Statement by NAASR on Dismissal of Edita Gzoyan

Press Release

National Association for Armenian

Studies and Research (NAASR)

395 Concord Ave.

Belmont, MA 02478

Tel.: 617-489-1610, ext. 102

Email: [email protected]

 

Please note that if this is translated into Armenian, the name of the organization in Armenian, per our bylaws, is Hamazkayin Armenian Scientific Association.

 

 

Statement by the National Association for Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR)

 

March 16, 2026

 

            We wish to express our deep concern about the unjustifiable dismissal of Dr. Edita Gzoyan as Director of the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute (AGMI)
at the behest of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.

As an organization, NAASR has had a productive and respectful relationship with Dr. Gzoyan, as we have with her predecessors, as we hope to have with future directors,
and as we have with other outstanding institutions in Armenia with which we cultivate strong relationships.  However, such academic partnerships are built on trust established through a mutual understanding of academic independence and integrity.  An institution
as important as the AGMI, with the vital task of documenting, memorializing, and informing about the Armenian Genocide—especially in the face of unwavering denial—must be allowed to carry out its work without being forced to compromise for political expediency,
or it will lose its credibility.

According to the Prime Minister, he demanded Dr. Gzoyan’s resignation because she took the “provocative” action of giving U.S. Vice President J. D. Vance “a book
about the Artsakh [Nagorno-Karabakh] issue” during Vance’s visit to Tsitsernakaberd, which, he explained, placed her in opposition to Armenia’s foreign policy.  “Any state official in Armenia who makes a statement that contradicts the foreign policy pursued
by the government should be dismissed from their position,”
Pashinyan
stated
.

What was Gzoyan’s offense?  She presented Vice President Vance with four volumes during his official visit:
The Armenian Genocide: Prelude and Aftermath: As Reported in the U.S. Press. The New York Times, Volume 1 (1890-1914) & Volume II (1915-1922), compiled and edited by Rev. Vahan Ohanian and Ara Ketibian (2018);
Ravished Armenia: The Story of Aurora Mardiganian (2020); Documenting the Crime: The Armenian Genocide in Words and Images (2024); and
Azeri Aggression against Armenians in Transcaucasia (1905-1921): Reports from the U.S. Press, edited by Ara Ketibian (2023).

There is no book here “about the Artsakh issue,” as the term is generally used, so we must infer that the problematic book was
Azeri Aggression against Armenians in Transcaucasia (1905-1921): Reports from the U.S. Press, which is, as the title suggests, a collection of articles from American newspapers in the early part of the twentieth century. It is perhaps relevant to note
that the editor’s preface contains strongly worded but not inaccurate descriptions of Azerbaijan’s aggression against Artsakh between 2020 and 2023.

As it happened, Vice President Vance was sufficiently moved by his visit to
post a statement
about honoring the victims of the Armenian Genocide, a post he later deleted, much to his discredit but through no fault of Dr. Gzoyan’s.

Dr. Gzoyan is widely respected for her work as a scholar and as the Director of the AGMI.  She presented materials to Vice President Vance that provide factual historical
information.  Notwithstanding Prime Minister Pashinyan’s statements to the contrary, her actions can only be seen as contradicting his foreign policy if that policy runs counter to historical facts.  If that is the case, then the problem would lie not with
the historical record but with the policy’s relationship to it.

We strongly urge the Armenian government to cease this damaging attack on the credibility of the AGMI.  We call on the Prime Minister to reinstate Dr. Gzoyan, repair
the breach of trust that has occurred, and reassure the international community that the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute is able to carry out its scholarly mission free from external interference. Under no circumstances should a perceived misalignment between
policy and fact lead to the suppression of the historical record or to punitive action against those entrusted with preserving and safeguarding it.

 

Armenpress: Oscars 2026: ‘One Battle After Another’ wins best picture while ‘

Cinema09:58, 16 March 2026
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Hollywood’s best and brightest have been honored with the most prestigious awards in the movie industry, the Oscars.

Paul Thomas Anderson’s “One Battle After Another” won best picture at the 98th Academy Awards, capping a ceremony that also saw the film take home best adapted screenplay and best director, CNN reported.

