Category: 2023

The International Criminal Court is headquartered in The Hague

Parliament Speaker Calls Talk of Putin’s Arrest “Absurd”

The leadership of Armenia’s parliament signaled on Monday that Yerevan was in no hurry to ratify the controversial Rome Statute that would make Armenia a member-state of the International Criminal Court, which issued an arrest warrant for President Vladimir Putin of Russia.

Parliament Speaker Alen Simonyan said that the parliament has not held any discussions on the issue of ratifying the statute, which last week was deemed by the Constitutional Court to not contradict with Armenia’s Constitution.

The parliament leader told Armenia’s Public Television Sunday night that Armenia does not need to rush the matter.

“We have cases of crimes against humanity committed during the Armenian Genocide and Karabakh wars, and it [the ICC] is a necessary tool for Armenia. But we have always behaved as an ally, and we have not taken any special steps against Russia,” said Simonyan, referring to the court’s arrest warrant for Putin.

He said any discussion about Armenia arresting Putin is “absurd.”

“It [talk of arresting Putin] is absurd,” Simonyan said. “We have always behaved in an allied manner and have been correct in our relations, which allows us today to criticize some of Russia’s actions, which are at least incomprehensible to us. We have always behaved as the right ally and we have been honest with all our partners. There is no need to add a political context to the matter.”

He added that the Russian officials, with whom he is in contact, have not even raised this issue, stressing that it is not appropriate to raise such an issue in the case of Armenia, because Armenia has always behaved honestly and in the spirit of allied relations with the CSTO and all other international partners.

Russia last week issued a stern warning to Armenia about the ratification of the ICC statute, emphasizing that the warrant issued for Putin was illegal. The Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova also said that the ICC matter was discussed with Moscow’s Armenian partners.

The parliament speaker said that the ratifying of the ICC statute would be “a negative step toward Russia, the meaning and usefulness of which I do not understand.”

“There are many countries that have ratified it, and Armenia should not be on the forefront of this matter. Yes, we are dissatisfied with some of Russia’s reactions and actions, and we have many issues that we need to discuss, but at the same time, in my subjective opinion that it would not be right to take such a step today,” added Simonyan.

ANCA-WR Board, staff and committee members with Sen. Anthony Portantino

GLENDALE—The Friends of Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region held a fundraising reception on March 30 for Senator Anthony Portantino in his bid for Congress to succeed Rep. Adam Schiff in the 30th Congressional District of California. In February, the ANCA Western Region announced its endorsement of Senator Portantino for Congress.

ANCA Western Region Board Member Anahid Oshagan Esq., ANCA Western Region Board Chair Nora Hovsepian Esq., Senator Anthony Portantino, and Nora Yacoubian ANCA Western Region Board Member Anahid Oshagan Esq., with Silva Kazanjian, Shahan Goenjian, ANCA Western Region Board Member Ayk Dikijian Esq., and ANCA Western Region Government Affairs Committee Member Christine Magarian

The event took place at the Brandview Ballroom to support his campaign efforts and to give members of the community the opportunity to meet the Senator and discuss issues of concern within the community.

The event was attended by dozens of donors, representatives of Armenian-American community organizations, and ANCA-Western Region Board and staff members. Representing the largest Armenian-American population center in California in the 25th Senate District, the Senator’s constituency ranges from the Tri-Cities to the western outskirts of San Bernardino County.

Supporters Joseph and Seta Hovsepian (left); Portantino and ANCA-WR Board member Lena Bozoyan

The ANCA-WR recognized the senator with the “Legislator of the Year Award” twice during its Annual Gala banquets in 2011 and 2017.

“The ANCA Western Region is proud to endorse Senator Anthony Portantino in his campaign to succeed Congressman Adam Schiff to represent the largest Armenian-American constituency in the country. We are confident that in Washington DC, Senator Portantino will continue to build upon his strong record in Sacramento supporting Armenia, Artsakh, and our community,” said ANCA Western Region Chair, Nora Hovsepian Esq.

