Category: News

“The launching of a criminal case against famous blogger Alexander Lapshin and his detention cause serious concern,” Press Service of the NKR Foreign Ministry said in comments to News.am.

Lapshin, who holds Russian and Israeli citizenship,  last Wednesday at the request of the Azerbaijani government over his visits to Nagorno-Karabakh.

“Azerbaijan, where harassment and political persecution against civil activists and journalists on fabricated pretexts have long become a tradition, tries to spread its “standards” of human rights beyond the borders of the country,” the Artsakh Foreign Ministry said.

“Such actions are not only an obvious violation of fundamental human rights, namely, the freedom of movement and freedom of speech, but also a policy of intimidation, which should be adequately assessed by the international community,” the Ministry said.

An Israeli blogger was arrested in Belarus last Wednesday at the request of the Azerbaijani government over his visits to Nagorno-Karabakh, reports.

Alexander Lapshin wrote several critical posts against Azerbaijan and its president, Ilham Aliyev, in recent months. His family is afraid that if he’s extradited to Azerbaijan, his life will be in danger.
Lapshin, 40, writes a blog in which he records his travels throughout the world, and writes about the various countries he has visited.

On December 13, he and his wife arrived in the Belarus capital, Minsk. A day later, shortly before midnight, Lapshin wrote on his Facebook page: “At this moment I was arrested by the police in Minsk at the request of Azerbaijan. I’m at the Piersamajskaja station in Minsk.”

The Azeri government claims that in April 2011 and October 2012, Lapshin visited Nagorno-Karabakh and wrote about the visits in his blog. After the last visit, Lapshin’s name was placed on the Baku government’s blacklist, and he in effect became a wanted man.

Last June, Lapshin entered Azerbaijan itself, using a Ukrainian passport. Because his name in Ukrainian is slightly different from the name listed in his Russian or Israeli passport, he was not arrested upon entering the country. After a few days traveling around the country, he left without any problem.

In subsequent blog posts, Lapshin criticized the poverty in certain parts of the capital, Baku; the dictatorial rule of President Aliyev; and the issue of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Israel on Sunday asked Belarus to not hand over to Azerbaijan a popular Israeli travel blogger it arrested last week, the Times of Israel reports.

Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Romania have exchanged messages on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two states. Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian’s message reads: 

Excellency,

It is with great pleasure that I am writing to you to mark the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Armenia and Romania.

Romania was among the first states to officially recognize the independence of the Republic of Armenia on December 11, 1991, a short while after the proclamation by Armenia of its sovereign statehood. Days after, on December 17, the Agreement on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between Armenia and Romania was signed in Bucharest, anchoring on centuries-old ties of friendship between Armenian and Romanian nations. In 1994, Armenia opened one of its first diplomatic missions in Bucharest.

Throughout a quarter of a century, the Armenian-Romanian relations flourished, based on high level visits and extensive political dialogue, a solid legal framework of over four dozens of bilateral agreements, the activities of the Armenian-Romanian Intergovernmental Mixed Commission on Trade and Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation, and on the vast cultural exchanges carried out through successive Programs of Cooperation in the field of culture, education and science. Apart from bilateral dimension, our countries have enhanced cooperation within multilateral frameworks, including the United Nations, EU Eastern Partnership, International Organization of La Francophonie, and others.

The Armenian-Romanian relations have vastly benefited from the contribution of the vibrant Armenian community which for centuries has been present in Romania’s political, economic and cultural life.

Please rest assured that Armenia will continue to do its utmost to further strengthen and enhance the relations between our countries to bring to new heights our cooperation in the next quarter of century and beyond.

I would like to use this occasion to wish you and the friendly people of Romania prosperity and progress.

Your Excellency, please accept the assurances of my highest consideration.”

The formation of a new Lebanese government—which will be headed by  was announced Saad Hariri—was announced on Dec. 18, which includes two members of the Lebanese-Armenian community, the Armenian Weekly reports.

Armenians Avedis Gidanian of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) and former Minister of State for Administrative Development Jean Oghassabian are a part of the new Cabinet, according to Armenia’s Hay Dzayn news outlet. Gidanian was appointed State Minister of Tourism, while Oghassabian will likely head the newly-created State Ministry for Women’s Affairs.

The four key ministerial portfolios—the Finance Minister, the Foreign Affairs Ministry, the Defense Ministry, and the Interior Ministry—were given to Ali Hasan Khalil, Gebran Bassil, Yaacoub Sarraf, and Nouhad Machnouk, respectively, according to Lebanon’s The Daily Star newspaper.