Ryan Coogler’s vampire horror hybrid “Sinners” (co-produced by Armenian-American film producer Sev Ohanian) made history with a win for the film’s cinematographer, best actor honors for Michael B. Jordan, and the best original screenplay prize.

Host Conan O’Brien, winning documentarians and presenter Javier Bardem were among several people who shared pointed political statements on the Oscars stage. A moving In Memoriam segment paid tribute to Rob Reiner and other late stars.

See the full list of winners and nominees below.

Best Picture

Winner: One Battle After Another

Bugonia

Frankenstein

F1

Hamnet

Marty Supreme

The Secret Agent

Sentimental Value

Sinners

Train Dreams

Best Actress

Winner: Jessie Buckley – Hamnet

Rose Byrne – If I Had Legs I’d Kick You

Kate Hudson – Song Sung Blue

Renate Reinsve – Sentimental Value

Emma Stone – Bugonia

Best Actor

Winner: Michael B. Jordan – Sinners

Timothée Chalamet – Marty Supreme

Leonardo DiCaprio – One Battle After Another

Ethan Hawke – Blue Moon

Wagner Moura – The Secret Agent

Best Supporting Actress

Winner: Amy Madigan – Weapons

Elle Fanning – Sentimental Value

Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas – Sentimental Value

Wunmi Mosaku – Sinners

Teyana Taylor – One Battle After Another

Best Supporting Actor

Winner: Sean Penn – One Battle After Another

Benicio del Toro – One Battle After Another

Jacob Elordi – Frankenstein

Delroy Lindo – Sinners

Stellan Skarsgård – Sentimental Value

Best Director

Winner: Paul Thomas Anderson – One Battle After Another

Ryan Coogler – Sinners

Josh Safdie – Marty Supreme

Joachim Trier – Sentimental Value

Chloé Zhao – Hamnet

Best Animated Feature

Winner: KPop Demon Hunters

Arco

Elio

Little Amélie or the Character of Rain

Zootopia 2

Best International Feature

Winner: Sentimental Value

It Was Just an Accident

Sirât

The Secret Agent

The Voice of Hind Rajab

Best Documentary Feature

Winner: Mr Nobody Against Putin

Come See Me in the Good Light

Cutting Through the Rocks

The Alabama Solution

The Perfect Neighbor

Best Original Screenplay

Winner: Sinners – Ryan Coogler

Blue Moon – Robert Kaplow

It Was Just an Accident – Jafar Panahi

Marty Supreme – Ronald Bronstein & Josh Safdie

Sentimental Value – Eskil Vogt & Joachim Trier

Best Adapted Screenplay

Winner: One Battle After Another – Paul Thomas Anderson

Bugonia – Will Tracy

Frankenstein – Guillermo del Toro

Hamnet – Chloé Zhao & Maggie O’Farrell

Train Dreams – Clint Bentley & Greg Kwedar

Best Original Song

Winner: Golden – KPop Demon Hunters (EJAE, Mark Sonnenblick, Joong Gyu Kwak, Yu Han Lee, Hee Dong Nam, Jeong Hoon Seo, Teddy Park)

Dear Me – Diane Warren: Relentless (Diane Warren)

I Lied to You – Sinners (Raphael Saadiq & Ludwig Göransson)

Sweet Dreams of Joy – Viva Verdi! (Nicholas Pike)

Train Dreams – Train Dreams (Nick Cave & Bryce Dessner)

Best Original Score

Winner: Sinners – Ludwig Göransson

Bugonia – Jerskin Fendrix

Frankenstein – Alexandre Desplat

Hamnet – Max Richter

One Battle After Another – Jonny Greenwood

Best Cinematography

Winner: Sinners – Autumn Durald Arkapaw

Frankenstein – Dan Laustsen

Marty Supreme – Darius Khondji

One Battle After Another – Michael Bauman

Train Dreams – Adolpho Veloso

Best Film Editing

Winner: One Battle After Another – Andy Jurgensen

F1 – Stephen Mirrione

Marty Supreme – Ronald Bronstein & Josh Safdie

Sentimental Value – Olivier Bugge Coutté

Sinners – Michael P. Shawver

Best Sound

Winner: F1 – Gareth John, Al Nelson, Gwendolyn Yates Whittle, Gary A. Rizzo, Juan Peralta

