Addendum: And here's Pashinyan's editorial on Oskanyan's interview from June 22: Նշաձողի վոյեւէ առերեւույթը
Oskanyan was the guest on Azatutyun's Տեսակետների խաչմերուկ this weekend. I was quite impressed at how well prepared he was. At how ready he was to answer such a wide variety of questions. At how hard he obviously had worked in preparing and presenting answers that, to naive eyes and ears, present a wonderfully coherent story of a man committed to a healthy and just Armenia. At how hard he's trying to keep his options open right now.
Gimme a break. It doesn't matter how hard you try to clean up your trail, realign the evidence, justify your actions. Its all still there. And no amount of trying to rewrite and reexplain history, no number of videos or Civilitas forums or interviews, is going to change the truth.
So I, for one, don't need to hear about how broken up you were and still are about March 1, or how you tried to get a dialogue going, or how you felt the political prisoners needed to be released. I don't remember any such voice of support for the political prisoners, or for any part of the struggle in general, and I was watching closely (Feb 9 2010 post, March 14, 2009, http://tzitzernak2.blogspot.com/2010/05/on-civilitas-oskanyan-and-meghri.html) In fact, even in this interview you didn't dare call them political prisoners. They are refered to as բանտերում գտնվողները - those who are in prison.
But, I don't need to keep going on my own. Anna Hakobyan already wrote a brilliant piece in Haykakan Zhamanak on May 12, 2011. And here it is: First Part, Second Part.
Keep trying to wipe away the fingerprints and rearrange it all, my friend. The only person believing it is you.
This video was put up less than a week ago. I kept hoping it would get transcribed (and even translated), and I'd be able to post it with more info, but no luck. Its absolutely incredible. Pashinyan uses simple language, simple allegory, satire and comedy, and simple logic, to show just how ludicrous the court system, and the entire regime, is. I've posted it below, with some very rough transcription and translation of some segments... what I've put there are just a few of the jewels, there are a lot more, but no amount of translation does it justice.
Pashinyan starts out by giving an incredible example of the completely absurdity of the regime and justice system that stands in Armenia today, by giving an overly complicated and completely irrelevant example answer, that would be given by the regime, to the question, is this piece of paper black or white? Then he goes on…
I will do the same experiment with this piece of paper [as an analogy to his jail sentence and amnesty]
The Amnesty says, halve the portion of this paper that has nothing [written] on it The court says, there is no portion of the paper without anything written on it, and for that reason we cannot halve it.
But in reality, this paper, in its entirety, has nothing on it. That is, the portion of the paper that has nothing on it, is the entire paper. And to halve the portion that has nothing on it is to fold it (folding it), we fold it in equal halves, and honorable court, halve it in equal portions (tearing it in half).
This primitive [concept], my numerous lawyers have been unable to make the ‘Justice System’ of Armenia comprehend this.
It’s not that they cannot make them understand. Our Armenia’s ‘Justice System’ does not understand, cannot understand and wants to act as though it is, excuse the expression, obtuse.
… there is no independent justice system in the Republic of Armenia. If there were, the Republic of Armenia would not be in the situation it is today…
… if there were a lawful government in the Republic of Armenia, honorable court, if there were a lawful government in the Republic of Armenia, if there were a lawful prosecutor’s office, if there were a lawful court [system], if laws functioned in the Republic of Armenia, this court hearing would not be happening; because I would not be at Artik penitentiary, and I wouldn’t have a problem transferring a piece of paper to my lawyer, and the Criminal and Justice Ministry of the Republic of Armenia would not be so depraved as to lie so obviously in front of the Armenian people…
.. my experience had shown me that the judges in this country have a hearing problem…
… the government of this country does not have enough morality to stand face to face and talk ... the government talks to me through its oligarchs, through its courts…
Not surprisingly, the regime, along with its accomplices and lackeys, is still trying to silence the voice of opposition. Three of the MPs named in an article by HZH are suing and seem to have won the first round [from epress] - at least in court:
"The three MPs demanded Haykakan Jamanak to retract the story, which they say discredits their honor, dignity and business reputation, as well as compensation in the amount of 2.5 million AMD each — for moral losses and incurred court expenses."