Ronnie Gharibian (left) with Portantino, and Shant Sahakian Portantino and Silva Kechichian Varoojan Baghdasian, Gasik Tadourian, ANCA-WR Youth Committee Board Members Sara Ohannessian, Tony Ordoukhanian, and Mike Borisov

Senator Portantino has been a committed ally of the Armenian-American community throughout his long political career. His leadership on Armenian-American issues has expanded and strengthened relations between the State of California, the Republic of Armenia, and the Republic of Artsakh, including his establishment of the Select Committee on California, Armenia and Artsakh Mutual Trade, Art and Cultural Exchange in 2017 and the California-Armenia Trade & Services Desk at Impact Hub Yerevan in 2021.

“I am extremely honored to be the ANCA Western Region endorsed candidate for Congress. Having this tremendous grassroots organization advocating on my behalf is helping to make this a winning campaign,” said Portantino. “In concert with the endorsement, we held a highly successful fundraiser on the eve of the first quarter deadline. I am grateful for both the organization’s support and the generosity of the community. It was a great night!”

Friends of ANCA-WR gather to support Portantino in his bid for Congress

Senator Portantino is a principal co-author of AJR1: the California Assembly Resolution condemning Azerbaijan’s illegal blockade of Artsakh which has surpassed 110 days. AJR1 recently passed through the Assembly with a 59-0 vote. With Senator Portantino’s commitment to advancing issues of importance to the Armenian American community, the ANCA Western Region is confident the resolution will pass through the Senate as well. 

California’s 30th Congressional District is home to the largest concentration of Armenian-American constituents anywhere in the United States, including the communities of Glendale, Burbank, the Foothills, and Little Armenia.

The Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region is the largest and most influential Armenian-American grassroots advocacy organization in the Western United States. Working in coordination with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout the Western United States and affiliated organizations around the country, the ANCA-WR advances the concerns of the Armenian-American community on a broad range of issues.

Vicken and Linda Euljekjian

BY JASMINE SEYMOUR
Special to Asbarez

Linda Euljekjian, the wife of Lebanese-Armenian prisoner of war Vicken Euljekjian, who was convicted in a sham trial in Baku and sentenced to 20 years in jail, addressed a heart-breaking cry for help—an open Letter to leaders of the United Nations, European Union, Council of Europe, OSCE, the presidents of United States, France, Germany, Britain’s prime minister and human rights organizations.

“I am writing this letter pleading for your help, because my family and I are extremely concerned that the Azerbaijani authorities could have murdered my husband. We are unable to verify reports circulating on social media that my husband ‘was tortured to death in jail’.”

Armenian POW Vicken Euljekjian is seen in an Azerbaijani court in June, 2021 (Trend.az photo)

“The International Committee of Red Cross, the only organization allowed to visit Armenian hostages in Azerbaijan, has neither confirmed nor denied these allegations,” the letter said.

“The Red Cross said yesterday they are ‘investigating these reports with the Azerbaijani authorities.’ So, I am asking for the help of world leaders and human rights organizations to find out whether my husband is alive or dead, and if he is alive, to demand his immediate release, as he is innocent and in imminent danger,” Linda Euljekjian added.

“We have had no news from my husband for two and half months. The last time I was allowed to speak with him was on 27 January 2023. I have not heard from him since and I am concerned that he is being tortured in the Azerbaijani jail,” she said.

Lebanese lawmaker Paula Yacoubian (left) meets with Linda and Christine Euljekjian

On Saturday morning, unconfirmed messages were posted on social media, simply stating that Vicken Euljekjian was ”tortured to death in prison.” All efforts to check the horrific news turned vain. The weekend seemed painfully long, especially that the Red Cross staff was unable to provide Vicken’s family with an answer. And what if this was not fake news? What if the lives of Vicken Euljekjian and other Armenian hostages were hanging in the balance?

