Category: 2023

Moscow Says Kidnapping of Artsakh Patient ‘Further Complicates’ Matter

Emil Lazarian
by Asbarez Staff

 

 August 2, 2023

 

in Armenia, Artsakh, Featured Story, Latest, News, Top Stories

Artsakh resident Vagif Khachatryan before being kidnapped by Azerbaijani forces on Jul. 29

Calls Yerevan’s Acceptance of Artsakh as Part of Azerbaijan “Inappropriate,” Chides Pashinyan for Calling into Question Russia’s Role

The Russian Foreign Ministry on Wednesday said Azerbaijan’s abduction of an Artsakh citizen is further complicating the peace process and the ability to find solutions to the conflict. It also lambasted Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan for questioning the continued presence of its peacekeepers in Artsakh and claiming that Moscow has scaled back its involvement in Armenian-Azerbaijani peace talks because of the war in Ukraine.

The kidnapping and subsequent arrest of Vagif Khachatryan by Azerbaijani forces on Saturday “
of course, complicates the process of finding difficult but necessary conclusions, compromises and solutions,” said Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova during a press briefing on Wednesday.

“Of course, this exacerbates the situation,” she emphasized, adding that the assessments of the situation by Armenia and Azerbaijan were “diametrically opposed” to one another.

“Regardless of this particular incident or other similar incidents, we rely on the importance of reconciliation both in the context of the normalization of Armenian-Azerbaijani relations and in the context of ensuring the rights and security of the people of Karabakh,” said Zakharova.

She also emphasized the importance of the immediate opening of Lachin corridor, a position that Moscow has articulated more vocally during the past several weeks.

“We are working with the parties and once again reaffirm the need to immediately unblock the Lachin corridor and ensure normal conditions for the life of the local population,” added Zakharova.

She added that a lot depends on the political will and willingness to make compromises in this matter.

In addressing the fact that a convoy of trucks carrying 400 tons of humanitarian assistance to Artsakh from Armenia has been stranded at the Hakari Bridge for more than a week, Zakharova said that the Russian peacekeeping contingent is “searching for solutions” and is contact with both sides.

She warned, however, that accusations being made against the Russian peacekeepers are counterproductive “and do not reflect their real contribution to efforts of stabilizing the situation on the ground.”
Zakharova also stressed said that Armenia had not coordinated the delivery of the humanitarian aid with Azerbaijan, in a sense negating the fact that the Lachin Corridor, per the November 9, 2020 agreement, must remain open to traffic and be under the control of the Russian peacekeepers.

Zakharova’s strongest rebuke of Pashinyan came in reference to the prime minister’s statements last month that the European Union and especially the United States have played the leading role in international efforts to end the Karabakh conflict lately. Pashinyan said that because of “the events in Ukraine” the Russians cannot invest as much “energy and time” in conflict mediation as they did before.

Pashinyan also suggested that a “productive” dialogue between the Azerbaijani government and Karabakh’s leadership could lead to the withdrawal of the Russian peacekeeping contingent from the Armenian-populated region.

Zakharova said the Armenian leader’s remarks are “devoid of any factual basis,” arguing that in recent months Moscow has organized “a series” of high-level Armenian-Azerbaijani talks, including Pashinyan’s May 25 meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev hosted by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“We have been and remain fully interested in furthering the process of normalizing Armenian-Azerbaijani relations,” Zakharova said at the press briefing.. “We are doing everything to achieve a lasting peace and stability in the region.”

The foreign ministry spokesperson also called Pashinyan’s comments about the possible end of the Russian peacekeepers’ presence in Artsakh “incomprehensible.”

“Is this a wish?” she said. “I don’t understand Mr. Pashinyan. What is he talking about?”

“Does the leadership of Armenia think that [the peacekeepers’] activity is not necessary and desirable and wants to end it?” Zakharova went on. “They need to set the record straight.”

“Unfortunately, we can see that often times representatives of Armenia’s leadership adopt an equivocal, so to speak, position on a number of key issues. We therefore very much want to see no ambiguity on this score because juggling with words does not end well,” Zakharova said.

