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10/06/2004
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1) European Armenian Federation Delivers Its Report on Turkey to The European
Commission
2) Turkey Comes A Step Closer to Fulfilling European Dream
3) Celebration of Nigol Touman in His Native Village
4) Support Growing Among Congressional Candidates For Expanded US-Armenia
Trade

1) European Armenian Federation Delivers Its Report on Turkey to The European
Commission

BRUSSELS–On September 29, the European Armenian Federation provided the
European Commission with detailed information about the Turkish Government’s
strategy in dealing with Armenian concerns.
The extensive 32 page report, titled “Turkey and the Armenian Genocide,”
covers
policies adopted and enacted in 2003 with a special 2004 addendum, focusing on
Turkey’s domestic policies in dealing with its Armenian minority and relations
with foreign countries in regard to the Armenian genocide. The document
excludes coverage on Turkey’s relations with Armenia, as well as its ongoing
blockade of the country.
The report provides examples of alleged scientific research, administrative
measures, manipulation tools, intimidation tactics, and diplomatic measures
used by the Turkish government.
It outlines Turkey’s efforts to destabilize Armenian institutions in Turkey,
providing information on so-called reconciliation attempts and threats against
other countries. 
“European policy-makers often have an incomplete view of Turkey’s aggressive
policies toward their Armenian minority and Armenian issues in general. Often,
only the most egregious tactics are taken into account. With this report, we
aim to disclose the actual scale of this strategy, which serves as a
fundamental pillar of Turkey’s State policy” said Laurent Leylekian, Executive
Director of the European Armenian Federation.
“We updated this report with the most recent measures undertaken by Ankara,
with special focus on the recent adoption of article 306, which criminalizes
the affirmation of the Armenian genocide. This attack on liberty clearly
contradicts accepted international laws dealing with freedom of speech,
specifically articles 10, 11, and 14 of the European Charter of Fundamental
Rights, which will serve as an integral part of the forthcoming European
Constitution” added Leylekian.
“Based on our findings, we hope that the European Commission’s annual
report on
Turkey will give a more complete account of Turkey’s denialist and
anti-Armenian policies than previous years–policies which consistently
violate
the Copenhagen criteria. The absence of these findings would signal the
Commission’s endorsement of Turkey’s racist and discriminatory policies,”
concluded Leylekian.
The report is available on the Federation’s website–

2) Turkey Comes A Step Closer to Fulfilling European Dream

BRUSSELS (AFP)–Turkey came a step closer to fulfilling a 40-year-old dream
when the European Commission recommended that the EU should begin membership
talks with Ankara.
But the Commission set a series of tough conditions and warned there was no
guarantee of a successful outcome.
It set no start date for the talks, leaving it up to EU leaders who must
decide
at a December summit whether to accept its recommendations and, if so, when to
begin negotiations expected to last at least a decade.
“The Commission’s answer is yes…it is a conditional yes,” European
Commission
President Romano Prodi told the European Parliament, adding that Europe had
nothing to fear from Turkish EU membership.
The EU executive’s proposals–widely leaked over the past week–were approved
at a meeting Wednesday despite concerns from some that Turkey is simply too
big
and too different to join the European club.
“A Europe that is sure of itself, has a constitution and strong institutions
and policies, is returning to economic growth and is based on a strong
model of
peace, prosperity, and solidarity has nothing to fear from the integration of
Turkey,” said Prodi.
Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul hailed the decision as a “historic step”
for both Turkey and the 25-nation EU. Ankara wants the talks to start in the
first half of next year.
Turkey, an official candidate since 1999, has been waiting to join the
European
club for four decades but its efforts have stumbled over its civil rights
record.
Germany, home to Europe’s largest Turkish immigrant community, welcomed the
report and said Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder would vote in favor of starting
membership negotiations at the Brussels summit.
A German government spokesman called it a “very balanced report,” while
Schroeder, speaking during a visit to New Delhi, was confident Turkey would
receive the support of most EU leaders.
But many Europeans are alarmed at the prospect of the EU taking in a poor,
populous, and mostly Muslim state that has 90 percent of its territory in Asia
and which borders Iraq, Iran, and Syria.
Turkey’s population of 71 million is greater than the 10 countries that joined
the EU earlier this year combined.
The Commission on Wednesday said it “considers that Turkey sufficiently
fulfills the political criteria” for membership talks but warned that these
could be suspended, or even broken off.
“The Commission will recommend the suspension of the negotiations in the case
of a serious and persistent breach of the principles of liberty, democracy,
respect for human rights, and fundamental freedoms and the rule of law on
which
the Union is founded,” said the report.
It praised the Turkish government for “far-reaching” reforms already carried
out to bring the country up to European political and social norms.
But more must be done to fight corruption, stamp out torture, improve freedom
of expression and of religion, and to boost women’s and minority rights, it
said.
No specific timeline is given for the talks, but the Commission said that “the
necessary preparations for accession will last well into the next decade.”
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Ankara hopes to start EU
negotiations in the first half of next year, leading to membership in a
“reasonable period of time.”
“We hope to bring a long-travelled road to its final lap with the
initiation of
accession negotiations in the first half of 2005,” he said in Strasbourg,
France, shortly before the commission signed off on its report.
The Commission has also said that Turkish membership could cost the EU, which
is currently home to nearly four million Turkish immigrants, between 16.5 and
27.5 billion euros a year by 2025.
But although it has an array of caveats, the core message was good news for
Ankara.
One cloud hanging over the whole project is a pledge by French President
Jacques Chirac to hold a referendum on Ankara’s EU hopes. In theory, such a
vote could simply reject Turkish EU entry, regardless of what happens in the
negotiations.
The next head of the European Commission, Jose Manuel Durao Barroso, said
Monday he welcomed the idea of referendums in EU member countries.
The commission meanwhile confirmed Wednesday that Romania and Bulgaria are on
track to join the EU in 2007.