“This afternoon the news came that Lebanese Armenian Vicken Euljekjian, who was sentenced 20 years, was killed by Azerbaijani prison guards after being brutally bitten. Since then, no official statement has been provided by the Azerbaijani government,” member of Lebanon’s parliament Paula Yacoubian, who has been closely monitoring Vicken’s and other POW’s cases wrote in a Facebook post.

“It is obvious that Human rights in Azerbaijan are often criticized by countless international bodies such as Amnesty International, Freedom House, Human Rights Watch,” Yacoubian added.

She adamantly believes that the Red Cross should do more to bring news from Baku prison every month to Vicken’s distraught family.

“Vicken Euljekjian continues to remain in Baku prison extremely poor prison conditions and to this day continuously gets severely tortured. There is not a single statement from Azerbaijan providing information on Vicken’s condition. Everyone, and especially his wife and children deserve the right to find out about his health condition. It is within the rights of a political prisoner to get into contact with their family members. Vicken continues to stay imprisoned and to this day is suffering,” Yacoubian said.

Vicken Euljekjian was born in Lebanon to an Armenian family and holds dual citizenship of Armenia and Lebanon. He was married to his childhood sweetheart, Lebanese beauty Iman Linda in the Catholic Church in 2000 and the couple has two children, 20-year-old Christine and 23-year-old Serj. After the economic crisis in Lebanon, Vicken applied and received his Armenian passport in April 2018, and moved to Armenia. He was planning to start his business, get a house and later to move our teenage children to Armenia to start a new life.

On November 10, 2020, Vicken and Maral were captured by two Azerbaijani soldiers near Shushi, he was in his civilian clothes, after searching his car, there were no weapons found in the car. His car and all his belongings, computers, watch, cash was confiscated by Azerbaijani soldiers. Later in November 2020, in the Baku court hearing, Azerbaijan falsely accused him of “being a terrorist and a mercenary, as well as having illegally entered Azerbaijan”.

The International Committee of Red Cross visited Maral and probably Vicken as well on 10 February 2021. One month later, Maral Najarian was released on 10 March 2020 and returned to Lebanon. Vicken, on the other hand, was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment by Baku Courts, following sham trials without receiving adequate legal representation by a human rights lawyer on 14 June 2021.

From the latest conversation, Vicken was spending his sentence in solitary confinement in one of the world’s most notorious prisons near Baku. Since his arrest, I have had very limited communication with my husband.

Linda told me during a telephone conversation this weekend she has raised her two beautiful children with Vicken as Armenians.
“Since we got married, I have learned some Armenian and my mother language is Arabic. But when my husband calls from the Baku prison, Azerbaijanis do not allow me to speak in Arabic, and this makes it difficult to communicate because my Armenian is very limited. Vicken is not allowed to speak on the phone more than couple of minutes under strict control. During his calls in November 2022 and January 2023, he was crying and begging me: ‘get me out of here quickly, I can’t take it anymore,’” Linda wrote in her open letter.

Last January the family received only a 50 second video recording from Vicken via the Red Cross, where he looked emaciated and old, and it was evident that he had lost a lot of weight. He had mentioned he was refused medication and treatment and was suffering from severe pain.

Vicken’s daughter and son, Christine and Serj, were too distraught to speak to me this weekend and were waiting for clarification from the Red Cross on Monday.

“I’m appealing to world leaders to help my family to find out whether my husband, Vicken Euljekian is still alive and allow a visit by human rights organisations and family lawyer. I’m also begging you to do everything in your power to secure the immediate release my husband, Vicken Euljekjian and ALL Armenian hostages held illegally in Azerarbaijani jails, before it is too late to save their lives,” Linda said in the conclusion of her open letter.

Silence means indifference. Inaction kills. We must act and make difference now, as tomorrow can be too late…

Jasmine Seymour is an activist who established the British Armenian Group, which focuses on campaigning for the release of Armenian prisoners of war currently being held captive in Azerbaijan. The organization has been circulating a petition on change.org and is urging the public to sign the plea to release Armenian POWs.