Defense Ministry investigates alleged opening of fire by Armenian guards on Kapan- Zangelan section

Dabaghian Diana

 19:06,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 12, ARMENPRESS. The information disseminated by the Azerbaijani media regarding the alleged  opening of fire by the Armenian guards on the Kapan-Zangelan section of the Armenia-Azerbaijan state border on February 12 is being investigated, the Ministry of Defense said.

"Written orders from the superior command clearly define the circumstances under which a serviceman, assessing the situation, can and/or is obliged to make a decision to open fire. According to preliminary information, such a situation did not occur in this area on February 12. If this is confirmed, those responsible for violating the order will be held accountable," the ministry added.

Permanent Representative of Armenia presented the letter of credence to Secretary General of the organization of BSEC

Karapet Navasardian

 19:51,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 12, ARMENPRESS. On January 12 in Istanbul the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Armenia to the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) Nairi Petrossian presented the letter of credence to the Secretary General of the BSEC Permanent International Secretariat (PERMIS) Lazăr Comănescu, the foreign ministry said.

According to the readout issued by the ministry, the interlocutors highly appreciated the effective partnership established between the PERMIS and Armenia, as well as underlined Armenia’s constructive engagement with the Organization.

Nairi Petrossian reiterated Armenia’s commitment to continue active participation in the multifaceted cooperation within the Organization. He emphasized that peace, regional cooperation and economic development are the most important priorities of the Government of Armenia, and the “Crossroads of Peace” project developed by the Government of the Republic of Armenia aims to consolidate foundations towards the achievement of those priorities.

It is noted that the sides also underlined the importance of the BSEC as a platform for regional dialogue. In this context they also touched upon the preparatory works for the upcoming Armenian Chairmanship-in-Office of the BSEC, which will take place in the second part of 2024.




Artur Atabekyan appointed as judge of the Civil Chamber of the Court of Cassation

Emil Lazarian

 20:13,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 12, ARMENPRESS.  Based on Part 3 of Article 166 of the Constitution, as well as the Resolution of the National Assembly of February 8, 2024 "On electing Artur Atabekyan as a candidate for judge of the Civil Chamber of the Court of Cassation" NAD-84-A, President of Armenia Vahagn Khachaturyan has signed a decree on appointing Artur Atabekyan to serve as judge of the Civil Chamber of the Court of Cassation, the Presidential Office said.

Armenia’s Malkhas Amoyan will fight for the third European gold

Emil Lazarian

 21:23,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 12, ARMENPRESS.  Member of the Armenian Greco-Roman wrestling team Malkhas Amoyan has reached the finals of the European Championship held in Bucharest, the capital of Romania, and will fight for the third championship.

In the semi-finals,  Malkhas Amoyan (77 kg) competed with Moldavian Alexandrin Gutu and won 2:1.

Amoyan's opponent in the final will be Turkish Emre Basar.

In the semi-final of the 55 kg weight category, Manvel Khachatryan, a member of the Armenian national team, competed against Artem Dileanu, representing Moldova.

The match ended with a score of 2:2, and since the last point was scored by the athlete from Moldova, he reached the final. Manvel Khachatryan will compete for the bronze medal of the European Championship. The match will take place on February 13.

Armenpress: Armenia’s minefield maps, transferred to Azerbaijan, provided to some international partners – Foreign Ministry

Hagop Kamalian

 21:58,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 12, ARMENPRESS.  The minefield maps obtained through surveys among former officials of Nagorno-Karabakh, were handed over to the Azerbaijani side on January 26, aiming to address humanitarian issues and as a way of building trust,  according to the publication on the Armenian Public TV.

"Considering the unnecessary speculations on the subject by Azerbaijan, the Republic of Armenia has also provided these maps to certain international partners, who, if necessary, can also be involved in the process of verifying their accuracy," stated the Foreign Ministry.

