Category: 2022

800 people prosecuted in war-related criminal cases in Armenia – Prosecutor General

Nahapetian Zhanna

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 12:33,

YEREVAN, APRIL 22, ARMENPRESS. Investigations into criminal cases related to the 44-day war revealed that “numerous” military servicemembers and high-ranking officers failed to fulfill their duty properly, the Prosecutor-General of Armenia Artur Davtyan told lawmakers at a parliamentary committee hearing on the prosecution’s 2021 report.

“From the beginning we adopted the following two directions: subject for investigation under the criminal cases related to the 44-day war are the war crimes committed by Azerbaijan’s military-political leadership, as well as the alleged criminal violations committed by our military-political leadership and the armed forces during war,” Davtyan added.

2150 criminal cases related to the war were investigated during 2021, he noted.

“As of yearend, criminal prosecution was carried out against 800 persons by these criminal cases, 55 persons have already been handed over to courts and respective verdicts delivered.  

Investigations continue.

Criminal prosecution instituted against 60 representatives of Azerbaijani military-political leadership over 44-day war

Emil Lazarian

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 12:48,

YEREVAN, APRIL 22, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian prosecution possesses objective evidence proving that the military-political leadership and servicemembers of Azerbaijan committed gross violations of international humanitarian law during the 44-day war, Prosecutor-General Artur Davtyan said at the parliamentary committee on state-legal affairs while presenting the prosecution’s 2021 report.

“In concrete cases they premeditatedly targeted civilian settlements and civilians, murdered civilians, violated the rules of war, deployed banned munitions, targeted and destroyed Armenian historical-cultural values and fueled by ethnic hatred committed violence, torture and killings,” Davtyan said, describing the actions of the Azerbaijani troops.

He also spoke about the acts of terror committed during the 44-day war. 

“The objective evidence gathered under the criminal cases clearly prove that as early as in June-July 2020, infamous terror groups started recruiting mercenaries from northern Syria. The recruited mercenaries were unimpededly transferred into Turkey through the Turkey-Syria state border, without control or check, and were then transferred by plane to Azerbaijan. In Azerbaijan, they underwent military training. The Syrian mercenaries detained by us have testified that they underwent special training for combat in mountainous terrains. They were ordered to target, kill and torture civilians in settlements,” Davtyan said.

Criminal prosecution was instituted against 60 representatives of the Azerbaijani military-political leadership, he added.

Armenian Genocide Education Act introduced in U.S. House

Parkev Tvankchian

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 12:57,

YEREVAN, APRIL 22, ARMENPRESS. US Representatives Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) were joined by close to 50 U.S. Representatives in introducing the Armenian Genocide Education Act, an ANCA-backed bipartisan measure that would fund Library of Congress educational programs about the history, lessons, consequences, and ongoing costs of the Armenian Genocide, the Armenian National Committee of America reports. 

The ANCA-backed measure, led by Reps. Carolyn Maloney and Gus Bilirakis, seeks $10 Million in funding for Armenian Genocide education.

“As the saying goes, if we do not learn from history, we are doomed to repeat it,” said Congresswoman Maloney. “That is why I am proud to introduce the Armenian Genocide Education Act to teach the horrors and lessons of the Armenian Genocide accurately and effectively. Both chambers of Congress voted with overwhelming bipartisan majorities to officially recognize the Armenian Genocide, and last year President Biden made it clear that it is the official position of the United States that these systematic killings were genocide. It is imperative that we now ensure Americans have access to the resources they need to learn and teach about this atrocity.”

Rep. Bilirakis concurred, noting, “our darkest moments as a human race have come during times when those who knew better stood silently, making excuses for passivity and allowing injustice and persecution to reign. We must acknowledge the atrocities of the past so that we might hopefully prevent them in the future. One of the best ways to achieve this goal is through education and awareness, which is why I am proud to co-introduce the Armenian Genocide Education Act with Carolyn Maloney.”

This landmark legislation, introduced on the eve of the international commemoration of the Armenian Genocide on April 24th, seeks to provide $10 million in funding over five years for the Library of Congress to educate Americans about Ottoman Turkey’s systematic and deliberate state-sponsored mass murder, national dispossession, cultural erasure, and exile of millions of Armenians, Greeks, Assyrians, Chaldeans, Syriacs, Arameans, Maronites, and other Christians, between 1915 and 1923.

“The ANCA welcomes this landmark launch of the Armenian Genocide Education Act,” remarked ANCA Chairman Raffi Hamparian.

