Category: 2022

Links to news on the Resignation of the President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian – Jan 24

Rose Khoyetsian
The following are links to the news about the resignation of the President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian.

 ______________________________________

Armenian president quits over lack of influence in 'difficult times' 
https://www.thenationalnews.com/world/2022/01/23/armenian-president-quits-over-lack-of-influence-in-difficult-times/
Armenia's president resigns, complaining of constitutional shortcomings
https://thehill.com/policy/international/590983-armenias-president-resigns-complaining-of-of-insufficient-power

Armenian president resigns, citing lack of powers 
https://www.dw.com/en/armenian-president-resigns-citing-lack-of-powers/a-60531282
Armenian President Sarkissian Resigns 
https://www.eurasiareview.com/24012022-armenian-president-sarkissian-resigns/
Armenian President Armen Sarkissian resigns, citing lack of tools to fix national crisis
https://mountain-topmedia.com/armenian-president-armen-sarkissian-resigns-citing-lack-of-tools-to-fix-national-crisis/
Armenia's president resigns over position's lack of power
https://www.euronews.com/2022/01/24/armenia-s-president-resigns-over-position-s-lack-of-power
Why is Armenia's President Armen Sarkissian Resigning? 
https://www.albawaba.com/news/why-armenias-president-armen-sarkissian-resigning-1463597
Armenian president resigns citing insufficient constitutional authorization 
https://www.macaubusiness.com/armenian-president-resigns-citing-insufficient-constitutional-authorization/
Armenian president quits, lacks influence 
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202201/1246744.shtml
Armenian President Armen Sarkissian quits over lack of influence
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/1/23/armenian-president-armen-sarkissian-resigns
Armenian president resigns, says office has no power 
https://www.thebharatexpressnews.com/armenian-president-resigns-says-office-has-no-power/
Armenia's president resigns after finding himself more figurehead than power broker 
https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/armenia-president-resigns-sarkissian-1.6324867
Armenia's president resigns, says office has no power 
https://kion546.com/news/ap-national-news/2022/01/23/armenias-president-resigns-says-office-has-no-power/
Armenia’s president resigns, says office has no power 
https://shepherdgazette.com/armenias-president-resigns-says-office-has-no-power-us-world-news/
Armenian President Armen Sarkissian resigns, citing lack of tools to fix national crisis 
https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2022/01/23/armenia-Presiden-Aremen-Sarkissian-resigns/3361642992668/
The president of Armenia resigns. He complains about the lack of influence on politics 
https://sparkchronicles.com/the-president-of-armenia-resigns-he-complains-about-the-lack-of-influence-on-politics/
Armenian President Armen Sarkissian resigned | Said he “doesn’t have the tools” for “tough times”
https://oicanadian.com/armenian-president-armen-sarkissian-resigned-said-he-doesnt-have-the-tools-for-tough-times/
Armenia to look for new President as Armen Sarkisian steps down – Baltic News Network
https://bnn-news.com/armenia-to-look-for-new-president-as-armen-sarkisian-steps-down-232062

Armenian American Museum Hosts Volunteer Appreciation Reception

Karlen Baghdasarian

Press Contact:

Shant Sahakian, Executive Director

Armenian American Museum and Cultural Center of California

(818) 644-2214

[email protected] 

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

ARMENIAN AMERICAN MUSEUM HOSTS VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION RECEPTION

 

Glendale, CA () – The Armenian American Museum and Cultural Center of California held its final event of the historic groundbreaking year to celebrate and thank the more than 150 volunteers who have contributed to the development and advancement of the landmark center.

 

The Volunteer Appreciation Reception attendees included members of the Construction Committee, Permanent Exhibition Committee, and Young Professionals Committee as well as volunteers who have served on event, fundraising, and planning committees since the inception of the project.

 

Executive Chairman Berdj Karapetian welcomed guests to the reception on behalf of the Board of Trustees and Board of Governors, expressing the organization’s gratitude to the volunteers for their commitment and service.

 

“We are excited to celebrate the long-time dedication of our volunteers and all we have accomplished together,” stated Executive Chairman Berdj Karapetian. “We thank you for your dedication and look forward to creating even more opportunities for community members and young people to get involved with the museum in the year ahead.”

 

Executive Director Shant Sahakian provided a presentation on the advancement of the museum’s public programming and the construction of the cultural and educational center at the museum campus in Glendale Central Park.