What moral losses? What honor and dignity? What business reputation? There was none of this to begin with. Let's do the basic algebra:
You start with no morality/honor/dignity/reputation = nothing = 0
And you end with no morality/honor/dignity/reputation = nothing = 0
So lets find out what the damage was = the difference/the event = X
O-X=O and then solve for X
X=O
therefore, the injury/damage done was NOTHING.
But what does the court say they will get in return? Something... that is, Money.
Again, no surprise.
Especially not from folks with names like Nemets Rubo, Lfik Samo and Alraghatsy Lyovik
Addendum: A little late on my part, but here is HAK's official statement on the court cases being brought up against not only Haykakan Zhamanak (Armenian Times) and Zhamanak, but Aravot as well.
I couldn't pass up this article from the Armenian Times (Haykakan Zhamanak), via Google Translate, with some quick/rough editing:
Trial of the Oligarch's Case Monday at 15:00 pm, at the Center and Nork-Marash districts Court of First Instance (near the Tbilisi highway, near the Lamp Factory), Judge Marine Petrosyan is scheduled to preside over the resumption of the lawsuit against the publisher of Armenian Times (Haykakan Zhamanak) newspaper, "Dareskizb Ltd." The suit is brought forward by MP-tycoons Samvel Alexanyan (Lfik Samo), Levon Sargsyan (Alraghatsy Lyovik) and Ruben Hayrapetyan (Nemets Rubo). The oligarchs demand that "HZH" pay 7.5 million drams, basically 2.5 million to each of them.
Օլիգարխների գործով դատը` երկուշաբթի Երկուշաբթի ժամը 15.00-ին Կենտրոն եւ Նորք-Մարաշ վարչական շրջանների ընդհանուր իրավասության դատարանում (Թբիլիսյան խճուղու նստավայրում, Լամպերի գործարանի հարեւանությամբ) դատավոր Կարինե Պետրոսյանի նախագահությամբ պետք է վերսկսվի «Հայկական ժամանակ» օրաթերթի հրատարակիչ «Դարեսկիզբ» ՍՊԸ-ի դեմ պատգամավոր-օլիգարխներ Սամվել Ալեքսանյանի (Լֆիկ Սամո), Լեւոն Սարգսյանի (Ալրաղացի Լյովիկ) եւ Ռուբեն Հայրապետյանի (Նեմեց Ռուբո) ներկայացրած հայցի քննարկումը: Օլիգարխները դատավորից պահանջել են «ՀԺ»-ից իրենց օգտին բռնագանձել յոթուկես միլիոն դրամ` յուրաքանչյուրին երկուսուկեսական միլիոն:
Really, this is just a way to try to take HZH down. Too bad the oligarch's can't but this much cooperation and effort into actually creating something good, rather trying to destroy something good.
[My apologies to the koalas, who, to my knowledge, have not done anything to deserve being compared to oligarchs, and are without doubt, much cuter]
P.S. I noticed after posting the picture that there seems to be a fourth Koala hiding his face, with only his/her butt showing, in the back. I will leave who that could be to our collective imaginations ;)
Gala TV is scheduled to lose its license in 2015, having "lost" its bid;
A1plus is illegally shut out of broadcasting in Armenia;
The Kocharyan family is going after and trying to sue Zhamanak.com, recently having come out of their case against Haykakan Zhamanak;
Pashinyan has been moved, is in solitary, and his letters and articles are illegally confiscated; access to his lawyers is illegally reduced and monitored;
Liberty Square is still off limits to opposition supporters;
The state of human rights, of the right to freedom of speech and the press are being increasingly squashed at an abysmal rate...
But I have to admit... thinking of Dollar Armen (Armen Harutyunan) in Bishkek still makes me smile...
"According to press reports, Armen Harutyunyan will be appointed special representative of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights for Central Asia and will soon leave for Bishkek" [a1plus]
Who one earth at the UN thought Harutyunyan would actually be a good candidate, that is, that he is actually interested in defending Human Rights? And what does it take to convince someone at the UN that one is so inclined?
