victims recognized the assailant on dashboard camera
footage. In addition, activist Farkhad Durdyev told human rights
defenders that during the incident he was tricked into entering the
Consulate area and was beaten. In connection with these attacks the
activists are working with lawyers and intend to resolve this issue by
legal means. On 11 October 2021, two activists and a visitor to the office of the
Association of Oghuz Culture, Cooperation and Education in Istanbul,
were attacked by unidentified individuals. This happened after
activists had given an interview to a British journalist. A bag with a
telephone and documents was stolen from the Chairperson of the
Association of Oghuz Culture Nurmukhamed Annayev. Civic activist Aziz
Mamedov was severely punched in the face. First aid was rendered to
the assault’s victims. The activists claim that one of the attackers
resembles a person, who had assaulted Turkmen protesters in Istanbul
on 1 August 2021. This time, according to them, he had “an implement
which looked like a metal knuckle duster” in his hands. The activists
believe that the assault is related to the planned trip of Nurmukhamed
Annayev to the ODIHR/OSCE event scheduled to take place in Warsaw on
14-15 October, where he was going to give a speech criticizing the
Turkmen regime. *****
[1] [What is behind the attacks on Turkmen activists in Istanbul? In
Russian] Что стоит за нападениями на туркменских активистов в
Стамбуле? Radio Azatlyk – Turkmen Service of Radio Liberty, 14.10.2021
 ; [A Turkmen wheel in a
Turkish cart. Ankara insists on Ashgabat's joining the Turkic Union. In Russian] Туркменское колесо в турецкой телеге. Ankara insists on
Ashgabat's entry into the Turkic Union. Serdar Aitakov, Nezavisimaya
Gazeta, 03.10.2021

                                        Thursday, November 4, 2021
Azerbaijan Found Guilty In 2014 Deaths Of Armenian Captives
November 04, 2021
        • Robert Zargarian
FRANCE – The building of the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, 
September 11, 2019
The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has found Azerbaijani authorities 
guilty of torturing two residents of Armenian border villages who died after 
crossing into Azerbaijan in 2014.
In separate rulings announced on Thursday, the ECHR ordered Baku to pay the 
families of Karen Petrosian and Mamikon Khojoyan a total of 80,000 euros 
($92,000) in damages.
Petrosian, a 33-year-old villager from Tavush province bordering Azerbaijan, 
crossed the frontier for unclear reasons in August 2014. He was first spotted by 
residents of an Azerbaijani border village and then detained by the Azerbaijani 
military. Petrosian was accused of being part of an Armenian “sabotage group” 
that tried to infiltrate Azerbaijan.
Petrosian was pronounced dead the following day. Baku claimed that he died of 
“acute heart failure.”
The Armenian authorities rejected the claim, saying that Petrosian was murdered 
or beaten to death. The United States and France expressed serious concern at 
the man’s suspicious death and called on Baku to conduct an objective 
investigation.
Azerbaijan - Azerbaijan soldiers escort Karen Petrosian, an Armenian villager 
who crossed into Azerbaijan, 7Aug2014
The 77-year-old Khojoyan, who lived in another Tavush village, was detained in a 
nearby Azerbaijani settlement in January 2014. Baku claimed that he was an armed 
guide of an Armenian sabotage group that tried to carry out a cross-border 
incursion. Yerevan laughed off the claim, saying that the elderly man strayed 
into Azerbaijani territory by accident.
Khojoyan was freed and repatriated in March 2014. He died more than two months 
later. Armenian doctors said he suffered serious injuries during his captivity.
The ECHR ruled that in both cases Azerbaijan violated articles of the European 
Convention on Human Rights that guarantee people’s right to life and prohibit 
torture. It said that Petrosian and Khojoyan were subjected to violence in 
Azerbaijani custody.
The Azerbaijani government did not immediately react to the rulings. It can 
appeal against them in the ECHR Grand Chamber.