3) Celebration of Nigol Touman in His Native Village

STEPANAKERT (ARF Press Office)–In commemoration of the 90th anniversary of
Nigol Touman’s death, the ARF Aram Manoogian Student Organization held a
cultural evening in his native village of Ghshlagh.
As a part of the remembrance, middle school students participated in a writing
contest to honor Touman, who was a leading revolutionary figure in the
Armenian
national-liberation movement of the late 19th/early 20th century. The contest
theme was “The Revolutionary Leader, My Fellow Villager.”
Students also performed a dramatic piece depicting activities of one of
Touman’s groups that fought for liberation, followed by a performance of
patriotic songs.
The remembrance ended with a dinner and bonfire in the courtyard of the Nigol
Touman museum-home located in the Askeran region of the Mountainous Karabagh
Republic, on the road to the Gandzasar monastery. Organized by the group
National Treasures, the dinner attracted several guests, including the
benefactor of the museum-home Jhasik Bouynatian.
Touman’s home was discovered only about a year-and-a half ago by the ARF
Student Organization of Artsakh (Karabagh), and converted into a museum
about a
year ago.
During renovations, workers uncovered caches of swords, Mosin rifles, and
various weapons parts hidden in the walls of the home.

4) Support Growing Among Congressional Candidates For Expanded US-Armenia
Trade

–Responses to 2004 Candidate Questionnaires Reveal Strong Support for PNTR
for
Armenia

WASHINGTON, DC–Congressional candidates from around the nation strongly
support legislation aimed at expanding US-Armenia trade relations,
according to
responses to multi-issue candidate questionnaires circulated this election
season by the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).
Challengers and incumbents from both parties have stressed their support for
legislation that would grant Armenia Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR)
status. This measure, which is being spearheaded in the Senate by Senator
Mitch
McConnell and in the House by Congressman Joe Knollenberg, may win final
approval before the Congress goes out of session this year.
“Armenian Americans have been tremendously encouraged by the growing support
for PNTR legislation for Armenia and remain hopeful that it will be enacted
prior to the end of the Congressional session,” said Aram Hamparian, Executive
Director of the ANCA.
A sample of response on US-Armenia trade is provided below to offer a sense of
the strong bipartisan support for this issue:

–Illinois Congressman John Shimkus, representing the southern part of the
State, noted in his response to the ANCA Candidate Questionnaire: “I support
extending permanent normal trade relations between the United States and
Armenia as a means of strengthening the bonds and the commitment between our
nations.”

–Congressman Eric Cantor, the Chief Deputy Majority Whip and a long-time
friend of the Richmond Armenian community, explained: “The ascension of
Armenia
to the World Trade Organization will begin to stabilize trade relations with
the United States. It is a step in the right direction because free trade with
Armenia will have a positive effect on not only the economy of that country
but
that of the United States as well. All free trade promotes job creation and
economic growth throughout the world; by helping Armenia we are helping the
American economy prosper.”

–First-term Congressman from Michigan, Thaddeus McCotter, who has already
emerged as a leading member of the Armenian Caucus, stated: “Our two great
nations will only grow stronger by trading together. I signed a letter
supporting Armenian PNTR in the House and will continue to work to see it
signed into law.”