“And generally speaking, after the Armenian leadership recognized Nagorno-Karabakh as Azerbaijani territory, any complaints about Russia not making enough efforts look all the more inappropriate,” added Zakharova.

Asbarez: Pilibos Acquires New Property to Accommodate Growth And Success

Emil Lazarian
by Contributor

 

 August 2, 2023

 

in Community, Featured Story, Latest, News, Top Stories
The newly-acquired property is near Pilibos’ current campus


In conjunction with the Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America Inc, the Rose and Alex Pilibos Armenian School, a distinguished educational institution dedicated to preserving Armenian language, culture, and heritage, has recently purchased a 6800 square foot property on Alexandria Ave.

The acquisition marks a significant milestone in the school’s journey as it expands its facilities to meet the challenges posed by its remarkable growth and success.

Under the leadership of Western Prelate Bishop Torkom Donoyan and the supervision of the Prelacy Executive Council Chairman Vahe Hovaguimian, school Principal Maral Tavitian, and its Board, led by Chairman Vahe Tashdjian, the school is actively planning and working on feasibility plans to ensure the property is ready for use during the upcoming 2023-2024 academic year.

Over the years, Rose and Alex Pilibos Armenian School has experienced a steady increase in enrollment, reflecting its reputation for providing high-quality education rooted in Armenian values. This growth has presented various challenges, including space constraints and the need for enhanced facilities to support the expanding student body. Recognizing the importance
of creating an optimal learning environment, the school administration has actively pursued opportunities for growth and expansion.

Following an extensive search for the perfect opportunity, Rose and Alex Pilibos Armenian School was able to purchase the property.

“This acquisition stands as a testament to the unwavering dedication of the Prelacy towards its schools, while also highlighting the School’s and the Board’s resolute commitment to fulfilling Pilibos’ mission. Furthermore, this milestone represents a momentous stride towards meeting the escalating needs of the thriving Pilibos community,” the Prelacy said in a statement.

Having take possession of the property, Rose and Alex Pilibos Armenian School is in the planning stages for its transformation into an asset.

The School Administration and Board, in collaboration with architects and experts, is meticulously developing feasibility plans to ensure the new property meets the needs of the community.

AW; DC Youth Leader denied entry to Armenia

Boris Nahapetian
August 2, 2023 Lillian Avedian Breaking, News 0

AYF Washington D.C. “Ani” Chapter member and AYF-YOARF ER Central Executive member Areni Margossian delivering her speech to the crowd of protesters in front of the White House on January 21, 2023 (Photo: AYF Washington D.C. “Ani” treasurer Kristine Antanesian)

Areni Margossian, a member of the Armenian Youth Federation-Youth Organization of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (AYF-YOARF) Eastern Region Central Executive and the AYF Washington D.C. “Ani” Chapter, was denied entry to Armenia on August 1. 

Margossian arrived at Zvartnots airport in Yerevan on the morning of August 1, en route to join a team of hikers to climb Mount Ararat. Her passport was confiscated by border control agents without an explanation. She was held at the airport for 24 hours before she was deported to the United Arab Emirates.

Margossian said everything seemed fine when she landed in Yerevan on Tuesday morning. “I could see Ararat from the plane,” she told the Weekly. Yet her passport set off an alert after it was scanned at border security. She was taken to a room in the airport, where she was held for over four hours. 

Two families came and went from the holding room. Margossian pressed the border control officers to explain why they had been released, while she was still being held without explanation. An officer told her that one of the families had been sent upstairs, which he said was a bad sign. 

She got in touch with the ARF Bureau Office of Youth Affairs in Yerevan and Kristine Vardanyan, an ARF member and parliamentarian representing the opposition Armenia Alliance. Vardanyan contacted the U.S. Embassy in Yerevan and the Human Rights Defender’s Office. Vardanyan told the Weekly that while the U.S. Embassy assured her that it would get in touch with the relevant agencies, “no significant assistance was provided within the 24-hour timeframe.” 