 

The reception was sponsored by SoCalGas, a valued corporate partner of the museum.

 

“SoCalGas is delighted to have a strong partnership with the Armenian American Museum to support the mission of cultural, historical, and educational enrichment for the families, students, and community members of today and the future,” stated Public Affairs Manager Marisol Espinoza on behalf of SoCalGas.

 

The Volunteer Appreciation Reception was held at L.A. Banquets Brandview Ballroom on December 16, 2021.

 

For more information, visit https://www.ArmenianAmericanMuseum.org.

 

###

Kindly,

Arsine Sina Torosyan
Communications Director
Armenian American Museum and Cultural Center of California
116 North Artsakh Avenue, Suite 205, Glendale, CA 91206
Office: (818) 351-3554, Ext. 706
Direct: (818) 644-2215
www.ArmenianAmericanMuseum.org
Confidentiality Notice: This communication and any documents, files, or previous e-mail messages attached to it constitute an electronic communication within the scope of the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, 18 ISCA 2510. This communication may contain non-public, confidential, or legally privileged information intended for the sole use of the designated recipient(s). The unlawful interception, use, or disclosure of such information is strictly prohibited under 18 USCA 2511 and any applicable laws.

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Turkish press: ‘Miscellaneous Istanbul’ photos on display at Ara Güler Museum

Mary Lazarian
 ISTANBUL JAN 24, 2022 – 3:01 PM GMT+3

A photo of Istanbul by Ara Güler on display at the “Miscellaneous Istanbul” exhibition. (Courtesy of Ara Güler Museum)

Istanbul’s Ara Güler Museum (AGM) has launched the first exhibition of 2022 under the title “Muhtelif Istanbul” (“Miscellaneous Istanbul”). The exhibition, named after the "Miscellaneous" theme that photojournalist Ara Güler used for various subjects in his archive, takes visitors on a journey into Istanbul with photographs by Güler, who is known as the eye of Istanbul.

The Ara Güler Museum, established to preserve the memory of the eponymous artist, photographer and photojournalist who passed away in 2018, is located in the historical former Bomonti beer factory in Istanbul’s Şişli district. Presenting many important shows to keep the legacy of Güler alive, the museum is now welcoming art enthusiasts with “Miscellaneous Istanbul.”

In the exhibition, the concept and design of which was carried out by the Ara Güler Archive and Research Center (AGAVAM), there are Güler's 58 different black and white photographs of Istanbul, Istanbul slide boxes, archive boxes from Güler Apartments, Leica cameras and contact printing samples from the 1950s and 1960s. The exhibition also features the typewriter Güler used to write his stories, his notebook consisting of the stories he wrote during his high school years and one of these stories titled "Istanbul’s Sabah" (“Morning in Istanbul”). The 1946 newspaper clipping in which this story was published can also be seen in the exhibition.

Samih Rifat expresses the importance of Ara Güler for Istanbul as follows in his prologue for the exhibition: “When it comes to Istanbul, it is possible to find this city, which has been photographed intensively since ancient times, among the works of many local and foreign photographers. But a photographer who almost identified with Istanbul – like how like Josef Sudek did with Prague, or Brassai did with Paris – became an organic part of it, increasingly symbolized it and photographed it throughout his life with an insane passion with the sensitivity of a poet and the observation power of a novelist, I think there is only one person in the world who fits this description: Ara Güler. Güler is a true 'boy of Istanbul’ with his own words.

“… And when it comes to photographing Istanbul, in the hands of this master of imagery, who had bold concerns and aims, Istanbul appears before us with surprising images, striking stories, fascinating form / content / relationship stacks. Güler’s photos are all original, magnificent, unique … It is Ara Güler's Istanbul now!”

Güler, a photographer of Armenian descent, captured many stories with his camera. Working for the press, he never saw himself as an artist, but his work shows that he was a gifted photographer. Nicknamed the "Eye of Istanbul," Güler, however, was much more than just a photographer throughout his career and became a storyteller on many levels. He often played with the scenery to evoke more than just the aspects visible on the surface of an incident.

In 1953, he met Henri Cartier Bresson and joined the Paris Magnum Agency. The "Photography Annual Anthology," published in the United Kingdom, described him as one of the seven best photographers in the world. He was also awarded the title "Master of Leica," which was given to very few photographers, in Germany in 1962.

