18:14, 8 November 2023
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 8, ARMENPRESS. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in the Nagorno-Karabakh capital city of Stepanakert, now under the Azerbaijani control, stated that Azerbaijan does not need a new war with Armenia.
"We don't need a new war. We have achieved what we wanted," Aliyev said.
At the same time, the Azerbaijani President noted that issues related to the army building will continue to remain a priority for them.
18:36, 8 November 2023
The Secretary General of the Armenian Human Rights Defender's Office Nina Pirumyan also participated in the conference entitled "Torture and other ill-treatment: the role of National Human Rights Institutions.’’
The aim of the international conference was to study and define the role and challenges of states and human rights institutions in addressing and preventing the risks and root causes of torture and other forms of ill-treatment.
Anahit Manasyan presented to international partners the experience of working as a human rights defender in the Republic of Armenia as a national preventive mechanism.
The work of the Public Council attached to the Defender and the culture of cooperation with civil society organizations on issues related to torture and other forms of ill-treatment were noted.
During separate discussions, Ms. Anahit Manasyan presented issues regarding specific mechanisms for identifying, addressing and ensuring rights against torture and other forms of ill-treatment of forcibly displaced persons, emphasizing the importance of the mentioned issue in the context of recent events, in particular the forced deportation of Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia.
In that context, the issues raised within the framework of the fact-finding work carried out by the Human Rights Defender were emphasized.
The Human Rights Defender has reached a number of agreements on further cooperation with partners who are members of the Global Alliance of National Institutions and expressed her readiness to participate in new initiatives related to the protection of human rights.
Show your love of the game by subscribing to Passion of the Weiss on Patreon so that we can keep churning out interviews with legendary producers, feature the best emerging rap talent in the game, and gift you the only worthwhile playlists left in this streaming hellscape.
Peter Holslin needs oud lessons.
To the average crate-digger, mere utterance of the word “deadstock” can inspire Pavlovian excitement and anticipation. Deadstock refers to sealed, mint-condition records that at one point sat on store shelves but never got sold. It’s a term that evokes the gathering of dust and the moldering of cardboard—picture piles of records packed away in their factory boxes and forgotten for decades. But deadstock also evokes feelings of hope, optimism, and unabiding freshness. For people who are constantly on the prowl for overlooked tunes and obscure sounds, a piece of vinyl deadstock can have the almost primeval allure of unplowed snow or a virgin forest.
So you can imagine what a find it must have been for the curators behind the new LA-based imprint Discotchari when they recently stumbled across an entire deadstock run of a long-forgotten 45RPM 7-inch, containing some of the finest Armenian psych-folk ever put to tape.
The two-track effort, originally recorded in 1970, features the Armenian oud player John Bilezikjian and Lebanese percussionist Raja Zahr teaming up for a one-off collaboration. There are mournful melodies, breaks of funky Arabic percussion, and proggy harpsichord riffs that play against soulful runs on the oud, a short-necked lute central to much Middle Eastern music. The duo apparently disbanded not long after they recorded the two tracks, and the records fell into obscurity as the musicians went onto pursue successful solo careers. But now Discotchari has revived this mysterious 7-inch, releasing it this month as a combination deadstock reissue and digital release under the title Something Different.
Something Different sounds at times like 1970s prog bands like King Crimson and Soft Machine, but the arrangements come straight from the music you’d hear in Armenian and Arab urban centers like Glendale, Burbank, and Beirut. The Side A track, “Zulu Man,” is a slow burn of dense, layered instrumentation and moody atmospherics, complete with over-the-top lyrics that reference an African shaman and the troubles of man. Side B’s “Chemical Reaction” is even better: A two-and-a-half minute instrumental banger perfectly primed for a late-night needle drop at an all-vinyl DJ set. Moving at a bracing pace, the track is like surf rock with harpsichords and doumbek—a sure-shot way to get your dopamine receptors firing.
Discotchari was founded by Zach Asdourian and Anaïs Gyulbudaghyan as an offshoot of their label Critique. While Critique focuses on electronic music, they intend this new venture to serve as a platform for their latest Armenian musical finds. The name of the imprint combines the word “Disco” with “Kochari,” the name of an Armenian folk dance, and releases like Something Different represent Asdourian’s and Gyulbudaghyan’s culturally savvy, polyglot outlook. They come from a shared Armenian heritage, but that heritage is anything but static—rather, it’s a living, breathing, ever-evolving culture, extending from its origins in the West Asian steppe to Diaspora communities in Southern California and across the globe. Something Different is just one of many pieces of vinyl they’ve found along that complex path.
https://www.passionweiss.com/2023/11/07/discotchari-something-different-john-bilezikjian-raja-zahr/
19:10, 8 November 2023
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 8, ARMENPRESS. Ambassador of Sweden to Armenia Patrik Svensson visited the region of Syunik, the Embassy of Sweden in Yerevan said in a statement.
“During his trip to Syunik region Ambassador also visited Meghri, the southernmost community of Armenia. The Head of Mission had a great meeting at Winnet Meghri and was briefed about Women's resource center's activities in the region and in Armenia.