The Human Rights Defender’s Office eventually informed Vardanyan that Margossian’s name was included in a list of “undesirable persons for Armenia,” according to Vardanyan.

After more than four hours, Margossian was taken upstairs to the departure gates. “I hadn’t put two and two together. I thought they were saying I’d be more comfortable upstairs. The chairs are more comfortable, and I would have something to eat,” she said, until she recalled the officer’s warning that upstairs was a “bad place.” 

Margossian spent the night at the departure gates, catching some three hours of sleep on a waiting room chair. In the morning, she was informed by the Human Rights Defender’s office that she would need to submit a formal letter to the Armenian authorities to determine why she had been denied entry to the country. 

She was boarded on a flight to the UAE, connecting to Lebanon, where she would reunite with her mother. When she spoke with the Weekly from the Dubai International Airport, she was “desperately hoping” her luggage was on a plane headed her way. 

“It’s not the same, but to think about how Azerbaijan has been blockading Artsakh for eight months now, not letting any Armenians out or any supplies come in. The Armenian government in a parallel fashion is preventing me from reaching my own country, but opening it up freely to Turkey and Azerbaijan as if they’re our friends, while they’re the biggest enemies and want nothing more than to see us completely destroyed. It’s frustrating. More than that–it’s unacceptable,” Margossian said. 

Margossian suggested she was deported from Armenia because of her involvement in protests in Washington D.C. against the policies of the current Armenian government. In November 2021, she delivered a speech criticizing PM Pashinyan’s signature of the trilateral ceasefire agreement ending the 2020 Artsakh War exactly one year earlier and the concession of land to Azerbaijan, during a rally outside the Armenian embassy in Washington organized by the AYF. 

This is not the first time in the past year that an ARF member and activist from the diaspora has been denied entry to Armenia, following their involvement in anti-government protests.

In July 2022, Mourad Papazian, a leading member of the French Armenian community, was detained at Zvartnots and deported. Papazian is a member of the ARF Bureau and the co-president of the Coordinating Council of Armenian Organizations of France, an umbrella structure of French Armenian groups. The Armenian Prime Minister’s office said that Papazian had been expelled from Armenia because he had organized an attack on PM Nikol Pashinyan’s motorcade during his official visit to France in June 2022. “Various objects and items were thrown in the direction of the motorcade,” according to the PM’s office. 

In August 2022, Massis Abrahamian, leader of the ARF in the Netherlands, and his daughter Suneh were detained and deported at the Yerevan airport. This past January, Njteh Karakavorian, head of the AYF in France, was refused entry to Armenia, en route to a pan-Armenian ARF Youth Conference in the Syunik province. 

The ARF has denounced these cases as violations of freedom of _expression_ and political affiliation. Vardanyan connected these incidents to the arrests of hundreds of protesters during anti-government rallies in Yerevan last year and a string of arrests of opposition politicians. 

“These incidents illustrate a worrying trend where individuals who participate in peaceful community events, engage in political activities and advocate for certain causes are being denied entry to the country or facing arrests. Such cases undoubtedly raise alarm about the state of democratic values and human rights in the country,” Vardanyan said in written comments to the Weekly. 

Meanwhile, Margossian says the priorities of the Armenian government need to shift.

“They need to protect our borders, protect Artsakh, focus energy on lifting the blockade and the return of prisoners of war. I am not their concern. I am a nobody in the grand scheme of Armenian issues right now,” Margossian said.

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Lillian Avedian is a staff writer for the Armenian Weekly. Her writing has also been published in the Los Angeles Review of Books, Hetq and the Daily Californian. She is pursuing master’s degrees in journalism and Near Eastern Studies at New York University. A human rights journalist and feminist poet, Lillian's first poetry collection Journey to Tatev was released with Girls on Key Press in spring of 2021.


AW: ARF Eastern USA condemns detention of AYF Central Executive member

Garo Vardanian
August 2, 2023 ARF Eastern US Central Committee Statements Comments Offon ARF Eastern USA condemns detention of AYF Central Executive member

The Central Committee of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF), Eastern United States condemns the detention of AYF-YOARF Central Executive member Areni Margossian at Armenia’s Zvartnots International Airport where she was denied entry without explanation upon her arrival on August 1. After being held for hours, Areni was forced to leave the homeland of her heritage and travel to Lebanon where she is now with family. 