Güler interviewed and photographed many famous names, including Winston Churchill, Indira Gandhi, Alfred Hitchcock, Salvador Dali and Pablo Picasso throughout his career. His works on art and artists were used in numerous books and periodicals.

Established in 2016 with the agreement between Ara Güler and Doğuş Group, AGAVAM works to ensure that the Ara Güler archive, one of Turkey's most important photographic archives, is preserved as a whole and passed on to future generations. The Ara Güler Museum, which was opened in Istanbul's Yapı Kredi bomontiada on Ara Güler's 90th birthday in 2018, also aims to bring the works of the veteran photographer to wider audiences. The two professionally managed non-profit arts institutions operate in a way that feeds each other operationally and in content. Continuing its work under the leadership of Doğuş Group art consultant Çağla Saraç, the AGAVAM team carries out the classification, inventory, preservation, digitization and indexing of hundreds of thousands of Ara Güler's works. It aims to make the archive collections available to photography enthusiasts and researchers through a portal in the upcoming period.

Turkish press: Visitors of ancient city of Ani in Eastern Turkiye walk among millennia of history

Emil Lazarian
Ismail Kaplan and Ahmet Gencturk   |24.01.2022


KARS, Turkiye

People visiting Ani, an archaeological site in northeastern Turkiye, are amazed by the ancient city's millennia of history.

Also known as the "world city" and "cradle of civilizations," Ani is located in present-day Kars province and was added to UNESCO's World Heritage List in 2016.

Located near the Turkiye-Armenia border and on the historical Silk Road, Ani is one of the greatest historical and cultural gems in the country.

The ancient city was once was home to the Urartu, Scythian, Persian, Macedonian, Seleucid, Parthian, Sasanian, and Bagratide civilizations, until it was conquered by Muslim armies in the year 643.

Ani was ruled by Bagratides in 884-1045, followed by the Byzantine Empire in 1045-1064 before it was conquered by the Seljuk Turks under Sultan Alparslan on Aug. 16, 1064.

The site, standing on an area of around 100 hectares (247 acres) was home to many civilizations and languages throughout history, including Armenian, Greek, Turkish, Arabic, Georgian, and Persian from 970 to 1320.

Ani is also home to many architectural masterpeices, including the Mosque of Abul Manuchihr, the first Turkish-built mosque in Anatolia, the Church of the Abughamrents, Cathedral of Ani, Church of Saint Tigran Honent, Chapel of Shushan Pahlavuni, and the Seljuk Caravanserai.

RFE/RL Armenian Report – 01/24/2022

Anna Tamamian 
                                        Monday, 


Pashinian Wants New President In Sync With Armenian Government


Armenia - Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian chairs a virtual summit of the 
Collective Security Treaty Organization, Yerevan, January 10, 2022.


Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian said on Monday that Armenia’s parliament 
controlled by his Civil Contract party should elect a new president of the 
republic who will be in sync with his administration.

The number one position in the state hierarchy became effectively vacant after 
President Armen Sarkissian announced his resignation in a written statement 
issued late on Sunday. He complained that his largely ceremonial powers prevent 
him from influencing political and economic developments in the country.

Pashinian said that Sarkissian phoned him and informed him about the surprise 
decision just a few hours before announcing it. He said he “took note” of it and 
will not comment on the reason for the resignation given by the head of state.

Civil Contract controls 71 of the 107 seats in the National Assembly, putting it 
in a position to install the next president.

Pashinian said that he and his political team have not yet discussed potential 
candidates for the job. He indicated that they will pick a figure loyal to them.

“I think that we must go for a solution that will ensure political harmony 
between the president, the government and the parliament majority, especially 
now that we are faced with very serious challenges,” he told a virtual news 
conference aired by Armenian Public Television.


Armenia - Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian and President Armen Sarkissian meet in 
Yerevan, October 1, 2021.

Pashinian said there was a lack of such harmony about a year ago when the 
Armenian army top brass demanded his resignation, deepening a political crisis 
resulting from Armenia’s defeat in the 2020 war in Nagorno-Karabakh. He seemed 
to refer to Sarkissian’s reluctance to quickly rubber-stamp his decision to fire 
the country’s top general.

Sarkissian, 68, has otherwise rarely challenged or opposed government policies 
during his nearly four-year tenure. He has repeatedly called for major 
amendments to the Armenian constitution which gives the president very few 
powers.