Asbarez: Armenia’s Foreign Ministry Removes ‘Nagorno-Karabakh’ Sections from Website

Tambiyan Samvel
by Asbarez Staff

 

 

 

in Armenia, Artsakh, Featured Story, Latest, News, Top Stories

Foreign Ministry's website page where the "Nagorno-Karabakh Issue" was once presented

Armenia’s Foreign Ministry has removed a section called “Nagorno-Karabakh Issue” from its website, coinciding with a top Azerbaijani official complaining about the description “language” used on the website, which has been deemed unacceptable by Baku.

While the section entitled “Nagorno-Karabakh” still appears on the Foreign Ministry’s website under the foreign policy heading, the “Nagorno-Karabakh Issue” subsection is removed in all languages — Armenian, English, French and Russian.

The foreign ministry has also removed a section that included reports by the Artsakh Human Rights Defender’s office.

Asbarez reported on Friday that Elchin Amirbayov, Azerbaijan’s senior envoy for special assignments who has been closely involved in the negotiations, had told RFE/RL’s Joshua Kucera that in addition to Armenia’s Constitution, there are several other instances where Armenia’s claim on Artsakh appear in formal statements and legislation.

Amirbayov specifically called attention to the language on the Armenian Foreign Ministry website saying that Nagorno-Karabakh is “an integral part of historic Armenia,” and recent Armenian filings in the European Court of Human Rights that imply a claim on Azerbaijan.

He also said, when Armenia’s legislature ratified the 1991 Alma Ata accords, which accepted Soviet republic borders as the borders of the newly independent states, lawmakers added language saying that it did not apply to Artsakh.

“We have pointed the attention of the Armenian side to those facts many times, during our [in-person] negotiations, but also through different exchanges of comments,” Amirbayov said. “And the Armenian side acknowledges that this is the fact, but nothing is being done…”

“When they try to cheat, if I may use the word, if they try to put all the blame and the responsibility on our shoulders, and at the same time in the back of their minds still having these territorial claims against us, it’s not going to work,” the Azerbaijani official added.

Moscow Wants Assurances from Yerevan about Putin’s Arrest Warrant

Emil Lazarian
by Asbarez Staff

 

 

 

in Armenia, Artsakh, Featured Story, Latest, News, Top Stories

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan (left) meets with President Vladimir Putin of Russ in the Kremlin on May 16, 2022


Moscow said Monday that it wants assurances from Yerevan before a possible visit by President Vladimir Putin of Russia to Armenia, given that the International Criminal Court, of which Armenia is now a member, has issued an arrest warrant for the Russian leader.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that Russia has “already said that, of course, the new reality related to Armenia’s membership in the international statute cannot but have a negative impact on our bilateral relations.”

“Of course, it is very important here to receive certain assurances from our Armenian partners. That matter still needs to be resolved within the framework of bilateral dialogue, which we are willing to do,” Peskov told reporters.

Peskov’s comments follow vague responses on the matter given by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in an interview with the UK-based The Telegraph that was published over the weekend.

When Pashinyan was asked, point blank by The Telegraph’s Roland Oliphant, “if Vladimir Putin arrived in Yerevan, would you arrest him?,” he responded by saying that he will leave it up to the legal professionals to make that determination.

“I want to say that the Republic of Armenia started the process of joining the Rome Statute in December 2022, and that decision was conditioned by the assessment of changes in our security environment. We ratified the Rome Statute, among other things, analyzing the consequences of the September 2022 war and noting that there are some cracks in our security system. In that sense, we also ratified the Rome Statute as an additional factor to increase Armenia’s security level. I understand that it was a difficult time period, and we made that decision because it was a difficult period. That decision serves to increase the security level of Armenia,” Pashinyan told The Telegraph.

“As for the legal nuances, I can’t carry out a legal analysis right now because that’s the job of lawyers. I think, as I said, Armenia as a responsible state should adhere to all its international commitments, including the commitments it has in relations with the Russian Federation, the commitments it has in relations with the international community,” said Pashinyan.

“By the way, there are various opinions and legal analyses on that topic, and in particular, the lawyers who say that the current heads of state have immunity, insurmountable immunity, due to their status are not just a few. I mean, it’s a legal issue, not a political issue that I have to discuss and respond to,” the prime minister added.