In her remarks at an AYF-led protest in Washington D.C. on January 21, 2023, Areni said: “Perhaps our beds are too soft, or our homes are too warm, or our sugar too sweet, that we cannot fathom the struggles facing Artsakh today. But this does not lessen our responsibility. Perhaps two years of ongoing war and atrocity after atrocity have made us numb. Then maybe it’s time to open the wound back up a little and channel pain into action, rather than numb it.”

At a time when the Armenian government is purportedly welcoming youth to Armenia for a forum without substance and meant only for show, the Armenian government’s refusal to allow entry to a leader of the largest and most influential Armenian-American youth organization was on full display for the world to see. Because Areni posed no threat to the people of Armenia and had committed no crime, the Pashinyan regime’s decision to bar Areni from entering Armenia must have been based on her well-known, principled stand for Artsakh’s self-determination in conflict with the Pashinyan regime’s policies. 

The Central Committee, the ARF of Armenia, and the ARF Bureau Office for Youth Affairs were in communication with Areni throughout her ordeal and obtained support from human rights and diplomatic officials to seek Areni’s immediate and unconditional release. No information or explanation has been provided to any entity or to Areni by the government of Armenia for its action despite repeated demands.

This deplorable action by the Pashinyan regime, in line with the modus operandi of the governments of Azerbaijan and Turkey, requires a full and immediate explanation. We call on our community members and allies to join us in our condemnation of Areni’s treatment, in our demand for full accountability from the Armenian government, and in our ongoing work for Artsakh’s protection and self-determination.

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The ARF Eastern Region Central Committee’s headquarters is the Hairenik Building in Watertown, Mass. The ARF Eastern Region’s media and bookstore are also housed in this building, as are various other important Armenian community organizations. The ARF Eastern Region holds a convention annually and calls various consultative meetings and conferences throughout the year.


RFE/RL Armenian Service – 08/02/2023

Alex Jidarian 
                                        Wednesday, August 2, 2023


Karabakh Armenians ‘At Risk Of Imminent Hunger’

        • Ruzanna Stepanian

Nagorno-Karabakh - People line up outside a bakery in Stepanakert, July 18, 2023.


Nagorno-Karabakh’s population is increasingly suffering from malnutrition and 
facing the imminent threat of starvation because of Azerbaijan’s blockade of the 
Lachin corridor, an official in Stepanakert said on Wednesday.

Baku aggravated the shortages of food, medicine, fuel and other essential items 
there when it tightened the blockage of Karabakh’s sole land link with Armenia 
on June 15, banning limited amounts of relief supplies carried out by Russian 
peacekeepers and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

An aide to Karabakh premier Gurgen Nersisian warned that the food shortages will 
become even more acute in the days ahead.

“Some food can still be found,” Artak Beglarian told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service 
from Stepanakert. “People are trying to make sure that they are not totally 
hungry, but the scale of malnutrition is already very large.”

“We can’t say that in a few days’ time people will be dying of hunger, barring 
exceptional cases. But what we can say is that very soon there will be hungry 
people who haven’t eaten for a whole day,” he said.

Over the last few weeks, bread was one of the few staples limited quantities of 
which Karabakh residents could buy in local food stores. But it too all but 
disappeared from shop shelves in recent days, with desperate citizens spending 
many hours trying to buy flour and bake bread at home.

Beglarian explained that Karabakh has run out of its wheat reserves and is now 
switching to grain currently harvested by local farmers.

“The harvesting work is very slow for three or even four main reasons,” he said, 
listing a lack of fuel, the absence of spare parts for tractors and combine 
harvesters, systematic Azerbaijani gunfire targeting such agricultural 
equipment, and last week’s heavy rainfall.

Armenia -- An Armenian convoy of trucks carrying food for Karabakh is stranded 
near an Azerbaijani checkpoint at the beginning of the Lachin corridor, July 27, 
2023.