Pashinian reiterated on Monday that despite forming a commission tasked with 
drafting constitutional amendments he believes that Armenia should remain a 
parliamentary republic.

“I think we must keep the parliamentary system of government,” he said.



New Armenian Human Rights Defender Elected

        • Artak Khulian

Armenia - Kristine Grigorian addresses the National Assembly shorly before being 
elected Armenia's new human rights defender, Yerevan, .


The Armenian parliament voted to appoint on Monday a senior government official 
as the country’s new human rights defender.

Kristine Grigorian will formally take over as ombudswoman on February 24. 
Grigorian served as a deputy justice minister justice until January 20. She had 
held other senior positions in the Armenian Ministry of Justice from 2015-2018.

The 40-year-old lawyer was nominated for the post by Prime Minister Nikol 
Pashinian’s Civil Contract party. She was backed by 68 members of the 107-seat 
National Assembly.

Both parliamentary opposition forces rejected Grigorian’s candidacy and decided 
to boycott the secret ballot.

Grigorian skirted most questions asked by opposition lawmakers during a debate 
that preceded the vote. She essentially avoided criticizing or questioning 
government policies relating to human rights. She also refused to echo 
opposition claims that there are political prisoners in Armenia.

Speaking shortly before Monday’s vote, opposition deputies deplored what they 
described as Grigorian’s pro-government stance.

“You are being given a mandate to defend Nikol Pashinian’s regime, rather than 
human rights,” Anna Mkrtchian of the opposition Pativ Unem bloc told the 
incoming ombudswoman.

Civil Contract deputies rejected the criticism and defended Grigorian. One of 
them also hit out at Armenia’s outgoing ombudsman, Arman Tatoyan, who has been 
increasingly critical of Pashinian’s administration.


Armenia - The human rights ombudsman, Arman Tatoyan, at a news conference in 
Yerevan, July 13, 2021.

In particular, Tatoyan has denounced Armenian troop withdrawals ordered by 
Pashinian following the 2020 war in Nagorno-Karabakh and accused the authorities 
of undermining judicial independence and bullying opposition groups that 
defeated the ruling party in recent local elections.

Tatoyan also repeatedly criticized Pashinian’s fiery rhetoric during campaigning 
for snap parliamentary elections held last June. The prime minister pledged to 
“purge” the state bureaucracy and wage “political vendettas” against local 
government officials supporting the opposition.

A senior Pashinian administration official responded late last year by accusing 
Tatoyan of engaging in “counterrevolutionary” activities in support of 
opposition forces.

Speaking in the parliament on Friday, Grigorian said that the office of the 
human rights defender “must not be perceived as a body alienated from the state 
and fighting against the state.” She said that if elected she will strive to 
“correct these misconceptions.”



Armenian Lawmakers Unimpressed By President’s Resignation

        • Naira Nalbandian
        • Sargis Harutyunyan

Armenia - The presidential palace in Yerevan.


In a rare convergence of views, pro-government and opposition members of 
Armenia’s parliament on Monday dismissed the main stated reason for President 
Armen Sarkissian’s resignation and criticized his track record.

Sarkissian announced his unexpected decision to step down late on Sunday. He 
attributed it to his lack of constitutional powers.

Lawmakers representing the ruling Civil Contract party and the opposition 
minority in the National Assembly countered that Sarkissian was well aware of 
the largely ceremonial powers vested in the presidency when he agreed to become 
president in early 2018.

“Didn’t he know the limits of his prerogatives when he was elected president?” 
said Civil Contract’s Khachatur Sukiasian. “He must have familiarized himself 
with the constitution before taking office.”

Sukiasian, who is also a wealthy businessman, went on to question Sarkissian’s 
patriotism and attachment to Armenia.

“If an Armenian keeps 90 percent of their capital in a foreign country I can’t 
help but wonder to what extent he trusts and loves the Republic of Armenia,” he 
said, referring to a fortune made by Sarkissian in Britain.


Armenia -- President Armen Sarkissian (R) and Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian 
attend a conference in Dilijan, June 8, 2019.

Sarkissian, 68, had lived and worked in London for nearly three decades. Former 
President Serzh Sarkisian offered him to become the head of state as Armenia 
completed its transition to a parliamentary system of government. The country’s 
former parliament controlled by Serzh Sarkisian’s Republican Party (HHK) elected 
the new president for a seven-year term in March 2018.