“Since 2018, many large-scale democratic reforms have started in Armenia, and I do not make decisions about who should be arrested and who should not be arrested. There is an established legal order in Armenia, there are legal institutions, and in all cases the legal institutions of Armenia are the ones who make such decisions,” Pashinyan told The Telegraph. “For that we have the Prosecutor’s Office, we have courts, we have the Investigative Committee.

“It is very important that, being a member of the Eastern Partnership, the Republic of Armenia stands out especially for institutional reforms of having an independent judicial system. There is rule of law in the Republic of Armenia, the Prime Minister has his powers in the Republic of Armenia. Under no circumstances those powers include the solution of the question whether this person should be arrested or not. All of that is done through legal procedures,” said the prime minister.

Pashinyan was also asked by Oliphant, whether it was possible for him to call Putin and “tell him just not to come, because you cannot promise that he will not be arrested?,” saying it would be an awkward situation.

“I don’t think that Vladimir Vladimirovich [Putin] needs my advice,” Pashinyan responded to the question.

Mayor Bass, Council President Krekorian Lead Groundbreaking Ceremony for TUMO L.A.

Ara Felekian
by Asbarez Staff

 

 

 

in Community, Featured Main, Latest, News, Top Stories, Videos


Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass was on hand for the groundbreaking ceremony at the future home of the TUMO Center for Creative Technologies L.A. headquarters in North Hollywood, located at 4146 Lankershim Boulevard.

“We are committed to empowering Los Angeles’ next generation of youth to gain skills that will prepare them for jobs in the technology industry,” said Mayor Bass.

“TUMO LA will provide much needed design and technology education to local youth through after school and weekend programs completely free of charge. This Center will allow Los Angeles youth to maximize their potential by discovering their passions for creative technologies and building the cutting-edge skills essential for navigating the ever-evolving digital world,” Bass added.

Mayor Bass was joined by L.A. City Council President Paul Krekoian, Former Assemblymember Adrin Nazarian, who is running for a Los Angeles City Council seat in district 2, and TUMO Founder Sam Simonian at the ceremony.

“The creation of TUMO in the East San Fernando Valley will bring much needed creative and educational resources to low income youth and teenagers that would otherwise not be exposed to the fantastic learning opportunities that TUMO creates” said Krekorian. “This center will shape the next generation of creative leaders that will keep our entertainment industry strong and thriving.”

TUMO LA will provide much needed design and technology education to local teens for after school and weekend programs completely free of charge. TUMO centers globally serve more than 25,000 teens each week, in 13 centers across nine countries. 

This first TUMO center in the United States was made possible through a $23.25 million dollar grant from the State of California, secured by former Assemblymember Nazarian, as well as an additional $3 million dollars in Community Development Block Grand funds from the City of Los Angeles, secured by Krekorian.

“As a former State Assemblymember of the East San Fernando Valley, I am proud to announce the establishment of a TUMO Technology Learning Center in North Hollywood. The TUMO Technology Learning Center focuses on placing teenagers, aged 12 to 18 years, in control of their learning experiences and enabling them to unlock their full potential by identifying their passions and equipping them with the skills necessary to shape their future. This Center will create life-changing experiences for our children and build the next generation of leaders for our communities” said Nazarian.

An architect’s rendering of the TUMO LA

The TUMO Center for Creative Technologies is a free-of-charge educational program that puts teenagers in charge of their own learning. Founded by engineer and entrepreneur Sam Simonian, TUMO’s mission is to allow teens to maximize their potential by discovering their passions and building the skills and self-confidence required to shape their future.

This program offers free education and training to teens in 14 different subjects, from music, filmmaking and animation to programming, robotics and 3D modeling.

Asbarez: Armenian EyeCare Project Helps Save Armenian Soldier’s Sight

Emil Lazarian
by Contributor

 

 

 

in Armenia, Latest, News, Top Stories

Vahe Poghosyan


When Azerbaijan began their attacks on Armenia in 2020, Vahe Poghosyan was one of many brave young men in Armenia who volunteered to join the Armenian army to protect their homeland. He was sent to the border, an area constantly under heavy attack by Azerbaijan. During one of these attacks, a rocket hit the truck Poghosyan was riding in. Fourteen Armenian soldiers were killed that day; only three survived. One of those survivors was Poghosyan.