Echoing a statement by a Karabakh food agency, Beglarian said that the newly 
harvested grain needs to dry up before it can be milled and supplied to 
bakeries. The bread crisis should be alleviated in a couple of days, added the 
official.

Ruzanna Tadevosian, a 27-year-old resident of Stepanakert, was skeptical about 
these assurances. “They always give hopes that do not materialize,” she said of 
the local authorities.

Tadevosian, who breastfeeds her 1-year-old baby, was among several dozen mothers 
who rallied in Stepanakert on Tuesday to protest against the crippling shortages 
and demand stronger government action. They were received by Arayik Harutiunian, 
the Karabakh president.

Tadevosian said Harutiunian told them to “wait for two or three more days.” “The 
president said he has some expectations from the United States and Russia and in 
two or three days he will make a statement,” she said.

In what may have been a related incident, a man was detained in Stepanakert 
early on Wednesday after firing gunshots in the air. Some local residents 
claimed that he demanded food for his children.

Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan warned that Karabakh’s population is 
“on the brink of starvation” when he addressed on July 20 an emergency meeting 
of the OSCE’s Permanent Council in Vienna. He urged the international community 
to put stronger pressure on Azerbaijan.

The United States, the European Union and Russia have repeatedly called for an 
immediate end to the blockade. Baku has dismissed their appeals, saying that the 
Karabakh Armenians should only be supplied with food and other basic items from 
Azerbaijan.




Another Karabakh Resident Detained By Azerbaijan

        • Susan Badalian

Azerbaijani border guards set up a checkpoint in the Lachin corridor, April 26, 
2023.


Azerbaijani security forces detained a resident of Nagorno-Karabakh after he 
crossed into the Lachin district for unclear reasons on Tuesday.

Azerbaijan’s border guard service said that the 61-year-old man, Rashid 
Beglarian, illegally crossed a local section of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border.

Karabakh authorities insisted, however, that Beglarian walked to Lachin from the 
nearby Karabakh village of Mets Shen. They said initially that he lost his way 
“under the influence of alcohol.”

But the Karabakh prosecutor’s office claimed on Wednesday that Beglarian was in 
fact “secretly kidnapped” by Azerbaijani servicemen as he walked towards Armenia 
through the Lachin corridor blocked by Baku. His whereabouts remain unknown, it 
said in a statement.

Beglarian has lived in Khndzristan, another Karabakh village located several 
dozen kilometers east of Mets Shen, since the 2020 Armenian-Azerbaijani war. His 
two sons and the village mayor said on Wednesday that they don’t know why he 
travelled to Mets Shen.

“He didn’t live with us,” one of the sons, Armen Beglarian, told RFE/RL’s 
Armenian Service. “We too learned [about his detention] from the Internet.”

The authorities in Stepanakert said they promptly asked Russian peacekeepers to 
help secure the man’s release. It is not clear whether the Azerbaijani side is 
ready to free him.

Another Karabakh resident, Vagif Khachatrian, was arrested by Azerbaijani border 
guards on Saturday while being evacuated by the International Committee of the 
Red Cross (ICRC) to Armenia for urgent medical treatment.

Khachatrian was taken to Baku to stand trial on charges of killing and deporting 
Karabakh’s ethnic Azerbaijani residents in 1991. Karabakh officials strongly 
deny the accusations. They as well as the Armenian government condemned his 
arrest as a violation of international humanitarian law.

According to officials in Yerevan, the European Court of Human Rights has given 
Baku until August 8 to provide it with information about the 68-year-old man’s 
health and detention conditions.

Khachatrian’s family has expressed serious concern about his safety. His 
Yerevan-based daughter Vera said the ICRC has assured her that Red Cross 
representatives in Baku are seeking permission to visit him again in custody.




Moscow Again Raps Pashinian


Russia - Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova gestures during 
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's annual news conference in Moscow, 
January 18, 2023.


Russia on Wednesday lambasted Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian for questioning the 
continued presence of its peacekeepers in Nagorno-Karabakh and claiming that 
Moscow has scaled back its involvement in Armenian-Azerbaijani peace talks 
because of the war in Ukraine.