“With White House and Congressional recognition of the Armenian Genocide secured – we must now ensure that America’s school children are taught about the historical lessons and present-day consequences of this crime against Armenians, Greeks, Assyrians, Chaldeans, Syriacs, Arameans, Maronites, and other Christians,” the ANCA Chairman added.

“The ANCA looks forward to working with Congresswoman Maloney, Congressman Bilirakis, and their growing bipartisan list of Congressional cosponsors to advance this timely measure. We are committed to challenging genocide denial at every turn, with the clear goal of securing a just resolution for all the victims of Turkey’s crimes – past and present,” concluded Hamparian.

Joining Armenian Genocide Education Act lead authors Rep. Carolyn Maloney and Rep. Gus Bilirakis as original cosponsors of the measure, are Representatives: Joining Armenian Genocide Education Act lead authors Rep. Carolyn Maloney and Rep. Gus Bilirakis as original cosponsors of the measure, are Representatives: Nanette Barragan (D-CA), Karen Bass (D-CA), Tony Cardenas (D-CA), David Cicilline (D-RI), Katherine Clark (D-MA), Lou Correa (D-CA), Jim Costa (D-CA), Danny Davis (D-IL), Anna Eshoo (D-CA), John Garamendi (D-CA), Jimmy Gomez (D-CA), Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), Josh Harder (D-CA), Brian Higgins (D-NY), Sara Jacobs (D-CA), Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), Ro Khanna (D-CA), Young Kim (R-CA), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), Doug LaMalfa (R-CA), Brenda Lawrence (D-MI), Barbara Lee (D-CA), Ted Lieu (D-CA), Alan Lowenthal (D-CA), Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY), James McGovern (D-MA), Grace Meng (D-NY), Grace Napolitano (D-CA), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Frank Pallone (D-NJ), Scott Peters (D-CA), Katie Porter (D-CA), Linda Sanchez (D-CA), John Sarbanes (D-MD), Janice Schakowsky (D-IL), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Brad Sherman (D-CA), Christopher Smith (R-NJ), Abigail Spanberger (D-VA), Jackie Speier (D-CA), Eric Swalwell (D-CA), Dina Titus (D-NV), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Paul Tonko (D-NY), Lori Trahan (D-MA), David Valadao (R-CA), and Juan Vargas (D-CA). Rep. Joe Neguse (D-CO) has added his name to the cosponsor list and congressional support is expected to grow in the upcoming days.

In addition to the ANCA, the Armenian Genocide Education Act already has the support of a diverse and growing coalition of ethnic, faith-based, and educational organizations including the American Friends of Kurdistan, Armenian Assembly of America, Armenian Legal Center for Justice and Human Rights, Armenian National Institute, Assyrian Policy Institute, The Genocide Education Project, Hellenic American Leadership Council, Hindu American Foundation, In Defense of Christians, International Association of Genocide Scholars, Middle East Forum, and UCLA’s Promise Institute for Human Rights.

Building upon the 2019 passage of H.Res.296 and S.Res.150 – which specifically rejected any official U.S. association with Armenian Genocide denial – and President Biden’s recognition of the Armenian Genocide in 2021, the Armenian Genocide Education Act seeks to counter discourse and propaganda that claims that Ottoman Turkey’s systematic and deliberate state-sponsored mass murder, national dispossession, cultural erasure, and exile of millions of Christians between 1915 and 1923 did not take place.

“Remember the Armenian Genocide and all genocides. Remember with caring and protest. We cannot bring back our victims, but we can honor them by pledging to human history that we will oppose any and all genocidal murders of peoples and cultures. Preventing genocide – including to our enemies – is our true memorial,” stated genocide studies pioneer Dr. Israel Charny, upon introduction of the Armenian Genocide Education Act.

Armen Grigoryan: Many partners have talked to us about lowering Artsakh status bar

Hambardsumian Paul
NEWS.am
10:24, 22.04.2022

The proposal to lower the bar on the status of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) was not voiced by one person. Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia, Armen Grigoryan, stated about this on Public TV, answering the program host’s question as to who is that “international community” that makes such proposals, and what the security guarantees are if that bar is lowered.

“At the moment I cannot say specific names… It was not a proposal from one person; many partners have talked to us about this. But when you ask about security guarantees, we must form security guarantees during the negotiations. It is not that they said that ‘if you lower that bar, these are the security guarantees.’ Within the framework of negotiations with Azerbaijan, as well as thanks to the support of the international community, we will create those security guarantees. If there are no security guarantees, we naturally will not move there; the existing status quo will be maintained,” Grigoryan said.

