Category: News

According to a decree signed by President Serzh Sargsyan, Artem Asatryan has been appointed as Minister of Labor and Social Affairs.

Fifth hearing of the Dink case is being held today. Before the hearing, Friends of Hrant were in front of the courthouse as always, demanding justice, reports.

The Dink murder case began to be retried and the fifth hearing of the retrials started today in 14^th High Penal Court. The hearing will continue throughout this week.

Before the hearing, Friends of Hrant were in front of the courthouse as always, demanding justice.

The press statement was read by Bircan Yorulmaz and the powers trying to abuse the case for their political interests were criticized.

Highlights of the statement are as the following:

“The ones who want to abuse Dink murder for their political games don’t concern us. We want everyone, regardless of their political circle, to stand trial: the instigators, the perpetrators, the ones who turned a blind eye to the plans of murder and the ones ones who praised the murderers. This is the only aim of our years-long struggle.

“The ones who say things like ‘Hrant Dink was murdered by racist-nationalist fascists or by Gulenists’ are trying to abuse this murder and they don’t concern us.

“Leaking of the footage, which seems to be held by the state for almost ten years, is not a step for clarifying the murder, but rather a product of the same dirty political games.

“Once again, we say with determination and insistence: until everyone who have a hand in this murder, from the perpetrators to the planners, from the public officials who actively worked with the murderers to the police chiefs, bureaucrats and politicians who didn’t do anything though they had the power to prevent this murder stand trial, this case won’t be closed.”

Photo: Sputnik

 

The President of Russia Vladimir Putin has awarded the chief designer of Sukhoi Su-34 Rollan Martirosov with the Order of Alexander Nevsky, according to the Kremlin’s official website.

“Rollan Martirosov led the Su-34 program.  The program officially started on 19 June 1996 and was worked on by a team managed by Rollan Martirosov on the basis of the technical-tactical demands of the Soviet air force.

Rollan Martirosov started work in the Sukhoi design Bureau in 1959 after graduating from the Moscow aviation Institute. He has made a great personal contribution to the solution of complex technical issues in the process of developing, testing and serial development of such famous aircraft of the Sukhoi as the Su-7БКЛ, Su-15, T-4, Su-24, Su-24M and Su-27.

Under his direct technical leadership, developed and implemented

The main technical solutions of the Su-34 were developed and implemented under his direct management.

As chief designer of the Su-34, Martirosov currently provides technical management works on increasing the combat capabilities of Su-34 under the state contract with the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.

The Turkish authorizes are constructing a 8km-long road to Mount Maruta – the highest peak in Sasssoun Province, Akunq.net reports, quoting the Anadolu Agency.

The construction works are expected to be completed within a month. The road will make it easier to reach the Armenian St. Astvatsatsin Church on the peak of the mountain.

Azerbaijanis are voting on whether to boost the powers of President Ilham Aliyev, who has ruled since 2003 and cracked down on dissent, the BBC reports.

The plan includes lowering the age limit for presidential candidates, creating a strong vice-presidency and extending the presidential term.

The opposition sees the vote as a move to cement the powers of the first family, with Mr Aliyev’s wife and 19-year-old son seen as potential heirs.

The ruling party dismisses the claims.

The constitutional changes would also create other vice-presidential posts and enable the president to dissolve parliament at any time.

The referendum comes after dozens of opposition activists were arrested in the oil-rich former Soviet state.

One of President Aliyev’s main opponents, Ilgar Mammadov, leader of the pro-Western opposition party ReAL, and other pro-democracy activists are still in jail.

 

Armenia’s First Deputy Defense Minister David Tonoyan had a phone conversation with the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk today.

The interlocutors discussed the situation at the line of contact between the armed forces of Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan.

David Tonoyan informed Amb. Kasprzyk that private of the NKR Defense Army Sevak Khachatryan had been killed as a result of firing from the Azeri side on September 25.

The Deputy Defense Minister deemed the fact of the ceasefire violation unacceptable and underlined that the Azerbaijani side is fully responsible for the deadly incident.

Andrzej Kasprzyk, in turn, expressed concern over the incident and the loss of life. He pledged to take steps to avoid further destabilization of the situation.

On 25 September President Bako Sahakyan signed a decree, according to which serviceman of the NKR Defense Army’s N division Sevak Khachatryan was posthumously awarded with the “For Service in Battle” medal for bravery shown during the defense of the Nagorno Karabagh Republic state border, NKR President’s Press Office reports.

Deacon Hovhannes Nersesian of St. Sarkis Cathedral of the Araratian Patriarchal Diocese, soloist at the National Opera and Ballet Theatre after Alexander Spendiaryan has won the second place at the 4th international Pavel Lisitsian Competition.

The contest featured 48 vocalists from 12 countries – Armenia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, China, Mongolia and others.

The event was held in North Ossetia from September 15 to 18. People’s Artist of Ukraine Larissa Gergieva was the President of the jury. She’s also the founder and director of the festival.

Newly planted trees now stand as a symbol of peace in Markham. On Saturday, the Canadian city  hosted a park dedication ceremony to mark 100 years since the Armenian genocide, the  reports.

Federal, provincial and municipal government officials and members of the Armenian Genocide Centennial Committee for Canada waited in anticipation as the Forest of Hope was unveiled.

The new Forest of Hope will be a place of peace and hope for the Armenian community across the GTA.

“This small forest conveys an enormous message of new life,” said provincial minister of international trade, Michael Chan, during the official opening ceremony of the memorial.

“These young trees will establish deep roots, grow tall and their branches will reach for the sky — just like the Armenian community.”

Canada is one of two dozen countries that recognize the events as the first genocide of the 20th century.

“We know the meaning of genocide, its history and the importance of education,” said Armen Yeganian, ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of the Republic of Armenia to Canada.

“We have to continue to educate, not just today, tomorrow or the first 100 years. But always, because unfortunately it still continues to happen.”

The Forest of Hope is one of about a 100 projects to commemorate the genocide’s anniversary across the country started by the Canadian arm of the Armenian Genocide Centennial Committee, which was founded four years ago.

“And this is the best one, because it calls for hope and peace,” Yeganian said.

The Forest of Hope is located in Ashton Meadows Park near Woodbine Avenue north of 16th Avenue.

The park was designed by renowned landscape architect Haig Seferian and consists of 100 different trees, with different blooming time throughout the year.

“Despite being displaced, the Armenian community is determined,” said mayor Frank Scarpitti.

“The next generation of Armenians will be just as proud as the first Armenians who came to Canada. That’s a wonderful thing.”

Photo: Sputnik/ Pavel Lisitsyn

The Russian government has approved an agreement with Armenia to establish a joint regional air defense in the Caucasus, a decree published on the official portal for legal information stated Monday, Sputnik News reports.

At the time of the signing, the regional air defense force was estimated to incorporate 19 aviation units, 47 anti-aircraft missile systems, 19 radio-technical units and three separate electronic warfare battalions.

“Approve and submit for ratification to the Russian president the agreement between Russia and Armenia to establish a joint regional air defense in the Caucasus region of collective security, signed in Moscow on December 23, 2015,” the decree reads.