Speaking at a July 25 news conference in Yerevan, Pashinian said that the 
European Union and especially the United States have played lately the leading 
role in international efforts to end the Karabakh conflict. He said that because 
of “the events in Ukraine” the Russians cannot invest as much “energy and time” 
in conflict mediation as they did before.

Pashinian also suggested that a “productive” dialogue between the Azerbaijani 
government and Karabakh’s leadership could lead to the withdrawal of the Russian 
peacekeeping contingent from the Armenian-populated region.

The Russian Foreign Ministry bristled at Pashinian’s remarks, saying that they 
are “devoid of any factual basis.” Its spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, argued, in 
particular, that in recent months Moscow has organized “a whole series” of 
high-level Armenian-Azerbaijani talks, including Pashinian’s May 25 meeting with 
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev hosted by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“We have been and remain fully interested in furthering the process of 
normalizing Armenian-Azerbaijani relations,” she told a news conference. “We are 
doing everything to achieve a lasting peace and stability in the region.”

RUSSIA -- Russia's President Vladimir Putin (C), Armenia's Prime Minister Nikol 
Pashinian (R) and Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev (L) meet in the Kremlin, 
May 25, 2023.

Zakharova also denounced Pashinian’s “incomprehensible” comment on the possible 
end of the Russian military presence in Karabakh.

“Is this a wish?” she said. “I don’t understand Mr. Pashinian. What is he 
talking about?”

“Does the leadership of Armenia think that [the peacekeepers’] activity is not 
necessary and desirable and wants to end it?” Zakharova went on. “They need to 
set the record straight.

“Unfortunately, we can see that often times representatives of Armenia’s 
leadership adopt an equivocal, so to speak, position on a number of key issues. 
We therefore very much want to see no ambiguity on this score because juggling 
with words does not end well.”

“And generally speaking, after the Armenian leadership recognized 
Nagorno-Karabakh as Azerbaijani territory, any complains about Russia not making 
enough efforts look all the more inappropriate,” added Zakharova.

The Armenian government did not immediately react to the criticism highlighting 
growing friction between Armenia and Russia that raises questions about the 
future of their traditionally close relationship. The tensions have been fuelled 
by what Yerevan sees as a lack of Russian support for Armenia in the conflict 
with Azerbaijan. In particular, Pashinian and other Armenian leaders have 
criticized the Russian peacekeepers for not ending Azerbaijan’s crippling 
blockade of the Lachin corridor.

Pashinian’s administration has also angered Moscow with its plans to ratify the 
founding treaty of the International Criminal Court (ICC) that issued an arrest 
warrant for Putin earlier this year. A senior Russian lawmaker warned late last 
month that the ratification by the Armenian parliament of the so-called Rome 
Statue would cause “significant damage to Russian-Armenian relations.”




Armenian Archbishop Charged Again

        • Naira Bulghadarian

Armenia -- Archbishop Navasard Kchoyan leads a ceremony in St. Sargis Church, 
Yerevan, September 2, 2014.


A high-ranking Armenian cleric has been charged with fraud and money laundering 
18 months after being cleared of the same accusations brought in 2020.

Law-enforcement authorities claimed at the time that Archbishop Navasard Kchoyan 
had colluded with an Armenian businessman to defraud another entrepreneur.

The businessman, Ashot Sukiasian, was convicted in late 2017 of having 
misappropriated most of a $10.7 million loan which his former business partner, 
Paylak Hayrapetian, borrowed from an Armenian commercial bank in 2012. Sukiasian 
had pledged to invest that money in diamond mining in Sierra Leone. He never did 
that, according to prosecutors.

A district court in Yerevan sentenced Sukiasian to 16 years in prison. However, 
Armenia’s Court of Appeals released him from prison in January 2020.

Sukiasian was arrested in Georgia, extradited to Armenia and prosecuted in 2014 
after Hetq.am discovered that Hayrapetian’s money was transferred to the 
offshore bank accounts of several Cyprus-registered companies. The investigative 
publication published a document purportedly certifying that one of those firms 
is co-owned by Sukiasian, then Prime Minister Tigran Sarkisian and Archbishop 
Kchoyan.