Hayk Mamijanian, an opposition lawmaker affiliated with the HHK, charged that 
Sarkissian has not performed his duties properly since then.

“He has sung the same song for four years,” Mamijanian told reporters. “Taking 
about the same things -- powers, powers, powers -- for four years is not 
comprehensible for me.”

Serzh Sarkisian’s political allies have been particularly critical of the 
current president. They have claimed that he is afraid of pushing back against 
what they see as Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian’s authoritarian tendencies.

Under Armenian constitution, parliament speaker Alen Simonian will take over as 
interim president if Sarkissian does not withdraw his resignation within a week. 
In that case, the National Assembly will have to elect a new head of state 
within the next 35 days.

To become president in the first round of voting a candidate has to be backed by 
at least 81 members of the 107-seat parliament. The legal threshold is set at 65 
votes for the second round.

Pashinian’s Civil Contract controls 71 parliament seats, putting it in a 
position to install the new president. The ruling party has not yet indicated 
who could be its presidential candidate.

The two opposition factions in the National Assembly also did not say on Monday 
whether they will field a candidate.


Reprinted on ANN/Armenian News with permission from RFE/RL
Copyright (c) 2022 Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, Inc.
1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

688 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia

Lara Antonian

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 11:07,

YEREVAN, JANUARY 24, ARMENPRESS. 688 new cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in the past 24 hours, bringing the cumulative total number of confirmed cases to 352,399, the National Center of Disease Control and Prevention of Armenia said.

4612 tests were administered (total 2,679,525).

176 people recovered (total 334,394).

Deaths were not recorded in the past 24 hours, and the total death toll remains at 8,028.

As of January 24, the number of active cases stood at 8,454.

Armenia, Austria celebrate 30th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations

Varazdat Torgomian

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 11:40,

YEREVAN, JANAURY 24, ARMENPRESS. Armenia and Austria are celebrating the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations.

Diplomatic relations between Armenia and Austria were established on 24 January 1992. On this day the two countries adopted a joint statement about the establishment of diplomatic ties.

Armenia and Austria are cooperating both at bilateral format and also within international organizations, such as UN, OSCE, etc.

During these 30 years the Armenian and Austrian governments signed 12 agreements on mutual cooperation, mutual support and partnership, as well as 6 memorandums of understanding and cooperation.

So far, a total of 14 official visits from Armenia to Austria were conducted, also at the level of presidents and prime ministers. The last one was Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s working visit in March 2019. During this visit the PM should have to negotiate with the Azerbaijani President by the mediation of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs. Pashinyan also met with President of Austria Alexander Van der Bellen.

Armen Papikyan is Armenia’s Ambassador to Austria, who is serving since November 28, 2018. Austria’s Ambassador to Armenia is Alois Kraut (residence in Vienna).

Armenians settled in the territory of the Austrian Empire back in the 17th century. The Armenian community has been supplemented after the 1915 Armenian Genocide. According to open sources, currently nearly 7000 Armenians live in Austria, mostly in Vienna. There are the St. Savior and St. Hripsime Churches in Vienna, the College of Theology of the Mekhitarist Congregation and the Hovhannes Shiraz Saturday classes.

Cyrill Demian (1772–1849) was an Armenian inventor of Armenopolis origin who made his living as an organ and piano maker with his two sons, Karl and Guido, in Vienna, Austria. On May 6, 1829, Cyrill and his sons presented a new instrument to the authorities for patent – the accordion. The patent was officially granted on May 23, 1829. Demian’s instruments are currently on display at the Vienna House of Music.  

Austria recognized the Armenian genocide on April 22, 2015 when all six factions of the Parliament adopted a joint statement recognizing and condemning the Genocide of Armenians.

Young Liberal Movement of Australia reaffirms recognition of Armenian Genocide, Artsakh’s right to self-determination

Mike Maghakian

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 11:48,

YEREVAN, JANUARY 24, ARMENPRESS (ANCA Press Release).  The Young Liberal Movement of Australia has unanimously adopted a motion at its National Convention recognising the 1915 Armenian, Assyrian and Greek Genocides, as well as acknowledging the rights to self-determination of the indigenous Armenian people of the Republic of Artsakh, reported the Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC-AU).

