Opposition demonstration, Liberty Square, Yerevan, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Oneworld Multimedia 2004
Via Martuni of Bust, RFE/RL reports that in its first-ever ruling on Armenia, the European Court of Human Rights yesterday ruled against the arrest of an opposition activist at an anti-government demonstration in Yerevan’s Liberty Square four years ago. One can […]
It seems that all three capitals of the South Caucasus Republics are facing a crisis in terms of traffic congestion and pollution. The Instiute for War & Peace Reporting (IWPR), for example, published an article on traffic jams in Baku and how the Azerbaijani Government is seeking to address the problem.
In March 2006, the […]
Well, it’s good to see more specialist blogs appear in Armenia and the South Caucasus that not only exist to assist in research on certain issues, but to also disseminate the results of studies that already have been completed. In particular, the CRRC Blog includes details of a study examining how schoolchildren view the rule […]
Via Bekaisa, news of another Armenian blog, but this time on a specialist theme — the economy. Personally, I’d like to see more specialists blogging from all walks of life in Armenia more often so I’m glad to see what looks an interesting and unique blog like this emerge.
The Armenian Economist is a new blog […]
Tsitsernakaberd, Yerevan, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Oneworld Multimedia 1998
Well, even if the French bill criminalizing denial of the Armenian Genocide doesn’t make it into law its certainly stirred up activity in the Blogosphere although it has to be said that posts by foreigners are proving better written and more interesting than ethnic […]
Tsitsernakaberd, Yerevan, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Oneworld Multimedia 2006
Despite Turkish protests, PanArmenian.net reports that the lower house of the French Parliament has passed a bill making it a crime to deny the Armenian Genocide.
A total of 106 deputies voted in favor of the bill while 19 voted against, France Info radio […]
Freedom House has released its 2006 Nations in Transit report, “a comprehensive, comparative, multidimensional study focusing on 29 countries and administrative areas from Central Europe to Eurasia.” The report does not make for pleasant reading or provide much optimism for the future, as the official press release indicates.
The Freedom House study Nations in Transit 2006, […]
Raffi Hovannisian Court Case, Yerevan, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Hetq Online 2006
Raffi Hovannisian’s office rang yesterday evening to inform me about today’s court case surrounding his eviction from the property that serves as the Heritage Party headquarters in Yerevan. Unfortunately, because it was also International Children’s Day I couldn’t stay long, so best I just post a few pics and coverage from A1 Plus, which is actually a Heritage Party press release, but anyway.
The hearing of Heritage Party Chairman Raffi K. Hovannisian’s case against the administration of the Paronian Theater reconvened today at the Court of First Instance of Yerevan’s Central and Nork-Marash communities. It was again presided over by Judge Edward Avetisian.
The defendant had not appeared at, but had sent written objections to the previous hearing on May 19, in response to which Vahagn Grigorian, Raffi Hovannisian’s attorney, moved to bring additional causes of action against the theater’s management as well as against the Department on State Property Management (DSPM) of the government. The Court, taking all submissions into account, had continued the trial until June 1.
Opening today’s hearing of the case, Judge Avetisian presented the particulars of the lawsuit, citing that it includes the plaintiff’s claims against both defendants to remove the unlawful encroachment upon the right of access, control, and usage of his property, as well as those which derive under the law by consequence of defendant’s nullification of contracts.
Prior to the examination of the case, Grigorian submitted a petition demanding that the lead defendant Paronian Theater, which was being represented by its director Karapet Shahbazian, submit to the Court original copies of the lease, payments made thereunder, and all other documents pertaining to the space long rented by Raffi Hovannisian. These records are now “locked and sealed†behind the doors and windows of the premises located at 7 Vazgen Sargsian Street.
Interrupting Grigorian’s argument in support of his motion, Aram Ghlechian, the legal representative of defendant DSPM, requested a continuance in order to study further the details of the claims made by Hovannisian.
The Court granted Ghlechian’s petition and ordered a one-week postponement of the case.
Raffi Hovannisian Court Case, Yerevan, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Hetq Online 2006
Armenia Now reports that the appointment of Armen Gevorgyan to the position of Chief of Staff of the Armenian President’s Office is illegal. Ruben Torosyan, Chairman of the Supreme Council Deputies Club, says that 60 percent of all government officials have been illegally appointed to their positions because they have failed to serve in the Armenian military. Nice to know they’re all serving their country well.
Torosyan says Gevorgyan is far from alone in missing his army service. He has established that Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan, Prosecutor General Aghvan Hovsepyan, Yerevan mayor Yervand Zakharyan, and 10 government ministers, including Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian, Justice Minister David Harutyunyan, and Minister of Agriculture David Lokyan, also did not serve in the army.
Although some of these men would be too old to have done their military service in Armenia’s army, the army of the independent republic is the legal successor of the Soviet military. Reservists and men liable for conscription to the Soviet army automatically became reservists and conscripts of the army of independent Armenia. Service in the Soviet army is regarded as military service for the purposes of Armenia’s law.
Incidently, Gevorgyan is better known to most people here as Armenchik and is believed to have extensive commercial stakes in the media here which explains why most TV outlets broadcast news that can generally only be described as propaganda. For the past few years he can always be seen by the President’s side. The excellent Armenian Deck of 52 has more.
Gevorgian has worked for Kocharian ever since the latter’s appointment in 1997 as prime minister of Armenia, becoming a key member of his inner circle. The 32-year-old has grown particularly influential in the last few years, reportedly wielding more power than Tumanian. In particular, he is thought to be personally overseeing the news coverage of Armenia’s main television stations loyal to Kocharian. He will also assume Tumanian’s task of overseeing implementation of large-scale infrastructure projects financed by the Lincy Foundation of Armenian-American billionaire Kirk Kerkorian.
In addition, Gevorgian is reputed to have developed considerable business interests, with newspaper reports regularly linking him large-scale redevelopment projects in Yerevan. He could not be immediately reached for comment as his office did not return phone calls.
No wonder that the green areas of Yerevan have shrunk to such an extent that the capital faces the danger of desertification while corruption sky rockets and the rule of law plummets some more.