Sarkisian and Kchoyan strongly denied having any stakes in the company, saying 
that it was registered in their name in Cyprus without their knowledge. 
Sukiasian likewise claimed to have forged their signatures.

The authorities indicted Kchoyan in April 2020 amid mounting tensions between 
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian and the Armenian Apostolic Church. The 
archbishop, who heads the church’s largest diocese in Armenia, denied the 
accusations.

The Investigative Committee decided to drop them and close the criminal case in 
early 2022, citing a lack of evidence. Hayrapetian appealed against that 
decision, leading a senior prosecutor to order the investigators this week to 
reopen the case and indict Kchoyan again.

The archbishop’s lawyer, Armine Fanian, on Wednesday described the fresh 
indictment as illegal, saying that the investigators did not come up with new 
incriminating evidence legally required in such cases. Fanian also argued that 
the allegedly defrauded businessman missed a legal deadline for appealing 
against their earlier decision.

Another senior prosecutor, Artyom Ovsian, said, meanwhile, that “large-scale 
investigative measures” are now being taken to find such evidence. The 
investigators are trying to locate and interrogate Tigran Sarkisian, Ovsian 
said, adding that the former prime minister is not in Armenia at the moment.


Reposted on ANN/Armenian News with permission from RFE/RL
Copyright (c) 2023 Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, Inc.
1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

Governor of Syunik to meet with ambassadors of France, Poland and Czech Republic

Arpi Talalian

 14:03, 2 August 2023

YEREVAN, AUGUST 2, ARMENPRESS. Governor of Syunik Robert Ghukasyan is set to have meetings with the ambassadors of France, Poland and Czech Republic.

“I’ll have three official meetings. One with the new ambassador [of France], the other with the new ambassador of Poland, and one with the Ambassador of Czech Republic who are here today. We will discuss various issues, naturally we won’t avoid the issues we are all concerned about. We see the efforts made by these countries, especially by France, which is doing everything. I am very grateful to France, because we are receiving the greatest warmth from this country in every sense,” Ghukasyan said at the of the EUMA Kapan hub.

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1116624.html?fbclid=IwAR19Jy8a30mEI3lXiFmrb3Kmywr5_V2-IVkEyWnrQHPXmK_1Oh6muByS9VQ

Syunik to host “Navasard” Armenian-Iranian cultural-culinary festival

Mike Maghakian

 14:50, 2 August 2023

YEREVAN, AUGUST 2, ARMENPRESS. The upcoming “Navasard” Armenian-Iranian cultural-culinary festival will feature a rich program and draw a large number of tourists, organizers said Wednesday.  

The festival will take place August 10 in Sisian, Syunik.

“We manage to make it a traditional and long-awaited festival for many people,” said Armenian Tourism Federation President Mekhak Apresyan. “It is a unique regional tourism product. It is an important factor in directing the flow towards us in the reshaping global tourism market in the post-coronavirus era. This event is very important in terms of promoting cultural heritage, cuisine, presenting one of the results of Armenian-Iranian friendship."

Sisian Boghossian, Chairman of the Tourism Committee of the Ministry of Economy, noted that Iran is one of the target markets for the Armenian tourism industry. Tourism authorities carry out targeted work to attract Iranian tourists.

"Iran is an important market for us, these festivals help us create a more interesting atmosphere in Armenia and attract more tourists from Iran. Last year was very successful for the festival, it had quite a large number of visitors. We expect the same and even more activity this year. I myself was born in Iran and I know Iranian cuisine very well, they have quite tasty dishes. So, I suggest you visit Sisian city and see for yourself," said Sisian Boghosian.

Mohammad-Ali Kiani, the acting cultural adviser at the Iranian Embassy in Armenia, added that a variety of culinary and cultural events will be offered.