At the Meghri checkpoint of Armenian-Iranian state border, the senior staff of the checkpoint hosted the Ambassador for an informative overview of the checkpoint facilities and border operations.
A visit was also made to Tatev, where community leader Samvel Lalayan and his team briefed the Ambassador on the local situation and development projects. They discussed ongoing projects supported by Sweden, such as SALAR International’s efforts to strengthen democracy and promote good governance at the local level.
In Kapan, Ambassador also joined the EU Mission’s Forward Operating Base patrol to witness the observer’s mission's activities aimed at contributing human security in conflict-affected areas at the Armenia-Azerbaijan border,” reads the statement.
19:48, 8 November 2023
20:38, 8 November 2023
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 8, ARMENPRESS. Azerbaijan violated the right to a fair trial of Vagif Khachatryan, an Armenian by nationality, during the implementation of an obviously simulated and false trial.
The Deputy Chair of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Protection of Human Rights and Public Affairs Rustam Bakoyan said on social media.
"I am a villager, not a terrorist"
Vagif Khachatryan of Armenian nationality uttered these words in the Azerbaijani court. The arrest of the latter was from the beginning a continuation of an obvious war crime, and the criminal legal processes carried out against him after all this are a vivid proof of gross violations of human rights in a totalitarian country like Azerbaijan.
Despite its membership in the Council of Europe and ratification of the European Convention on the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, Azerbaijan violated the right to a fair trial of Vagif Khachatryan, an Armenian by nationality, during the implementation of an obviously simulated and false trial.
Vagif Khachatryan denied his participation in the so-called "Meshal events" and apologized in Armenian, literally saying that he was not there. In other words, the person, in fact, did not accept the criminal charges brought against him, while the translator, deliberately and obviously acting in the domain of anti-Armenian practices within the framework of Azerbaijani state policy, conveyed to the audience that Khachatryan apologized to the Azerbaijani people for all the incidents committed by Armenians.
During the entire judicial process, Vagif Khachatryan's thoughts were distorted, as a result, he was sentenced to 15 years in prison.
I have sent urgent letters to my international colleagues to ensure the immediate return of Vagif Khachatryan to the Republic of Armenia within the framework of their powers.
I have requested that the political level officially acknowledge that the trial held against Vagif Khachatryan is entirely false and aims to conceal the criminal anti-Armenian activities of Azerbaijan and the implemented military tactics,'' Bakoyan said.
10:25, 9 November 2023
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 9, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan has welcomed the G7 Japan 2023 Foreign Ministers’ Statement that called on Azerbaijan to fully comply with its obligations under international humanitarian law.
“Welcoming G7 statement, we underline that strong international steps & clear public commitments by all involved parties are paramount for normalization btw Armenia & Azerbaijan in line with Granada statement, & to address needs of Armenian forcibly displaced from Nagorno Karabakh. Armenia has such a commitment,” Mirzoyan said in a post on X.
The G7 foreign ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States of America and the High Representative of the European Union, after their meeting in Japan, said in a statement:
“We are gravely concerned over the humanitarian consequences of the displacement of Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh after the military operation conducted by Azerbaijan. We urge Azerbaijan to fully comply with its obligations under international humanitarian law and welcome international efforts to address urgent humanitarian needs for those who have been displaced. We underline our support for advancing a sustainable and lasting peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan based on the principles of non-use of force, respect for sovereignty, the inviolability of borders, and territorial integrity.”
11:20, 9 November 2023
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 9, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Cabinet ministers have observed a moment of silence in commemoration of the victims of the 44-Day War of 2020.
“Today is November 9th, and I am asking you to pay tribute to all our fallen brothers and sisters of the 44-Day War with a moment of silence,” Prime Minister Pashinyan said at the Cabinet meeting.
The 2020 war ended with the trilateral ceasefire agreement signed between Armenia, Russia and Azerbaijan on November 9, 2020.
The death toll on the Armenian side in the 2020 war unleashed by Azerbaijan in Nagorno-Karabakh is 3809.
220 people are missing in action.
11:32, 9 November 2023
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 9, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian government has approved an additional financial support program for the forcibly displaced persons of Nagorno-Karabakh.
The decision was approved at the November 9 Cabinet meeting.
The forcibly displaced persons will each receive an additional 50,000 drams in November and December for essential consumer expenditures. Those who temporarily live in hotels or guest homes, or are currently abroad or have more than 2 million drams in savings on their bank accounts will not be eligible for the program.
11:53, 9 November 2023
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 9, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian government plans to launch a new environmental protection agency.
Authorities seek to replace the current Forestry Committee with the Environmental Protection Agency. The relevant functions currently carried out by other agencies will also be covered by the new body.
“We are now carrying out an 8-hour patrol in forests and national parks, but we need 24-hour patrols. These changes are aimed at this,” Minister of Environment Hakob Simidyan said at the Cabinet meeting on Thursday where the decision was approved.
Environmental Protection Agency officers will be authorized to file proceedings, calculate damages and hand out fines, and use force if the offender fails to comply.
The agency will have 1176 employees. The agency will be fully operational in 2024.