The host noted that he assumes that a peace agreement will be signed, which will become that guarantee, but Azerbaijan has repeatedly proved that it violates any agreement, does not keep the agreements even with Russia, and considering this, he asked what the Armenian authorities expect. In response, Armen Grigoryan said that not only the agreement but also the mechanisms are a guarantee. According to him, for example, in the November 9, 2020 statement, not only the text is the guarantees, but also the mechanisms, for example, the presence of Russian peacekeepers in the region.

“(…) our region is under the strong influence of global, international structures. And seeing these changes, we try to find security guarantees so that we can ensure security in Artsakh and find mechanisms. These mechanisms are not just treaties or the treaty, but mechanisms that exist on the ground; for example, with the option of peacekeepers…we expect that they will be there for a long time until we find a solution. But the incidents of Parukh [village] show that these security mechanisms also are not enough to ensure complete security. We want to receive additional guarantees that security will be ensured in Artsakh,” he said.

And to the host’s question whether he means other troops, Armen Grigoryan gave a negative answer, adding that it is necessary to find those mechanisms, and one of the issues on the agenda is to find the mechanisms that will guarantee security and the exercising of rights for the people living in Artsakh.


Azerbaijan president does not like it when senior Armenia officials talk about OSCE Minsk Group

Hovik Karapetian
NEWS.am
13:30, 22.04.2022

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev does not like it when high-ranking Armenian officials talk about the OSCE Minsk Group, which was set up to “perpetuate the occupation of Azerbaijani territories by Armenia,” Azerbaijani media reported.

“As for the mediators, unfortunately, today high-ranking officials in Armenia still speak about the Minsk Group. I think it’s nonsense, and it does not make sense. The Minsk Group was actually paralyzed in 2019. This group, which received a mandate to resolve this issue in 1992, has achieved virtually no results. Now, looking at the history, actions, and proposals of its group, we can see once again that it was created not to solve the problem, but to perpetuate the occupation [of Azerbaijani territories],” Aliyev said in his address at the 5th Congress of World Azerbaijanis—in the Azerbaijani-occupied Armenian city of Shushi, Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh).

“I am often asked what will happen to the OSCE Minsk Group. I have said that the OSCE Minsk Group will mark its 30th anniversary in 2022, and then retire. But after the start of the Russian-Ukrainian war, they do not even have the opportunity to mark the anniversary,” Aliyev added.

Turkey FM’s visit to Uruguay on Genocide remembrance day eve causes outrage in local Armenian community

Vorskanian Yeghisabet
NEWS.am
Turkey FM’s visit to Uruguay on Genocide remembrance day eve causes outrage in local Armenian community
14:49, 22.04.2022

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu will pay a visit to Uruguay on Saturday, the eve of the 107th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.

Uruguay and Turkey are discussing, at the highest level, the possibility of signing a free trade agreement.

Cavusoglu’s visit to Uruguay on the eve of the Armenian Genocide remembrance day has caused outrage in the local Armenian community. And considering the atrocities committed in various countries by the security officers of high-ranking Turkish officials, the Uruguayan interior minister has been asked to beef up security during events to be held dedicated to the Armenian Genocide anniversary.

Separately, the Uruguayan foreign minister will address the event to be held at Armenia Square in the capital Montevideo on Sunday, and the country’s vice president will address the parliament on April 26.

Religious ceremonies, humanitarian events, a march, and demonstrations are also planned.


Remembering the Armenian Genocide: why it’s important

Tatoyan Vazgen
Your Central Valley

by: Stefani Booroojian

FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE)- President Biden labeling the Russian assault on the people of Ukraine as genocide. “Yes, I called it genocide because it has become clearer and clearer that Putin is just trying to wipe out the idea of even being able to be Ukrainian,” The president recently said.

Thousands of Ukrainians have lost their lives in cities and villages bombarded by Russian troops. Brutal acts sadly seen before. In 1915, the Ottoman Turkish empire attempted to wipe out the Armenian people from their historic homeland – it’s labeled the “first genocide of the 20th century.” Atrocities Turkey to this day denies.

marks the 107th commemoration of the Armenian genocide. Fresno’s Honorary Consul of Armenia Berj Apkarian says we must remember the genocide in which one and a half million Armenian people lost their lives because the lack of consequences for what happened in Armenia, allowed countries like Russia to wage the horrific war we see today. “Basically we’re paying the price for inaction at that time where we did not deal with the situation. we could have prevented many other atrocities and genocides around the world, ” Apkarian says.