The Young Liberal Movement is the youth wing of the Liberal Party of Australia, which is one of two major political parties in Australian politics and currently the party in Government federally, led by Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

The adoption of the motion demonstrates the growing discourse in Australian society supporting national recognition of the 1915 Genocides, which contrasts with the policy of the Morrison Government, who have continued to placate the denialist Turkish Government with the use of euphemisms instead of the word “genocide” when referring to the Ottoman massacres against the Empire’s Christian minorities.

Significantly, the motion also ensures the Young Liberals support the rights to self-determination of the Republic of Artsakh, which is currently under occupation by Azerbaijan following their attacks on the independent Armenian-populated state in 2020 during the Nagorno Karabakh War.

The 2022 Young Liberal Federal Convention was held from January 21 – 23, 2022 at the Hobart Convention and Exhibition Centre at the Hotel Grand Chancellor, with 44 voting delegates participating from six states and the Australian Capital Territory.

The motion was moved by ACT Young Liberal President Connor Andreatidis and seconded by one of his colleagues from the ACT Young Liberal delegation.

Andreatidis’ motion not only recognised the 1915 crimes committed by the Ottoman Empire, but also called on the “Federal Government to recognise and condemn the Armenian, Assyrian and Greek Genocides”.

His motion also linked the Armenian Genocide to contemporary acts of aggression, notably Azerbaijani hostilities against the Armenian nation witnessed in September 2020 and the pan-Turkic attempts to ethnically cleanse the Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh) region of Armenians.

Andreatidis’ motion called on the Federal Young Liberals to “recognise the right to self-determination of the Armenians of the Republic of Artsakh, and that the recent and ongoing attacks against the Republic of Artsakh by Azerbaijan, backed by Turkey, are part of an ongoing legacy of Genocide and genocide denial”.

Prominent members of the Australian Liberal Party were also present at the Federal Convention and witnessed the unprecedented motion, including longtime friend and ally of the Armenian-Australian community Senator Eric Abetz, fellow Tasmanian Senators Claire Chandler and Senator Jonathon Duniam, and Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein.

ANC-AU Executive Director Haig Kayserian welcomed the support of the Australian Young Liberal Movement and thanked them for adopting the motion.

“This motion saw future leaders of our nation call out their current leaders by taking a unanimous stand in solidarity with the Armenian-Australian, Assyrian-Australian and Greek-Australian communities by addressing past and current injustices that remain unpunished,” Kayserian said.

“Thanks to the leadership of Mr Connor Andreatidis, some of the most politically active youth from around the country and members of our Prime Minister’s own party have sent a collective, clear and unequivocal message that we must face our future challenges by recognising and condemning past injustices wver they may take place,” Kayserian added.

“We thank Mr Andreatidis and past and present Young Liberal members who have supported this and similar motions which continue to demonstrate their ongoing commitment to advancing issues important to our communities.”

In August 2020, the ACT Young Liberals passed a similar resolution recognised and condemning the 1915 Armenian, Assyrian and Greek Genocides and the right to self-determination of the Republic of Artsakh (see ).

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1073780.html?fbclid=IwAR0l1QegvsiT_GauBUqzmxglXZ8QD8ZBnmJt2b6u44PXo2DFgNVmbxY4iqk

Armenia’s ex-defense minister denied bail

Maral Chavushian

Armenia's ex-defense minister denied bail

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 11:58,

YEREVAN, JANUARY 24, ARMENPRESS. Indicted ex-defense minister Davit Tonoyan will remain jailed after being denied bail by a Yerevan court on Monday.

Tonoyan’s lawyer said that only one defendant – Artyom Hambaryan – was granted release on bail on a sum of 5,000,000 drams. Other defendants, including Tonoyan, were denied bail.

Two Members of Parliament from the ruling Civil Contract party – Kristine Poghosyan and Vilen Gabrielyan , as well as another MP Aram Sargsyan (Hanrapetutyun Party President, brother of late PM Vazgen Sargsyan) had vouched-in to the court for Tonoyan’s release.

Tonoyan and several others face corruption charges. They are charged with fraud and embezzlement that cost the state almost 2.3 billion drams ($4.7 million) in what authorities said was a deliberate acquisition of outdated rockets for the military during Tonoyan’s tenure as defense minister.

The Chief of the General Staff of the Armenian Armed Forces General Artak Davtyan is also charged in the case.

They deny wrongdoing.