Frankenstein – Greg Chapman, Nathan Robitaille, Nelson Ferreira, Christian Cooke, Brad Zoern

One Battle After Another – José Antonio García, Christopher Scarabosio, Tony Villaflor

Sinners – Chris Welcker, Benjamin A. Burtt, Felipe Pacheco, Brandon Proctor, Steve Boeddeker

Sirât – Amanda Villavieja, Laia Casanovas, Yasmina Praderas

Best Visual Effects

Winner: Avatar: Fire and Ash – Joe Letteri, Richard Baneham, Eric Saindon, Daniel Barrett

F1 – Ryan Tudhope, Nicolas Chevallier, Robert Harrington, Keith Dawson

Jurassic World Rebirth – David Vickery, Stephen Aplin, Charmaine Chan, Neil Corbould

Sinners – Michael Ralla, Espen Nordahl, Guido Wolter, Donnie Dean

The Lost Bus – Charlie Noble, David Zaretti, Russell Bowen, Brandon K. McLaughlin

Best Production Design

Winner: Frankenstein – Tamara Deverell & Shane Vieau

Hamnet – Fiona Crombie & Alice Felton

Marty Supreme – Jack Fisk & Adam Willis

One Battle After Another – Florencia Martin & Anthony Carlino

Sinners – Hannah Beachler & Monique Champagne

Best Casting

Winner: One Battle After Another – Cassandra Kulukundis

Hamnet – Nina Gold

Marty Supreme – Jennifer Venditti

Sinners – Francine Maisler

The Secret Agent – Gabriel Domingues

Best Make-up and Hairstyling

Winner: Frankenstein – Mike Hill, Jordan Samuel, Cliona Furey

Kokuho – Kyoko Toyokawa, Naomi Hibino, Tadashi Nishimatsu

Sinners – Ken Diaz, Mike Fontaine, Shunika Terry

The Smashing Machine – Kazu Hiro, Glen Griffin, Bjoern Rehbein

The Ugly Stepsister – Thomas Foldberg, Anne Cathrine Sauerberg

Best Costume Design

Winner: Frankenstein – Kate Hawley

Avatar: Fire and Ash – Deborah L. Scott

Hamnet – Malgosia Turzanska

Marty Supreme – Miyako Bellizz

Sinners – Ruth E. Carter

Best Animated Short

Winner: The Girl Who Cried Pearls

Butterfly

Forevergreen

Retirement Plan

The Three Sisters

Best Live Action Short

Winner (Tied): The Singers

Winner (Tied): Two People Exchanging Saliva

A Friend of Dorothy

Butcher’s Stain

Jane Austen’s Period Drama

Best Documentary Short

Winner: All the Empty Rooms

Armed Only with a Camera: The Life and Death of Brent Renaud

Children No More: Were and Are Gone

The Devil Is Busy

Perfectly a Strangeness

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Trump signals possible delay to Beijing summit

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U.S. President Donald Trump said his planned trip to China later this month could be delayed as Washington sought to pressure Beijing to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

In an interview with the Financial Times on Sunday, Trump said he expected China to help unblock the strait before he travels to Beijing for a summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, which had been scheduled for March 31 to April 2, according to CNBC.

Trump added that the two weeks to the meeting were a “long time” and that Washington wanted clarity before then. “We may delay,” Trump told the FT, without elaborating on timing.

The remarks came as Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent met his Chinese counterpart He Lifeng in Paris for talks about the planned summit.

Beijing has yet to confirm the dates and typically announces such plans closer to their scheduled start.

Trump said Sunday aboard Air Force One that China sourced about 90% of its oil through the strait, framing Beijing’s cooperation on Hormuz as a matter of self-interest, CNBC reported.

The U.S. and Israel launched what they described as a pre-emptive strike against Iran on February 28, claiming that Tehran was developing a nuclear weapon and posed a threat—an allegation Iran has denied. In response, Iran launched counterattacks, firing missiles and drones at Israel, as well as at U.S. assets and other targets across the Middle East. Iran blocked the Strait of Hormuz in response but then said it would keep it closed only to ships from the US, Israel and their Western allies.