“We were allocated 20 booths in the festival. We’ve done everything to ensure high quality participation. We involved chefs from both Iran and Armenia. We aim to present to the locals that an Iranian cuisine market is available here as well,” said Kiani. He also added that there is a goal to organize such an event in Iran as well, the venue and dates of the event are being discussed.

Emphasizing the work with Iranian partners, the Chairman of the Development and Preservation of Armenian Culinary Traditions NGO Sedrak Mamulyan noted that both sides have a disposition to create a common tourist result and present it to the world.

The festival will feature the renowned Navasard harissa, a festive dish, as well as a cooking competition, Mamulyan said. The event will also include a music and dancing segment.

Yerevan to host IBA Junior World Boxing Championships 2023

Ani Kharatian

 15:04, 2 August 2023

YEREVAN, AUGUST 2, ARMENPRESS. Yerevan will host the IBA Junior World Boxing Championships in November-December 2023.

The upcoming event was announced by Arayik Harutyunyan, Chief of Staff of the Prime Minister’s Office.

“80-100 countries will send their teams to our capital. We have hopes of many medals from our young athletes given their excellent results at the European championships,” Harutyunyan said in a Facebook post.

 



Russia expresses support to launching Baku-Stepanakert talks

Tambiyan Samvel

 15:14, 2 August 2023

YEREVAN, AUGUST 2, ARMENPRESS. Moscow supports the process of launching negotiations between Baku and Stepanakert and is working to bring the strongly contradicting approaches of the parties closer to each other, Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova has said.

“We support the launch of negotiations between Baku and Stepanakert. This topic is on the agenda of our contacts with stakeholder parties,” Zakharova said at a press briefing.

The foreign ministry spokesperson said that Russian peacekeepers previously helped organize meetings between two delegations and are ready to continue providing necessary support to this process.

“Russia isn’t making any preconditions and is diligently working in the direction of bringing the approaches of the parties closer to each other, which currently seriously differ from one another on the backdrop of the increasing tension in Nagorno-Karabakh,” Zakharova said.

Azeri kidnapping of Nagorno-Karabakh patient constitutes extraordinary rendition, Baku’s deception of ICRC not ruled out

Emma Nadirian

 15:22, 2 August 2023

YEREVAN, AUGUST 2, ARMENPRESS. The kidnapping of Nagorno-Karabakh resident Vagif Khachatryan by Azerbaijan constitutes extraordinary rendition in terms of international law and a due process is therefore ruled out, attorney Siranush Sahakyan has said.

Speaking to reporters on August 2, Sahakyan, who represents the interests of Armenian Prisoners of War at the ECHR, did not rule out the Azerbaijan actually deceived and used the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) for kidnapping Vagif Khachatryan.

“International law provides for extraordinary rendition, extradition and transfers. If Azerbaijan deemed Vagif Khachatryan to be a criminal, it could have brought that criminal into territorial jurisdiction by way or international criminal law cooperation, through cooperation with the authorities in Nagorno-Karabakh, Armenia, Russia, and why not Interpol,” Sahakyan said, adding that Azerbaijan’s official explanation for arresting Khachatryan is untrustworthy because the Armenian Ombudsman has already debunked allegations that the man was internationally wanted.

Sahakyan pointed out that Azerbaijan did not provide any information to the Red Cross and brought Khachatryan into Azerbaijani jurisdiction through deception, where he was arbitrarily arrested.

“There are two possible scenarios. Upon seeing Vagif Khachatryan in the alleged list of international fugitives Azerbaijan had to at least notify the ICRC, and inform them that there is a fugitive who could be placed under arrest after appearing in Azerbaijani jurisdiction. By doing so Azerbaijan would have protected the Red Cross’ international humanitarian mandate, and the Red Cross would have notified Vagif’s family about this,” Sahakyan said, adding that fair processes can’t be expected.

The second scenario is that Azerbaijan did not provide the info to the ICRC and used the organization through deception.

However, the ICRC could have prevented the incident on the ground if it were to react very strongly and escalate the issue up to the highest circles.

The ICRC was supposed to request other organizations to support them and help prevent the obstacles.

The ICRC could be afraid of Azerbaijan’s response, Sahakyan said.