Armenia - Mamikon Khojoyan, a 77-year-old villager detained and later freed by 
Azerbaijan, is treated at a hospital in Ijevan, 5Mar2014.
In January 2020, the Strasbourg-based court handed down a similar verdict on an 
appeal lodged by the parents of Manvel Saribekian, a 20-year-old resident of 
another Armenian border village who was detained Azerbaijan in September 2010.
Azerbaijani authorities paraded Saribekian on national television, saying that 
he was trained by an Armenian commando unit and sent to Azerbaijan to carry out 
terrorist attacks. Saribekian’s family strongly denied the allegations, 
insisting that he accidentally crossed the border while grazing cattle.
Saribekian was found hanged in an Azerbaijani detention center in October 2010. 
Azerbaijani officials claimed that he committed suicide.
The young man’s body underwent a forensic examination after being handed over to 
Armenia. Law-enforcement authorities in Yerevan concluded that he was tortured 
to death.
Provincial Governor Resigns After Election Setback
November 04, 2021
        • Satenik Kaghzvantsian
Armenia - Shirak Governor Hovhannes Harutiunian.
The governor of Armenia’s northwestern Shirak province was relieved of his 
duties on Thursday more than two weeks after the ruling Civil Contract party’s 
failure to win a municipal election in the provincial capital Gyumri.
Hovannes Harutiunian topped the list of the party’s candidates for the October 
17 election marked by a very low voter turnout. In a serious setback for Prime 
Minister Nikol Pashinian, Civil Contract finished second with about 30 percent 
of the vote. It trailed a local political group linked to Gyumri’s outgoing 
mayor, Samvel Balasanian.
Harutiunian held a farewell news conference in Gyumri hours after Pashinian’s 
government formally accepted his resignation. He insisted that he was not forced 
to resign.
“As soon as it was decided that I will be leading the list of Civil Contract’s 
local election candidates it became obvious that regardless of the outcome of 
the election I will not hold the post of Shirak governor anymore,” he said. 
“What happened today is a logical continuation of that decision.”
“We need to understand why our citizens didn’t want to go to the polls,” 
Harutiunian said when asked about reasons for the ruling party’s failure to 
install Gyumri’s next mayor. Pashinian’s party respects any decision made by 
voters, he added.
Despite the election defeat, Civil Contract reached a power-sharing agreement 
with the election winner, the Balasanian Bloc, whose top candidate, Vardges 
Samsonian, was elected as Gyumri mayor by the new city council on Monday. As 
part of that deal, the ruling party will name the two deputy mayors and other 
senior officials in the municipal administration.
The deal was signed on October 30 two days after two senior Gyumri officials 
affiliated with the Balasanian Bloc were arrested by Armenia’s National Security 
Service on corruption charges. The bloc did not publicly allege political 
reasons behind the arrests.
Some Armenian outlets reported earlier in October that the Balasanian Bloc is 
facing strong pressure from the central government to cut a power-sharing deal 
with Pashinian’s party and even cede the post of mayor to it. Senior party 
figures denied such pressure.
Armenia, Azerbaijan ‘Not Holding’ Border Demarcation Talks
November 04, 2021
        • Naira Nalbandian
        • Tatevik Sargsian
ARMENIA -- Azerbaijani (L) and Armenian army posts at the Sotk gold mine on the 
Armenian-Azerbaijani border, June 18, 2021
Armenia and Azerbaijan have still not begun negotiations on demarcating their 
contested border, a senior Armenian diplomat insisted on Thursday.
Tensions have run high at several sections of the long border where Azerbaijani 
forces reportedly advanced a few kilometers into Armenian territory in mid-May. 
Armenia has repeatedly demanded their unconditional withdrawal. Azerbaijan 
maintains that its troops took up new positions on the Azerbaijani side of the 
frontier.
Russia proposed later in May that Yerevan and Baku set up a commission on border 
delimitation and demarcation. President Vladimir Putin reiterated late last 
month Russian offers to act as a mediator in such talks with Soviet military 
maps at its disposal.