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Some flights resume at Dubai airport

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Some flights at Dubai International Airport have gradually resumed hours after a drone strike, according to local authorities.

The Dubai Media Office, citing the Civil Aviation Authority, reported that flights are operating to select destinations.

Emirates Airline says limited operations have restarted after a hiatus and some cancellations, according to The Associated Press.

A drone struck a fuel tank at the airport early Monday, causing a fire and forcing the temporary suspension of flights, The Associated Press reported. No casualties were reported.

The U.S. and Israel launched what they described as a pre-emptive strike against Iran on February 28, claiming that Tehran was developing a nuclear weapon and posed a threat—an allegation Iran has denied. In response, Iran launched counterattacks, firing missiles and drones at Israel, as well as at U.S. assets and other targets across the Middle East.

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Over 54,500 homes destroyed in Iran amid U.S.-Israeli bombing campaign, Red Cr

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The Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) reported that more than 54,500 housing units have been either completely or partially destroyed in the Islamic Republic since the start of the U.S.-Israeli bombing campaign.

The IRCS said the destruction of homes occurred across the country in various areas.

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Iran accuses Israel of ‘ecocide’ over fuel depot bombings

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Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has accused Israel of committing ecocide and violating international law by bombing fuel depots.

In a post on X, the Iranian Foreign Minister said that Israel must be “punished for its war crimes”.

“Israel’s bombings of fuel depots in Tehran violate international law and constitute ecocide. Residents face long-term damage to their health and well-being. Contamination of soil and groundwater could have generational impacts. Israel must be punished for its war crimes,” Araghchi said, posting an image showing plumes of smoke above a building. 

The U.S. and Israel launched what they described as a pre-emptive strike against Iran on February 28, claiming that Tehran was developing a nuclear weapon and posed a threat—an allegation Iran has denied. In response, Iran launched counterattacks, firing missiles and drones at Israel, as well as at U.S. assets and other targets across the Middle East.

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Israel says troops launch ‘limited’ operations against Hezbollah in southern L

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The Israeli ‌military said on Monday that its ⁠troops had begun limited ground operations against Hezbollah positions ‌in ⁠southern Lebanon.

“IDF troops have begun limited and targeted ground operations against key Hezbollah strongholds in southern Lebanon, aimed at enhancing the forward defense area. This activity is part of broader defensive efforts to establish and strengthen a forward defensive posture, which includes the dismantling of terrorist infrastructure and the elimination of terrorists operating in the area, to create an additional layer of security for residents of northern Israel,” the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said on X.

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German foreign minister says US-Israeli aims need clarity

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German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said Monday it will be important for the U.S. and Israel to define “when they consider the military aims of their deployment to have been reached,” The Associated Press reports.

Before meeting EU colleagues in Brussels, Wadephul said he told his U.S. and Israeli counterparts “we need more clarity here.”

He also said the Iranian government poses a significant danger to the region, the freedom of shipping and the global economy and “this danger definitely must not continue.”

Wadephul said without elaborating that he would back sanctions against those responsible for blocking the Strait of Hormuz.

He said once there is clarity on the U.S.-Israeli aims it will be time for a phase when “a security architecture for this whole region” is defined, which will entail speaking to Iran.

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Hungary to block loan for Ukraine, sanctions until Druzhba restarts, minister

Europe16:06, 16 March 2026
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Hungary will continue blocking a 90-billion-euro ($103 billion) loan ‌for Ukraine and new sanctions on Russia as long as oil flows via ⁠the Druzhba pipeline remain suspended, Hungary’s Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said on Monday in Brussels, Reuters reports.

Russian oil flows through the Druzhba pipeline to ‌Hungary ⁠and Slovakia have been suspended since late January. Kyiv says a Russian ⁠strike hit Druzhba pipeline equipment in western Ukraine, ⁠while Slovakia and Hungary say Ukraine ⁠is to blame for the prolonged outage.

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Germany’s Merz says ‘war in Iran is not a matter for Nato’

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German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has ruled out his country’s participation in the US-Israel war against Iran, according to Reuters news agency.

“We lack the mandate from the United Nations, the European Union or Nato required under the Basic Law. It was therefore clear from the outset that this war is not a matter for Nato,” Merz said.

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