The genocide drove the Armenian survivors worldwide. Now two, three and even four generations later, the central valley is home to tens of thousands. But their ancestral homeland is not forgotten. Apkarian leads local doctors on a yearly medical mission to Armenia, and in March took a small group to Lebanon, providing free medical care to impoverished Armenians and others in and around Beirut. He credits the community, donations and Community Health Systems for making it possible.
“Whereever the Armenian communities and they are in need. as long as I got the community’s backing, I’ll take my time and do it,” says Apkarian

Marking an enormous loss 107 years ago. A story that sadly repeats itself even to this day. But it also marks the survival of a culture.. that in spite of everything- even genocide- continues to thrive.

Fresno: Commemorating the Armenian Genocide

Talar Tumanian
Your Central Valley


by: Emily Erwin

In 1915, during WWI, the Armenian people suffered one of the world’s largest genocides.

It’s estimated one million people lost their lives and their identity to mass murder and ethnic cleansing. Even then, more than 100 years ago, Fresno’s Armenian community was a strong one. That strength continues today with the Armenian Genocide Commemorative Committee.

The committee is committed to commemorating this history and remembering the saints and survivors of the Armenian Genocide.

On , the Annual Armenian Genocide Commemorative Program will take place at California State University, Fresno (5241 N. Maple Ave, Fresno, CA 93740). The community is invited to lay flowers at the Armenian Genocide Monument at 4:00 pm (end of the Rose Garden, in between the Satellite Student Union and Peters Business Building) before the program formally begins.

The event will commence at 5:00 pm with the presentations of the flags. It will include a religious and civic service including musical performances and a statement by President Jimenez-Sandoval.

Visit agcfresno.org, the AGC Fresno Facebook page, and Instagram page for more information.

UC Davis community remembers the Armenian Genocide

Garnik Tadevosian
The Aggie – UC Davis

Students share what the day represents to them and how they acknowledge it

By ALINA ISSAKHANIAN — [email protected]

Content Warning: This article contains descriptions of violence which some readers may find disturbing.

marks the 107th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. For many, including first-year international relations major Ani Jamhotchian, it is a day of remembrance, grief and working for justice. 

“Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day is a day to honor those who were lost during the genocide, remember the hard work we as a people have put into creating our thriving communities, and continue to fight against those who try to conceal the truth of what happened to our ancestors,” Jamgotchian said. 

To remember the day, many Armenians and those who support the day’s recognition, join marches, hold vigils and spread their knowledge of the genocide. Leah Tahmassian, a second-year political science major and the social media chair of UC Davis’s Armenian Students Association, shared how she honors the day.

“I usually attend a memorial or march for justice,” Tahmassian said. “I also posted about it on my Instagram as a reminder for my friends and family. Remembering the genocide is not only important — it is essential in order for Armenian heritage to survive.” 

According to the New York Times, before the year 1915, there were two million Armenians in the Ottoman Empire, but by the year 1922, there were fewer than 400,000. Around 1.5 million Armenians were either killed or forcibly removed from the empire during that time, as well as more people not of Armenian ethnicity in the Ottoman Empire, including Christian minorities, like Greeks and Assyrians.

Elisa Gevorgian, a first-year biology major, said that people march to the Turkish Consulate in Los Angeles every year on April 24 to remind people of the genocide and encourage the U.S. to do more to acknowledge it’s impact.

“To remember the day and fight for justice, we go to the March For Justice in front of the Turkish consulate,” Gevorgian said. “It is important so that something like this will not be as likely to happen again.”

While Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day is acknowledged by the state of California, the U.S. does not recognize it federally. In 2019, the U.S. legislature passed a resolution officially recognizing the massacres that took place as a genocide, but first-year mechanical engineering major Diana Jabagchourian said that she believes the U.S. should do more to support the Armenian community.

“I believe that the Armenian people will never heal completely,” Jabagchourian said. “I don’t believe that enough has been done.” 

Tahmassian said that though more could be done, recognizing the acts of 1915 as a genocide is a strong symbol by the U.S. 

She also said that on Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day and throughout the year, individuals can support Armenian communities by educating themselves on the history of the genocide and supporting the communities around them.

“People need to recognize the pain that Armenians have gone through in order to better understand the Armenians in their life, and bring them to a safer state of mind,” Tahmassian said. “Armenians cannot do this alone. We need the general public to come out and help us since without them we do not have the numbers we need for global recognition.”

[California] Governor Newsom Proclaims Day of Remembrance of the Armenian Genocide 2022

Hunanian Jack
California –

Published: Apr 22, 2022

SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today issued a proclamation declaring as “A Day of Remembrance of the Armenian Genocide” in the State of California.The text of the proclamation can be found here and a copy is below:

https://www.gov.ca.gov/2022/04/22/governor-newsom-proclaims-day-of-remembrance-of-the-armenian-genocide-2022/