“I was covered in blood,” recalled Poghosyan. “I couldn’t see anything as there was shrapnel in both of my eyes.” Poghosyan spent the next eight and a half terrifying hours lying on the battlefield, bleeding and unable to see, until it was possible for someone to rescue him.

With only a few minutes left to live, Poghosyan was rescued and rushed to a hospital in Yerevan, where he was treated for almost one month. His eyesight was gone and all he could see was a sliver of light. Poghosyan thought he was going to be blind for the rest of his life. After escaping one traumatic experience of going through the war and losing his friends, Poghosyan was now experiencing another agonizing prospect: believing he would never be able to see again.

Vahe with his wife and daughter

“I remember so vividly the effects of the first Karabakh war in Armenia,” recalls Dr. Roger Ohanesian, Founder and President of the Armenian EyeCare Project (AECP.) “It was the unrest during that time that led to the beginning of the Armenian EyeCare Project. Now, 30 years later, I am happy to say that because of the AECP’s emphasis on medical education and training, doctors in Armenia are capable of performing complex surgeries and offering top-of-the-line eye care to their countrymen.”

Vahe visiting the Yerablur Military Memorial Cemetery in Yerevan

Dr. Georgi Grigoryan, one of AECP’s very first fellows, successfully performed two complex surgeries on Poghosyan’s eye, removing the shrapnel and replacing the lens. This allowed Poghosyan to be able to see again. “I can see my daughter’s beautiful smile now,” said Poghosyan with immense gratitude. After regaining his sight, life has drastically improved for Poghosyan as he is now able to work, drive and support his family once again.

“I am deeply grateful to all the donors of the AECP for saving my sight and allowing me to see again, to raise my child, to grow my family and to reach all my dreams,” said Poghosyan with a smile.

As Poghosyan walks up the hill to Yerablur, the burial site of Armenian soldiers who died protecting their homeland, the song praising the bravery of his fallen friends can be heard far and loud. He joins in on singing along to the patriotic song, honoring his fellow soldiers and feeling grateful to be alive.

RFE/RL Armenian Service – 02/12/2024

Adrine Hakobian 
                                        Monday, 

Pashinian Vague On Putin Arrest Warrant

        • Anush Mkrtchian

Russia - President Vladimir Putin greets Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian 
during a CIS summit in St. Petersburg, December 26, 2023.


Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian has pointedly declined to guarantee that Russian 
President Vladimir Putin will not be arrested if he visits Armenia after the 
country’s recent accession to the International Criminal Court.

Armenia’s Constitutional Court gave the green light for the ratification last 
March one week after the ICC issued an arrest warrant for Putin over war crimes 
allegedly committed during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Moscow vehemently 
denies the accusations and claims that The Hague tribunal executes orders issued 
by Western governments.

Pashinian’s government pushed the treaty, also known as the Rome Statute, 
through the Armenian parliament in October, adding to its unprecedented tensions 
with Moscow. Russian officials said the “unfriendly” move will cause serious 
damage to Russian-Armenian relations. Still, Putin seemed to downplay the 
development afterwards, saying that he will visit the South Caucasus country 
again in the future.

In a weekend interview with Britain’s Telegraph daily, Pashinian was asked 
whether Putin would be arrested in case of such a trip.

“As regards legal subtleties, I cannot at the moment carry out legal analysis 
because that’s more the lawyers’ job,” he replied vaguely. “As I said, Armenia … 
must remain committed to all of its international commitments, including the 
commitments that it has in the relationship with the Russian Federation and 
international relations.”

Pashinian went on to claim that he is not the one who decides “whom to arrest 
and whom not to arrest” and that Armenian law-enforcement and courts make such 
decisions on their own.

Asked whether he would tell Putin “just don’t come because I can’t promise you 
that you won’t be arrested,” Pashinian said: “I don’t think that Vladimir 
Vladimirovich [Putin] needs my advice.”

Commenting on Pashinian’s remarks, Putin’s press secretary, Dmitry Peskov, said 
on Monday that the Russian leader would need to receive “certain assurances” 
before traveling to Armenia.