Hariri described his Cabinet as a national consensus government, underlining that it will “exert efforts during its short-term,” which will not exceed few months. “Its first mission will be to reach with the Parliament a new electoral law that abides by proportional representation and the right representation,” said Hariri, as reported by the Daily Star.

The Cabinet includes 22 newcomers and only one woman. Along with the State Ministry for Women’s Affairs, four other new ministries have also been established: State Ministry for Refugees Affairs, State Ministry to Combat Terrorism, State Ministry for Presidential Affairs, and State Ministry for Human Rights.

The summits of the Eurasian Economic Community (EEU) and the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) are scheduled to be held in St. Petersburg on December 16, the Kremlin press service said in a statement.

At the EAEU summit, the leaders of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia will assess the outcome of the first two years the Community’s activities and outline further guidelines. According to the Kremlin press service, “the signing ceremony of the EEU Customs Code agreement will be the main event of the summit.” Besides, the participants will also discuss various aspects of cooperation with key trade and economic partners of the Eurasian Community.

During the CSTO summit, the leaders of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russian and Tajikistan will discuss their cooperation within the organization and important spheres of its activities.

“The participants are expected to exchange views on key issues on the global and regional agenda namely combating terrorism and threats of extremism as well as illegal drugs and weapons trafficking,” the Kremlin statement reads.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani will leave Tehran on Wednesday for a three-day tour to three Caucasian and central Asian states, Iranian president’s deputy chief of staff for communications and information, Parviz Esmaeili, said on Sunday, according to Iranian media reports.

Heading a high-ranking politico-economic delegation, Iranian Rouhani will visit Armenia and Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan to discuss ways of improving mutual relations, state TV reported.

The trip will take place at the invitation of Rouhani’s counterparts and in line with the Islamic republic’s policy to improve relations with neighboring and regional countries, said Esmaeili.

During his day-long visit to Armenia’s capital Yerevan on Wednesday, Rouhani will hold talks with Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan on the expansion of cooperation, Esmaeili said, adding that senior Iranian and Armenian officials will also sign several trade and economic cooperation documents.

Rouhani will then leave Yerevan to the Kazakh capital, Astana and Bishkek.

Armenia’s President Serzh Sargsyan has sent a letter of condolences to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on the barbaric murder of the Russian Ambassador to Turkey, Andrei Karlov.

The Armenian President has strongly condemned ‘this act of terrorism’ and offered condolences to the Ambassador’s family and friends, the Russian diplomatic service and the whole Russian nation.

At least 33 people have died in Russia after drinking bath essence, authorities said on Monday, the BBC reports.

The hawthorn-scented liquid was consumed as if it were alcohol, according to Russia’s Investigative Committee.

More than 50 people sought medical attention after drinking the product in the Siberian city of Irkutsk over the weekend.

Investigators said a label saying it should not be swallowed was ignored.

The product was found to contain methanol, a toxin found in antifreeze.

Two people have been detained over the deaths and police are removing bottles from shops.

 

Photo: Sergey Bobylev/TASS    

An IL-18 aeroplane belonging to the Russian defence ministry has crashed in Yakutia in Siberia with 39 people on board, teh BBC reports.

The defence ministry said 16 people were seriously injured, correcting earlier reports that 27 had died.

The plane was carrying 32 passengers and seven crew when it came down near Tiksi in the Bulun district of Russia’s far east.

Weather conditions were reportedly bad in the area when the crash happened.

The plane was carrying out a scheduled flight from Kansk when it came down about 30km (18 miles) short of Tiksi at 04:45 (19:45 GMT Sunday).

The plane broke into three pieces in what appears to have been an emergency landing.

Three Mi-8 helicopters were despatched to the crash site by Russia’s Emergency Ministry.

As well as the 16 seriously injured, another seven people on board the plane required hospital treatment.

A gunman has shot dead Russia’s ambassador to Turkey, Andrei Karlov, apparently in protest at Russia’s involvement in the Syrian conflict, the BBC reports.

Several other people were reportedly also injured in the attack, a day after protests in Turkey over Russia’s military intervention in Syria.

According to Russian TV, the ambassador had been attending an exhibition called “Russia as seen by Turks”.

Police later “neutralised” the gunman, reports say, without giving details.

Mr Karlov was rushed to hospital but his death was later confirmed.

US state department spokesman John Kirby said US officials were aware of reports about the attack on the ambassador.

“We condemn this act of violence, whatever its source,” he said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family.”