–Candidate Robert Neeld, from the Gulf Coast of Florida, who is seeking to
fill the seat vacated by new Director of Central Intelligence Porter Goss,
wrote: “Favorable trading agreements benefit both countries and would continue
to stimulate Armenia’s economy.”

The ANCA Congressional Candidate Questionnaire includes nine different
questions on the topics of the Armenian genocide; US support for Armenia and
Karabagh; US-Armenia economic relations; self-determination for Karabagh;
conditions on US aid to Azerbaijan; the Turkish blockade of Armenia; and
the US
subsidy of the Baku-Ceyhan pipeline bypass of Armenia.
“As in past years, we are pleased that candidates for Congress have taken such
full advantage of our questionnaires to speak directly to Armenian American
voters on issues of special concern to our community,” noted Hamparian.

For an Adobe PDF version of the ANCA Questionnaire, visit:

or

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From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

The Christian Science Monitor
from the October 07, 2004 edition

Now, dangers of a population implosion

By David R. Francis

“Honey, please, please have a baby.” That could be a mother’s plea to a
married daughter. It’s also the request, in less homey language, of many
governments.
For decades, much has been written about the world’s exploding population.
But 60 countries, about a third of all nations, have fertility rates today
below 2.1 children per woman, the number necessary to maintain a stable
population. Half of those nations have levels of 1.5 or less. In Armenia,
Italy, South Korea, and Japan, average fertility levels are now close to one
child per woman.

Barring unforeseen change, at least 43 of these nations will have smaller
populations in 2050 than they do today.
This baby dearth has potentially weighty economic consequences for
governments worried about everything from economic vitality to funding
future pension programs and healthcare. That’s why many of them have been
taking measures designed to encourage their citizens to multiply. For
example:
. Starting this year, France’s government has been awarding mothers of each
new baby 800 euros, almost $1,000.
. In Italy, the government is giving mothers of a second child 1,000 euros.
. South Korea has expanded tax breaks for families with young children and
is increasing support for day-care centers for working women.
. Last year parliament members in Singapore called on the government to do
more to keep Cupid and the stork busy.
. Japanese prefectures have been organizing hiking trips and cruises for
single people – dating programs to halt the baby bust.
Japanese singles are often called “parasites” because, when they retire,
they have no children paying into the national pension system or helping out
otherwise.
Estonia’s President Arnold Rüütel last year in a television address urged
the country’s 1.4 million residents to produce more babies, or face a
rapidly declining population.
British authorities also worry about the fertility rate. The Office of
National Statistics says fertile women will need to have three children to
keep Britain’s population at 59 million into the future.
Even China, despite its 1.3 billion people, is reportedly considering
revising its “one child” rule since its fertility rate of 1.39 is creating
an older population – and social and economic problems.
Although the United States is also slightly below replacement fertility, the
entry of more than 1 million immigrants each year is expected to boost its
population to 430 million or more by midcentury. Still, Federal Reserve
Chairman Alan Greenspan frets about demographics. He wants to discourage
early retirement and sees a need for less generous Social Security and
Medicare benefits.
On the flip side, the world’s total population will soar to 8.9 billion by
mid-century, up from 6.2 billion today, the United Nations projects. At that
time, the population should stabilize, as more poorer nations join rich
countries in lowering their birthrates. By the end of the century, the
world’s population may decline if mothers in major developing countries
decide to have two babies on average, rather than three, says Joseph Chamie,
the UN’s top head counter.
At the moment, half of the growth in the world’s population is taking place
in six nations – India, China, Indonesia, Pakistan, Nigeria, and Bangladesh.
The contrast with low-fertility countries shows in this statistic: All 25
member nations of the European Union added as many people to their total
population in all of 2003 as India did in the first five days of that same
year. India will have an extra half billion people by 2050.
Although low-fertility nations may not face problems as severe as
high-fertility countries do, they worry about economic growth, and in some
cases, military might. Mr. Chamie lists 25 measures governments could take
to boost fertility. Some would be controversial, such as restricting
contraception and abortion and keeping women poorly educated and jobless. He
suspects many “pronatalist policies” will have only a “temporary and modest
effect on raising fertility.”

A1 Plus | 14:53:21 | 06-10-2004 | Social |

DISABLED PARTICIPANTS OF KARABAKH WAR FEEL THEMSELVES NEGLECTED

Disabled veterans of Karabakhi war gathered Wednesday outside the
government building in Yerevan demanding special social status and
better living conditions. They are particularly concerned about
housing conditions.