“This issue will have to be resolved within the framework of a bilateral 
dialogue, which is what we are intent on,” Peskov told reporters.

Pashinian also told the Telegraph that “quite a few lawyers” believe that 
serving heads of state have immunity from arrest warrants issued even by the 
ICC. Ara Ghazarian, a leading Armenian expert on international law, is not among 
them.

“Armenia and any other country [that has signed the Rome Statute] is legally 
obliged to arrest any person who is wanted by the court,” Ghazarian told 
RFE/RL’s Armenian Service.

The Pashinian government’s stated rationale for accepting the ICC’s jurisdiction 
is to take more legal action against Azerbaijan and prevent further Azerbaijani 
attacks on Armenia.

Armenian opposition politicians counter that Azerbaijan is not a party to the 
Rome Statute and would therefore ignore any pro-Armenian ruling by The Hague 
court. They say the real purpose of ratifying the treaty is to drive another 
wedge between Russia and Armenia and score points in the West.

The United States and the European Union swiftly praised Yerevan for ratifying 
the Rome Statute.




Armenian Judicial Watchdog Accused Of Bullying Judges

        • Naira Bulghadarian

Armenia - Karen Andreasian, head of the Supreme Judicial Council, chairs an SJC 
hearing in Yerevan, June 29, 2023.


A powerful body overseeing Armenia’s courts faced on Monday fresh accusations of 
suppressing judicial independence after circulating a video that lambastes 
judges presiding over the protracted trials of former senior officials at odds 
with the country’s current leadership.

An association of Armenian judges accused the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) 
dominated by government loyalists of illegally intervening in the judicial 
proceedings.

The video posted on the SJC’s website and its social media accounts at the 
weekend purports to explain the reasons for the “collapse” of the corruption 
trials of former Presidents Robert Kocharian and Serzh Sarkisian as as well as 
three other former officials. It primarily puts the blame on the presiding 
judges.

It also heaps praise on other judges, notably Mnatsakan Martirosian. The latter 
is notorious for jailing many political opponents of the current and former 
Amenian governments. Martirosian took bench in the late 1990s and was promoted 
by the SJC last year to become the chairman of the country’s largest court of 
first instance.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian complained about what he described as the slow 
pace of ongoing high-profile trials during cabinet meeting in November. Karen 
Andreasian, the SJC chairman formerly affiliated with Pashinian’s party, said 
last month that he has told his staffers to shoot a video on “the five most 
famous cases” which would identify “the culprits among law enforcement agencies 
and judges” and be used for disciplinary proceedings against them.

The judicial watchdog is tasked with protecting the courts against outside 
influence. It has wide-ranging powers, including the right to nominate, sanction 
and even fire judges.

Armenia - The Supreme Judicial Council holds a hearing on disciplinary action 
against judges, Yerevan, June 29, 2023.

Armenia’s Union of Judges said that both Andreasian’s televised remarks and the 
resulting video constitute a violation of legal provisions banning any pressure 
on judges and interference in their work.

Arman Tatoyan, a former human rights ombudsman critical of Pashinian’s 
administration, likewise accused the SJC of breaking the law and “discrediting” 
the judiciary on government orders.

“It is obvious that this is also a clear ‘message’ regarding future judicial 
acts in other cases,” he said.

Tatoyan also said that disciplinary proceedings against any of the judges 
attacked in the video would be illegal.

Ever since Andreasian took over the SJC in 2022, the number of such proceedings 
initiated by the Ministry of Justice has increased significantly. Justice 
Minister Grigor Minasian is Andreasian’s reputed friend and former business 
partner.

The SJC controversially dismissed four judges in July alone. One of them, Davit 
Harutiunian, was ousted after saying that the SJC arbitrarily fires his 
colleagues at the behest of a single person.

The video in question was officially shot by the Judicial Department, a body 
acting as the SJC staff. Responding to the criticism, the department insisted 
that it did not overstep its authority and only presented objective facts.

Armenian opposition leaders and some legal experts regularly accuse the 
government of seeking to further curb judicial independence in the country under 
the guise of Western-backed “judicial reforms.” Pashinian’s government denies 
these claims.




