Category: 2021

 14:45,

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 15, ARMENPRESS. Foreign Minister of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan met with his Belarusian counterpart Vladimir Makei in Minsk on October 15 on the sidelines of the session of the CIS Council of Foreign Ministers.

The Armenian foreign ministry reported that the two ministers discussed the Armenian-Belarusian cooperation agenda both at bilateral, multilateral formats and within the CSTO, EAEU and CIS.

In the context of further developing the relations, both sides highlighted conducting mutual visits at the highest level.

The ministers praised the results of the recent political consultations held between the two foreign ministries in Minsk.

The Armenian and Belarusian FMs emphasized the necessity of actions aimed at expanding the economic ties and trade turnover volumes, and in this context they attached importance to the role of the Armenian-Belarusian inter-governmental commission on economic cooperation. They highlighted high and information technologies, agriculture, food industry as areas of interest.

The meeting touched upon also the international and regional affairs.

Touching upon the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, the Armenian FM emphasized the importance of the lasting and comprehensive settlement of the conflict under the mandate of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship.

 

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

 15:09,

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 15, ARMENPRESS. Deputy Prime Minister of Armenia Suren Papikyan and Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak in Moscow on the sidelines of the Russian Energy Week, Mr. Papikyan’s Office said in a statement.

The officials discussed the current issues of gas-electricity programs between Armenia and Russia, as well as the prospects of deepening the regional cooperation in energy sector. In particular, they touched upon the implementation opportunities of the North-South energy corridor initiative (Armenia-Iran-Georgia-Russia).

 

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

 15:22,

WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 15, ARMENPRESS. Artsakh security forces have released surveillance video showing how an Azerbaijani serviceman is breaching the ceasefire and opening gunfire at Armenian positions.

The National Security Service of Artsakh said in a statement that the Azerbaijani military began committing provocative actions and intentional ceasefire violations from the beginning of October of 2021.

The video shows an Azeri soldier firing an AK-74 assault rifle at the Armenian positions while another Azeri soldier is hiding behind the DFP. After firing several rounds, the shooter can be seen laughing before resuming the shooting.

The Azeri provocations began when the Azeri forces shot and killed a farmer in Martuni, and then continued ceasefire violations in other parts of the line of contact. The NSS said that the Azeri soldiers are now explicitly aiming to kill in the ceasefire breaches, whereas previously they’d shoot as a warning.

“Yesterday, Azerbaijani troops deployed in a position near the Nor Shen community of Martuni region shelled an Armenian position nearby deployed with the purpose of protecting the village population. The nearly point-blank range shots were fired so explicitly that the surveillance cameras of the Armenian side caught it on video,” the NSS said, stressing that the images prove that the Artsakh Defense Army adhere to the ceasefire agreement, whereas the Azeri side is intentionally violating it.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

[see video]

 15:38,

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 15, ARMENPRESS. The 18th edition of Golden Apricot International Film Festival has finished with some of the best works of world cinema, hundreds of industry guests, and tens of side events in the heart of Yerevan, Armenia.

The Rain Falls Where It Will, the latest work of the renowned Iranian filmmaker, Majid Barzegar, participated along with 8 more titles in the festival line-up for the panorama competition. The film chronicles the daily life of a quiet nurse who takes away the lives of the patients who have lost their hope in recovery. It is an Iranian Canadian co-production by Rainy Pictures on the Iranian side and The Other End on the Canadian side. The film premiered in the 50th Rotterdam International Film Festival and went on to Durban International Film Festival, the oldest and the largest film festival in Africa before it was presented at Golden Apricot.

“With the exponentially increasing pressures and limitations imposed upon independent cinema in Iran, it is becoming extremely difficult to pursue the path of arthouse filmmaking in Iran. With the everchanging landscape of film politics and the exacerbating economical conditions looming over independent film budgets, it has become a very tough mission to keep the flag of arthouse cinema high in the country”, says Majid Barzegar, who is also one of the leading producers of independent cinema. Many of the films produced in his Rainy Pictures office in Tehran have premiered in some of the most distinguished festivals in the world such as Cannes, Berlinale, San Sebastian, Busan and Chicago International Film Festivals. 

Several of Majid’s previous films have seen the light of the screen in Golden Apricot in the previous years and the director is a regular participant of the festival. The Rain Falls Where It Will was presented in the festival by its Canadian producer, Amir Endalah, the head of The Other End, one of the leading production houses in Toronto focused on virtual production. The Other End also produces independent films across the globe, organizes film festivals in north America and Europe and supports the works of Iranian filmmakers through Farsi Cinema Center, the first non-Iranian platform dedicated to the promotion of Iranian independent cinema.

“It is quite delightful to see how much support and care goes into Golden Apricot International Film Festival. In The Other End, we strive for giving voice to independent filmmakers around the world and here in Golden Apricot, you see the same level of dedication and support, a very professional team and a fantastic atmosphere structured around and for independent cinema. This is definitely very heartwarming for us to know that our film is in such good hands”, says Amir Endalah, who has travelled from Toronto to the festival, representing the film in the panorama competition.

The Rain Falls Where It Will is distributed worldwide by Media Luna. Based in Germany, Media Luna has been in close cooperation with Rainy Pictures and The Other End for 2 years now and holds the rights of the film worldwide.

 15:41,

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 15, ARMENPRESS. Russian peacekeepers stand as guarantors of the ceasefire in Nagorno Karabakh, President Vladimir Putin said on Friday at a meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States), reports TASS.

“The Russian peacekeepers stand as guarantors of the established ceasefire. We are providing assistance by delivering humanitarian cargo and carrying out mine clearance, and, I want to emphasize, [we are helping] both sides. In Azerbaijan, as well as in Armenia, life support systems are being restored, medical assistance is being provided to the population, tens of thousands of refugees, over 52,000 people, have returned to their homes”, Putin noted.