Demonstrators sent the list of their demands to the government and
fastened the copies to nearby trees.

Asya Barkhudaryan, a participant of the action, says PM Andranik
Margaryan received them a month ago and listened to them. After that,
the government allocated 200 million drams only to the families of
those killed in the war.

PROBLEMS ON THE AGENDA

Azat Artsakh – Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR)
06 Oct 04

The questions discussed at the meeting of the regional council of
Hadrout mainly referred to the preparation works for winter
tillage. The chairman of the meeting was the head of the regional
administration V. Gevorgian. In 2003 the harvest was good in the
region, allowing to increase the area under crop next year from 4902
to 8495 hectares. However, the estimates of the farmers for 2004 did
not come true because of unfavourable weather and pests. The average
yield per hectare totaled 1.4 tons, the overall yield was 11 262 tons
decreasing by 2000 tons against the previous year. These rates were
presented by the head of the department of agriculture of the regional
administration L. Abrahamian, who added that this year they expect to
do 7000-8000 hectares of winter tillage. By September 30 only 5600
hectares has been tilled which means that less area will be used for
arable crops this year. During the meeting the department of
agriculture, the heads of the communities were charged with taking
corresponding measures for completing the tillage, holding a
laboratory test of the seeds, providing the use of chemicals. The
members of the regional council made the decision of addressing the
NKR government with the request of providing aid to the farmers whose
fields were damaged by natural disasters. At the same time it was
mentioned that it would be convenient to provide the aid in the form
of loans. Also the question was raised to implement the sales of
chemicals through a specialized company and forbid the activities of
individuals in this sphere. One of the questions discussed was the
activities and the future plans of the official newspaper `Dizak’ on
which the editor-in-chief Y. Madounts made a report. Evaluating the
work of the newspaper staff as satisfactory, the heads of the
departments of the regional administration and the communities were
tasked to deal with subscription to the newspaper, and the attention
of the staff was drawn to the improvement of the quality and urgency
of the materials, as well as cooperation with freelance
reporters. Then the head of the territorial agency of social service
S. Hakobian reported on the activitiesof the agency directed by
him. The activities of the mentioned organization are various: family
allowances, aid to the families of the disabled of the war and the
killed soldiers, providing sums for the tombstones of the killed
azatamartiks, opening of bank accounts for each third and more child
in thefamily, social cards, unemployment benefits. In the past 9
months the amount of family allowances totaled 31 million 316 AM
drams. 1 million 469 thousand drams of insurance benefit was paid to
the disabled of the Artsakh war. According tothe NKR government
decision N 146, the construction of houses for 4 of the 6 families of
the region having 6 and more children under 18 has already begun.

E. DAVTIAN.
06-10-2004

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

THE FESTIVAL OF HARVEST

Azat Artsakh – Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR)
06 Oct 04

Last Sunday a fair of agricultural products was organized in the
capital of NKR Stepanakert. `The Festival of the Harvest’ was
organized by the NKR Ministry of Agriculture, regional administrations
of the republic, the CityHall of Stepanakert. The fair was held in the
Sasountsi Davit Street, near the Homeof Officers, and all the regions
except Shahoumian, the companies `Artsakhalco’ , `Academia’,
`Yengibarian’, `Dvin’, as well as farms participated in it. A wide
variety of goods produced in Karabakh was presented, such as fresh
produce, dairy products, alcohol and soft drinks, canned food. And
what is more, on this day the products were sold at prices reduced by
30-40 per cent. Approximately, products of 15 million drams were sold
on that day. Besides,`Academia’ Ltd. sold gardening tools at low
prices. There was also live music, and the visitors of the fair were
treated to barbecued meat, lavash and excellent wine brought by the
regional administrations. This festival will be held every year
hopefully involving more participants. Only it would be preferable if
the produce was sold on stands and not directly from the cars, which
caused long queues.

AA.
06-10-2004

Kopple to Direct Kevorkian Pic

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter
Tuesday, October 5, 2004

By Gregg Kilday

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) – Dr. Jack Kevorkian, the advocate of
doctor-assisted suicide who is serving a 10- to 25-year prison term,
will be the subject of a feature film.

The project marks the first time that the doctor, who was convicted of
second-degree murder in 1999 and is serving his sentence in a
maximum-security prison in Michigan, has authorized any media-based
project surrounding his life and efforts in assisted suicide.