Baku Slams EU Monitoring Mission In Armenia

        • Gevorg Stamboltsian

Armenia - European Union monitors patrol Armenia's border with Azerbaijan, 
February 20, 2023.


The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry summoned the European Union’s ambassador in 
Baku on Monday to denounce a monitoring mission launched by the EU along 
Armenia’s border with Azerbaijan a year ago.

In an ensuing statement, the ministry questioned the impartiality of the mission 
and warned it against causing “damage to Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity.”

In particular, it linked EU monitors to a Czech national who was arrested by 
Azerbaijani security services on February 3. Baku claimed that the still 
unidentified man illegally entered the country from Armenia.

The statement also condemned the monitors for escorting “official and unofficial 
European delegations” to border areas during their visits to Armenia. Such 
visits are used for spreading “anti-Azerbaijani propaganda,” it claimed without 
giving details.

French Gendarmerie General William De Meyer was one of the European officials 
who inspected a section of the Armenian-Azerbaijan border earlier this month. 
Azerbaijani state television claimed afterwards that France is helping Armenia 
prepare a military operation against Azerbaijan.

Later on Monday, Baku said that an Azerbaijani border guard deployed on the 
Armenian border was wounded in an Armenian ceasefire violation. The Armenian 
military said it is “investigating” the report.

Azerbaijan as well as Russia have repeatedly criticized the EU monitoring 
mission over the past year. Despite the criticism, the 27-nation bloc decided 
late last year to deploy more observers in Armenia.

Last month, the EU twice warned Azerbaijan against invading Armenia following 
Baku’s renewed demands for Yerevan to open an extraterritorial corridor to the 
Nakhichevan exclave. Its foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, said this and 
other statements made by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev earlier in January 
amount to territorial claims to Armenia.

“Any violation of Armenia’s territorial integrity would be unacceptable and will 
have severe consequences for our relations with Azerbaijan,” Borrell warned on 
January 22.




Armenian Speaker’s Sister-In-Law Set Free

        • Nane Sahakian

Armenia - Parliament speaker Alen Simonian poses for a photo with his brother 
Karlen and sister-in-law Ani Gevorgian.


A senior executive of a major software company and her former colleague related 
to parliament speaker Alen Simonian were released from custody on Monday about 
two weeks after being arrested in a corruption investigation openly criticized 
by some Armenian officials.

But the founder and owner of the U.S.-registered company Synergy International 
Systems, Ashot Hovanesian, remained under arrest despite serious concern 
expressed by an association of Armenian tech firms.

Hovanesian and the freed suspects, Lili Mkrian and Ani Gevorgian, were charged 
with helping senior Ministry of Economy officials rig a procurement tender which 
was controversially won by Synergy but invalidated by a court last summer. 
Unlike them, the indicted government officials, including former Deputy Economy 
Minster Ani Ispirian, were swiftly freed or moved to house arrest. Economy 
Minister Vahan Kerobian insisted last week that the accusations of abuse of 
power brought against his subordinates are baseless.

On February 6, about 70 lawmakers representing Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian’s 
Civil Contract party petitioned prosecutors to release the three suspects 
remaining in custody. One of the suspects, Gevorgian, left Synergy last year. 
She is the wife of Simonian’s brother Karlen.

The Office of the Prosecutor-General made a veiled reference to that petition 
when it announced and commented on the release of the young women. It said they 
both have testified about “circumstances of essential importance for the 
criminal proceedings” and are now less likely to engage in “inappropriate 
behavior.”

Hovanesian’s lawyer, Gor Ohanian, said, meanwhile, that he hopes his client will 
be freed on the same grounds. The Synergy boss gave “quite extensive testimony” 
following his arrest, Ohanian said without elaborating.

Armenia’s Union of Advanced Technology Enterprises (UATE) denounced Hovanesian’s 
arrest and demanded his release on February 4. It said that “unfounded” 
detentions of “business representatives and other prominent persons” are turning 
Armenia into a “risky country” for local and foreign tech entrepreneurs.



Reposted on ANN/Armenian News with permission from RFE/RL
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