Category: News

A cross-stone dedicated to the memory of the Armenian Genocide victims was unveiled in the German city of Jena on April 17. The monument was blessed by Archbishop Karekin Bekdjian, Primate of the German Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church.

Armenia’s Ambassador to Germany Ashot Smbatyan, Member of Bundestag, Chairman of the German-Armenian Forum Albert Weiler and Jena Mayor Albrecht Schröter offered opening remarks. The speakers noted that recognition of the Armenian Genocide by Turkey is the milestone for reconciliation.

The event was attended by members of Bundestag and the Landtag of Thuringia, employees of the Jena City Hall, representatives of the local Armenian community.

The first hearing of the two Dink cases that are joined will be held tomorrow. At the hearing that will be held between April 19 and 21, 34 suspects, 8 of them being arrested, will stand trial together for the first time, reports.

Hrant Dink case will be tried in 14^th High Penal Court. The main case, which was joined with the indictment against the public officials who are claimed to be responsible for the assassination, will last for 3 days.

The court reached the conclusion that the cases should be tried together, because of the relation between the two cases and the nature of the alleged crime.

There are 26 suspects in the indictment which claims that some public officials are responsible for the murder. Suspects Ali Fuat Yılmazer, Ramazan Akyürek, Ercan Demir, Muhittin Zenit and Özkan Mumcu are jailed pending trial.

In the main case, Ogün Samast, Yasin Hayal and Ersin Yolcu are arrested.

Suspect Ahmet İskender, who has a warrant that is issued against him, is still a fugitive.

One of the suspects in Agos’ former editor-in-chief Hrant Dink’s murder case, Engin Dinç, the current chief of Security General Directorate Intelligence Branch, won’t be present at the hearing on April 19. Dinç’s excuse for his absence is the escalated terrorist attacks in Turkey. In the petition that was presented to the court by Dinç’s lawyers, it is stated that the struggle against terrorism is currently intense and thus, for Dinç, it would be hard to be present at the hearing.

Armenia’s Chief Compulsory Enforcement Officer Mihran Poghosyan has resigned. The Compulsory Enforcement Service has issued the following statement:

“My name has recently surfaced in the publications on Panama offshores.

I regret that my name appeared along with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev’s family, which has really appropriated millions of dollars.

I find it unacceptable that I might serve a reason for any civilizational parallels between my country and authoritarian Azerbaijan. That’s why I have filed my resignation today.

I’ll publicly respond to the publications of the Panama Papers without any state levers at my disposal.”

President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan and NKR President Bako Sahakyan held consultations with the supreme command staff of the Defense Army today.

A wide range of issues related to army-building was discussed.

The Armenian community of Sydney will #MARCHFORJUSTICE in Sydney’s CBD (Central Business District) this Sunday, April 24th in remembrance of the 101st Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, the Armenian National Committee of Australia reports.

Participating in the March for Justice will be clergy from all Armenian churches, Armenian political, youth, relief and cultural organisations, as well as schools, dance groups and the entire Armenian community. The March will be led by the Homenetmen Scouts Band.

Marchers will meet at the iconic Hyde Park Fountain at 2pm. They will walk through Hyde Park, then Macquarie Street, which will be partially blocked to traffic by local police. Wreaths will be laid by organisations at the NSW Parliament House Khatchkar (Cross Stone), erected in 1997 to honour the memory of the 1.5 million victims of the Armenian Genocide and victims of all genocides.

The march will continue through to the Royal Botanic Gardens, where a short program will be held with the backdrop of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

A statement from the organisers read: “This is an historic opportunity to express our united voice for justice as descendants of survivors of the Armenian Genocide, and remember what took place 101 years ago.”

“It is time, with Artsakh recently repelling another attack by Azerbaijan, for our community to join in numbers, show our solidarity with those in the motherland, and participate in what is a unique event that will be remembered for the ages.”

A number of Buses have been organised to transport participants to and from the City. They will depart from the Armenian Cultural Centre in Willoughby (1pm), the Armenian Apostolic Church in Chatswood (1pm), the Ararat Scout Hall in Ryde (1pm) and the Navasart Scout Hall in Smithfield (12:30pm).