“As long as there are no [border] delimitation negotiations it is too premature 
to speak about what maps and documents we will be guided by,” Armenian Deputy 
Foreign Minister Vahe Gevorgian told reporters. “When such negotiations start we 
will address those issues.”
The Aliqmedia.am news service reported last week that that Putin will host fresh 
talks between Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian and Azerbaijani President 
Ilham Aliyev on November 9 on the first anniversary of a Russian-brokered 
ceasefire that stopped the war in Nagorno-Karabakh. Citing unnamed Armenian 
diplomatic sources, the publication claimed that Aliyev and Pashinian will sign 
two documents envisaging the demarcation of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border and 
its opening for cargo traffic.
Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan did not rule out afterwards the possibility of 
an Armenian-Azerbaijani summit while saying that it is not planned yet. His 
Azerbaijani counterpart Jeyhun Bayramov said on Thursday that he has “no 
information” about such an encounter.
Aliyev complained, meanwhile, that Yerevan has still not responded to Baku’s 
proposals to sign an Armenian-Azerbaijani “peace treaty” and start demarcating 
the border on the basis of recognizing each other’s territorial integrity.
Armenian leaders have repeatedly called for demarcation talks. The secretary of 
Armenia’s Security Council, Armen Grigorian, said last week that Yerevan is 
still awaiting “positive signals on that score from Azerbaijan.”
Armenian Health Ministry Seeks COVID-19 Health Pass
November 04, 2021
        • Nane Sahakian
Armenia - Police officers talk to women not wearing mandatory masks on a street 
in downtown Yerevan, November 2, 2021.
The Ministry of Health advocated on Thursday the introduction of a mandatory 
health pass for entry to cultural and leisure venues following record numbers of 
coronavirus cases and deaths registered in Armenia.
Health Minister Anahit Avanesian said the ministry will circulate later in the 
day a relevant draft decision that will be discussed by an interagency 
commission.
It would require people to produce, starting from December 1, the health pass 
showing that they have been vaccinated against COVID-19 or have had a recent 
negative test in order to visit bars, restaurants and other public venues.
Armenians working for public or private entities already have to get inoculated 
or take coronavirus tests twice a month at their own expense. The draft Ministry 
of Health directive cited by Avanesian would require such mandatory testing to 
be done once a week.
Armenia - People line up outside a mobile vaccination center in Yerevan's 
Liberty Square, September 24, 2021.
The purpose of the proposed measures is to speed up vaccinations and thereby 
contain the latest wave of coronavirus infections in Armenia. Speaking at a 
weekly cabinet meeting earlier on Thursday, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian 
complained that the vaccination process remains slow despite having accelerated 
in recent weeks.
Avanesian told the cabinet that more than 852,000 vaccine shots have been 
administered in the country of about 3 million to date. Only about 264,000 
people have received two doses of a vaccine, she said.
Daily coronavirus cases have steadily increased since June, reaching record-high 
levels late last month. The Ministry of Health reported a record 62 deaths from 
COVID-19 on Tuesday.
The ministry’s National Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported that 
the respiratory disease killed at least 41 more Armenians on Wednesday. The 
center also said that as much as 19 percent of about 12,200 coronavirus tests 
carried out across the country came back positive.
Armenia - Health Minister Anahit Avanesian speaks during a cabinet meeting in 
Yerevan, November 4, 2021.
Avanesian said Armenian hospitals remain overwhelmed by the increased number of 
infected people in need of urgent care.
“We have a slight drop in the number of citizens awaiting hospitalization but 
[hospital] beds still don’t stay vacant for a single second,” she told Pashinian 
and fellow ministers.
Pashinian made clear that the government still has no plans to impose lockdown 
restrictions and will continue to concentrate on its immunization campaign. For 
his part, Education Minister Vahram Dumanian said he is unlikely to again extend 
school holidays that end on November 7.
Reprinted on ANN/Armenian News with permission from RFE/RL
Copyright (c) 2021 Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, Inc.
1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.