The Russian president pointed out that the CIS countries sometimes face disagreements and contradictions. “And it is bad when these contradictions result in sharp conflicts between CIS member states as it, unfortunately, happened last year in Nagorno Karabakh”, he stated. Putin also expressed gratitude to his CIS colleagues for appreciating Russia’s contribution to resolving the conflict.

Commenting on the remarks of the Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders during today’s session relating to the situation in Karabakh and the work of the Russian peacekeepers, Putin stated that “this once again affirms our Russian wisdom that even a bad peace is better than a good war”.

 16:10,

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 15, ARMENPRESS. Azerbaijan’s policy of terrorism seeks to achieve the exodus of Armenians from Artsakh, Stepanakert warned in wake of renewed Azeri ceasefire violations.

“In the recent days, Azerbaijan has been trying to artificially escalate the situation in the region, and this is taking place along with high-level meetings,” the Foreign Ministry of Artsakh said in a statement. “Azerbaijan aims to achieve the exodus of Armenians from Artsakh through aggressive actions and intimidation. This policy is also a blow to Russia and the Russian peacekeeping mission.

The Foreign Ministry of Artsakh qualifies Azerbaijan’s policy as terrorism and manifestation of a destructive stance.

We once again reiterate that Artsakh will not be threatened by such steps. The Armenians of Artsakh are determined to live in their historical Homeland and defend their sovereignty and dignity.”

 17:26,

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 15, ARMENPRESS. The Azerbaijani military opened fire at the village of Yeraskh in the province of Ararat, Armenia. The shooting occurred around 15:00, October 15, the Armenian Ministry of Defense said.

An Armenian military position located nearby was also targeted in the shooting.

The Ministry of Defense said that the villagers were unharmed. Armenian servicemen on-duty weren’t injured either.

The only damage was inflicted to a farmer’s barn and grass piles, which were set ablaze from the shooting.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

Armenia’s Yereaskh village under day and night shooting by Azerbaijani army

 18:19,

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 15, ARMENPRESS. The Offic eof the Human Rights Defender of Armenia issued a statement about Yeraskh village of Armenia’s Ararat Province, which is under regular shootings of the Azerbaijani armed forces. ARMENPRESS reports, the statement runsa s follows,

“Yeraskh village of Ararat province is subjected to regular shootings by the Azerbaijani armed forces, both during the day and night.

Today, on , the village has been subjected to shelling again.

The unruliness of the Azerbaijani servicemen has reached such a level that they set fire through intentional shootings to 8000 stacks of grass belonging to a resident of Yeraskh community. The entire winter stockpile, which the citizen had collected to feed his livestock, has been destroyed.

Moreover, the fire spread destroying the roof of the barn belonging to the citizen. The fire was extinguished only by the timely intervention of the firefighters, saving the remaining part of the roof.

These facts were studied and confirmed by the Human Rights Defender of Armenia through the alarming-calls addressed to the Defender, the collected subjective evidence, and verified data from various sources. The fact of the Azerbaijani shootings in the direction of the positions of the Armenian Armed Forces protecting the population of Armenia was also confirmed by The Ministry of Defense of Armenia.

Taking into consideration that the Azerbaijani positions are located in the immediate vicinity of the village, it is evident to the Azerbaijani servicemen know that their actions are harming the residents of the village, destroying their property, violating their rights to life and property, and are disturbing their life and peace.

The process of creating a demilitarized security zone around the borders of Armenia with Azerbaijan and the removal of the Azerbaijani armed servicemen form the vicinity of the villages and from the roads between the communities of Armenia should start immediately.

The proposal of the Human Rights Defender of Armenia has already been included in an international instrument- in Resolution 2391 (2021) of September 27, 2021 of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE). The Human Rights Defender will send relevant reports about this situation to international organizations, to the State bodies of Armenia, and to civil society organizations.

It is evident that the basis of these criminal harassments and the gross violations of human rights is the same: The policy of Armenophobia and enmity, and of ethnic cleansing and genocide of the Azerbaijani authorities. This policy has institutional bases, and until the perpetrators are punished, the violations will not end, and the security of the people will not be guaranteed”.

 18:40,

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 15, ARMENPRESS. The Court of Appeal rejected the defense’s appeal to lift the detention as the precautionary measure of former Defense Minister of Armenia David Tonoyan, ARMENPRESS reports Tonoyan’s lawyer Sergey Hovhannisyan told the reporters near the court.  

“The court rejected our appeal. The decision of the court of first instance was left in force”, the lawyer said.

He stated that the defense, although has not yet received the copy of the decision, is not familiar with the content, but, given the arguments presented in their complaint, was convinced that it should be upheld. The defense is going to appeal the decision after receiving it.

“I do not know in which instance, I do not know when, in which international court it will be possible in the future, but I assure you that the restriction of David Tonoyan’s right to freedom will be registered unequivocally”, Sergey Hovhannisyan said.

Davit Tonoyan is facing a criminal case related to abuse in the process of supplying ammunition. Tonoyan was arrested on September 30.

Confirmed global Covid-19 cases exceed 240 million, more than 4 million 900 thousand people have died

 20:53,

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 15, ARMENPRESS. Global Covid-19 cases has reached 240 million 596 thousand 377, 4 million 900 thousand 511 people died, 217 million 861 thousand 639 have recovered.

ARMENPRESS reports the USA continues to lead the list of the most cases. Over 45.6 million cases has been reported in the USA, with nearly 742 thousand deaths.

India is the second in the list with over 34 million cases and nearly 452 thousand deaths.

Brazil is the third with over 21.6 million cases and 602 thousand deaths.