The Sydney #MARCHFORJUSTICE is being held under the auspices of the joint Armenian Genocide Commemorative Committee, and is being organised by Homenetmen, the Armenian Relief Society, Hamazkaine, the Armenian Youth Federation, the Armenian National Committee of Australia, Armenia Media Inc. and the Armenian Revolutionary Federation, with the participation of the entire Sydney Armenian community.

The Peace of Art, Inc. has installed a billboard dedicated to Artsakh in Massachusetts.

One of the seven digitals billboards of this year, which were dedicated to the 101st anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, was replaced by a new message “Support Peaceful Solutions to the Current Conflict in Artsakh” with a web address “Help-nkr.com” directing to the official website of the government of Artsakh, where there are links to make money transfers to accounts “, explained “Peace of Art, Inc.,” president Daniel Varoujan Hejinian.

Note that the remaining six digital billboards dedicated to the 101st anniversary of the Armenian Genocide will be up on following Massachusetts highways; Rte. 1, Lynnway; Rte. 1, Malden; Rte. 495, Haverhill:

All seven digital billboards will remain until the end of April.

 

The Armenian community of Georgia has issued an appeal to the country’s President and Prime Minister, calling for recognition of the Armenian Genocide.

Reminding that April 24, 2016 will mark the 101st anniversary of the genocide of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire, the community notes that the fact of the genocide has been recognized and condemned by more than 20 countries, including Canada, Italy, France, Sweden, Argentina, Lebanon, the Netherlands, Russia, Poland, Vatican and others)

“The fact has also been acknowledged by 47 of the 50 US states, as well as by a number of international organizations, such as the European Parliament, the Council of Europe, the European People’s Party, etc,” the statement reads.

For the sake of justice and democratic values, representatives of the Armenian organizations of Georgia call on the authorities to join the civilized community of the world, to respect the will of the people of the Republic of Georgia and initiate the discussion of the issue of Armenian Genocide recognition in the Georgian Parliament.

Photo: Reuters

 

Oil prices tumbled on Monday after a meeting by major exporters in Qatar collapsed without an agreement to freeze output, leaving the credibility of the OPEC producer cartel in tatters and the world awash with unwanted fuel, Reuters reports.

Tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran were blamed for the failure, which revived industry fears that major government-controlled producers will increase their battle for market share by offering ever-steeper discounts.

“OPEC’s credibility to coordinate output is now very low,” said Peter Lee of BMI Research, a unit of rating agency Fitch. “This isn’t just about oil for the Saudis. It’s as much about regional politics.”

Morgan Stanley said that the failed deal “underscores the poor state of OPEC relations,” adding that “we now see a growing risk of higher OPEC supply,” especially as Saudi Arabia threatened it could hike output following the failed deal.

Oil prices have fallen by as much as 70 percent since mid-2014 as producers have pumped 1 to 2 million barrels of crude every day in excess of demand, leaving storage tanks around the world filled to the rims with unsold fuel.

Sunday’s meeting in Qatar’s capital Doha had been expected to finalize a deal to freeze output at January levels until October 2016 in an attempt to slow that ballooning oversupply.

But the agreement fell apart after top exporter Saudi Arabia demanded that Iran, which was not represented, should also sign up.

Armenia’s Gor Minasyan won a silver medal in the super heavyweight class at the European Weightlifting Championships under way in Norway.

He lifted 205 kg in the snatch and 237 kg in the clean & jerk.

Armenia’s Hripsime Khurshudyan won a gold medal at the European Weightlifting Championships under way in Norway.

She lifted 113 kg in the snatch and 137 in the clean & jerk.

This was the third gold medal of the Armenian team. Andranik Karapetyan became the winner in the 77 kg weight category, with Tigran Martirosyan coming second. Nazik Avdalyan won the gold in the 69 kg weight category.

Simon Martirosyan (105 kg) won a bronze medal.