Barbara Kopple will direct the film for producer Steve Jones, whose Bee
Holder Prods. has acquired rights to an unpublished biography. Kevorkian
is cooperating with Neal Nicol, his assistant of 25 years, and Harry
Wylie, a longtime friend, on the book. The filmmakers are seeking a
screenwriter for the project.

Kevorkian assisted in more than 150 cases of suicide and had beaten the
state court system in Michigan numerous times, but he was convicted
after he willingly sent a videotape of himself euthanizing a terminally
ill man to “60 Minutes.”

Kopple, an Oscar winner for her documentaries “Harlan County, U.S.A.”
and “American Dream,” recently completed filming her narrative feature
debut, “Havoc,” starring Anne Hathaway and Bijou Phillips.

;u=/nm/20041005/film_nm/film_kevorkian_dc

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

National Ethnic Outreach
Contact: George Kivork <[email protected]>

Please note the following events with Ambassador Richard Holbrooke and
his wife Kati Marton, in Ohio on Wednesday and Thursday.

Multi-ethnic Rally

The ethnic community in Toledo will be gathering at the Hungarian Club
for a rally with Amb. Holbrooke, his wife Kati Marton, and St. Rep Peter
Ujvagi.
Date: Wednesday, October 6, 2004
Time: Arrive at 6:00PM
Location: Hungarian Club of Toledo, 224 Paine Ave
For more details please contact Rep. Peter Ujvagi at 419-779-0255 or
e-mail [email protected]

Mutli-Ethnic Policy Roundtable

This is a private policy discussion with ethnic leadership and
Ambassador Richard Holbrooke
Date: Thursday, October 7th
Location: Sheraton City Center Hotel
Time: Arrive at 3:15
For more details contact Seamus [email protected] by Tuesday
morning.

–gK

George Kivork
National Director of Ethnic Outreach
202-464-2838

Exxon Abandons Flagship Azeri Well

Reuters
October 4, 2004

BAKU (Reuters) – U.S. oil major ExxonMobil’s hopes of a big oil strike
on its flagship Azeri offshore field faded on Monday after it said it
had shut down the first ultradeep well there after failing to find
commercial deposits.

“We discovered that the first well on Zafar-Mashal does not contain
commercial hydrocarbon reserves and we decided to shut it down,” Exxon’s
spokeswoman Leila Rzakuliyeva told Reuters.

“It’s premature to talk about drilling new wells on the field,” she added.

At 7,087 meters, the well was the deepest in the Caspian and Azeri
geologists have said it was the most expensive too, costing Exxon more
than $100 million.

The results of drilling on the Zafar-Mashal field had been expected to
give a big clue as to whether the Caspian country’s shelf contained more
significant reserves or whether its potential has been overestimated.

Exxon’s block is currently the only active new exploration project on
the Azeri shelf, despite the existence of over 20 production-sharing
agreements between Baku and multinationals.

The Azeri oil boom was fueled by the “contract of the century,” when a
BP-led group agreed 10 years ago to develop three mammoth offshore
fields, known as Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli (ACG), set to become a major
source of crude for a pipeline to Turkey.

Oil will start flowing next year with shipments gradually rising to over
one million barrels per day.

The confirmation of ACG’s reserves prompted many experts and Azeri
officials to forecast further multi-billion barrel discoveries. But
investors have found only one big offshore gas field in the past decade,
Shakh-Deniz, while a number of projects were shut down after having
failed to strike oil.

Many investors have postponed tapping their blocks, partly due to the
scarcity of drilling equipment on the land-locked sea. Further gas
discoveries will also raise questions about the import capacity of the
only potentially attractive neighboring market, Turkey.

Exxon leads the $3 billion Zafar-Mashal (Victory Torch) project with a
30 percent interest. State Azeri firm SOCAR holds 50 percent and U.S.
ConocoPhillips owns the remaining 20 percent. The block is 100 km (62.14
miles) offshore from Baku.

Exxon is involved in four Azeri projects and has already invested around
$1.5 billion.

One of the projects is a 50/50 PSA with SOCAR on the neighboring
Nakhichevan field, where the first well discovered only gas several
years ago.

Zafar-Mashal is the only Azeri block which was supposed to produce major
exploration news this year.

After having completed drilling on Zafar-Mashal, Exxon will send a
$250-million newly-built Lider platform to Russian oil major LUKOIL,
which will operate it closer to the Russian border, with exploration
expected to last at least six months.

SFGate.com
10/06 11:31:22 ET

Hewitt, Nalbandian reach third round in Tokyo

Lleyton Hewitt held off crowd favorite Gouichi Motomura 6-0, 3-6, 6-1 in the
second-round of the Japan Open.
Tokyo, Japan (Sports Network) – Top seeds Lleyton Hewitt of Australia and
David Nalbandian of Argentina highlighted Wednesday’s second-round winners
at the $775,000 Japan Open.

The former world No. 1 Hewitt held off heavy Japanese crowd favorite Gouichi
Motomura 6-0, 3-6, 6-1, while Nalbandian came back to beat Taipei’s
Yeu-Tzuoo Wang 3-6, 7-6 (7-4), 6-2 on the hardcourts at Ariake Colosseum.

Hewitt, who captured this event in 2001, will meet another Japanese, Takao
Suzuki, in the round of 16, while Nalbandian will encounter 16th-seeded
Gilles Muller of Luxembourg.

In other action involving top-10 seeds, No. 7 American Taylor Dent drilled
Czech Tomas Zib 6-3, 6-4, No. 8 Swede Thomas Johansson handled American
Justin Gimelstob 6-4, 6-4, Cyril Saulnier overcame fellow Frenchman Nicolas
Thomann 2-6, 6-1, 6-4 and No. 10 Korean Hyung-Taik Lee dismissed big-serving
Aussie Wayne Arthurs 6-2, 7-6 (7-2).

Elsewhere in the second round, the aforementioned Muller mauled American
Alex Bogomolov Jr. 6-3, 6-1 and the upstart Suzuki bounced 15th-seeded Czech
Jan Hernych 7-6 (7-4), 3-6, 7-5.

The first-round concluded here on Day 3 with wins coming for Germans Michael
Kohlmann, who bested 2002 Tokyo titlist Kenneth Carlsen of Denmark 7-5, 6-2,
and Bjorn Phau, Swiss Marco Chiudinelli, Czech Bohdan Ulihrach, Brazilian
Flavio Saretta, Japan’s Takahiro Terachi and Spaniard Guillermo
Garcia-Lopez, who stopped last week’s Shanghai runner-up Lars Burgsmuller
6-4, 2-6, 6-3. The German Burgsmuller gave way to Argentine Guillermo Canas
in the Heineken Open final.

This week’s winner will pocket $118,000.

10/06 11:31:22 ET

BBC News
Last Updated: Monday, 4 October, 2004, 13:29 GMT 14:29 UK

Belarus urged to halt executions

Some families have not been given relatives’ bodies for burial (picture
Amnesty International)
The human rights group, Amnesty International, has launched a campaign
urging Belarus and Uzbekistan to stop using the death penalty.
It says they are the last former Soviet republics to still use the
punishment.

Amnesty said people in both countries were sentenced to death in unfair
trials, often after “confessions” extracted through torture.

It added that prisoners were often not told the date of execution and burial
places remained secret.

Neither Belarus nor Uzbekistan has released full statistics on the number of
people they execute by shooting.

In 2001, the Uzbek authorities said that about 100 people were executed
annually, a figure contested by Uzbek human rights groups who say that the
real number is double that.

Beatings

In Belarus, Amnesty says the number of people sentenced to death is thought
to have decreased to between four and seven each year.

Amnesty is concerned that the secrecy surrounding the death penalty, as well
as the conditions on death row, lead to immense suffering.

I do not know where Dmitry is buried. If I knew I would at least have a
place where I can go with my grief

Tamara Chikunova,
mother of executed prisoner
It says prisoners are frequently beaten by prison officials and held in
small cells with only limited and monitored contacts with the outside world.

“Honestly, they treat us here not like human beings but as if we were cattle
or small mosquitoes,” said Uzbek prisoner Zhasur Madrakhimov in a letter he
managed to smuggle out before being executed in 2004, eight days after the
UN Human Rights Committee had urged the authorities of Uzbekistan to stay
his execution.

The impact on prisoners’ families is also a concern for Amnesty.

Tamara Chikunova, whose son Dmitry was executed in 2000 in Uzbekistan, said:
“It is one of the worst things for me that I do not know where Dmitry is
buried.

“If I knew I would at least have a place where I can go with my grief and
where I can talk to him.”

She has erected a symbolic gravestone for her son in a cemetery in Tashkent,
next to the grave of his grandfather.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, all the newly independent
states retained the death penalty.

Since then, nine have abolished it – Armenia, Azerbaijan, Estonia, Georgia,
Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Turkmenistan and Ukraine – and four have
suspended it – Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russian Federation and Tajikistan.