Good luck in Bishkek, Armen! If you can, take some of your friends with you - Dodi Gago, Lfik Samo, Nemets Rubo, Chorni Gago, Kocharyan, Sargsyan, Alik Sargsyan, Bazaz... and the whole lot of them!
You take those guys to Bishkek, and we'll be that much closer to getting A1plus, Gala, Liberty Square, Pashinyan, Mikaelyan, the rest of the political prisoners, and even basic human rights and democracy back in Armenia. It'll be the best thing you've done for Armenia so far!
Oh yeah, let's not forget the ARF still claiming they have anything to do with Human rights, and are not only independent of but are opposition to the government of Armenia - there's another smile...
Haykakan Zhamanak has put out a statement regarding the arrest of Ani Gevorgyan:
STATEMENT ON THE ARREST OF ANI GEVORGYAN, JOURNALIST, THE ARMENIAN TIMES DAILY
On May 31, 2010, Ms. Ani Gevorgyan, journalist of Haykakan Zhamanak (The Armenian Times; www.armtimes.com) daily was apprehended in Freedom Square in the center of Yerevan, while performing her professional duties. Ani Gevorgyan was covering an act of resistance initiated by young activists of the Armenian National Congress.
Later that day, Ani Gevorgyan was charged with Part 1, Article 316 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Armenia, "Violence against a State representative." As of today, June 2, 2010, no detail or visual evidence has been provided by the Police regarding the alleged violence by the 23-year old journalist against the police.
During the same act of protest, two other young female journalists were subjected to compulsory appearance to the police department - Suzanna Poghosyan from Haykakan Zhamanak daily and Lilit Tadevosyan from Hayq daily, were subjected to compulsory appearance. The latter two were released within a couple of hours.
The Editorial staff and management of Haykakan Zhamanak daily consider that:
- Violence against journalists and against young women is unacceptable;
- Ani Gevorgyan's arrest is an act of revenge by the head of the Police of Armenia (Mr. Alik Sargsyan), because Ani Gevorgyan is the journalist responsible for the coverage of activities of the RA Police and the National Security Service, among others. In particular, last week Ms. Gevorgyan published two articles that covered the production of a video clip devoted to the police and revealed fraud related to the production of that clip.
- The arrest of journalist Ani Gevorgyan is a violation of the Law of the Republic of Armenia “On dissemination of mass information" (Article 4. Guarantees for the freedom of speech in the sphere of media), which stipulates, inter alia, that "When conducting his or her lawful professional activities, a journalist, as a person performing a social duty, shall be protected by the legislation of the Republic of Armenia", and which prohibits "interfering with lawful professional activities of a journalist."
- Violence against Ani Gevorgyan and her subsequent arrest violate the Criminal Code of the Republic of Armenia (Article 164. Obstructing lawful professional activities of a journalist), which stipulates that "1. Obstructing lawful professional activities of a journalist, or forcing the journalist to disseminate information or not to disseminate information, is punished with a fine in the amount of 200-400 times the minimum salary. 2. The same actions committed by an official abusing his or her official position, is punished with a fine in the amount of 400-700 times the minimum salary, or imprisonment for a term of up to 3 years, by deprivation of the right to hold certain posts or practice certain activities for up to 3 years, or without such deprivation."
Therefore,
We demand that the Police and the authorities of Armenia,
- immediately release Ani Gevorgyan, Haykakan Zhamanak daily journalist;
- stop criminal persecution against Gevorgyan and bring to justice the police officers who exceeded their powers. --------------------------
So - what's all the fuss? What are these videos that Ani wrote about? She wrote an article noting the incredible similarities between the newly produced RA police hymn and accompanying video, to the not as new hymn and video of the police of the Georgian Republic. She also points out the massive misrepresentations in the armenian version. Unfortunately the piece is not yet available in English, though as Ani Wandaryan points out in my prior post, the google translate version isn't half bad (here). Both videos are available online, and I've posted them here (thanks again to Ani W. for both the idea, and sources for the videos). Judge for yourselves.
And to top it off, here is the video of Ani Gevorgyan being taken off by the police (first several minutes of video):
The Committee to Protect Journalists has an article on their website regarding her arrest - here is an excerpt:
“Based on the video and accounts provided by her editor, we’re deeply skeptical of the police allegations against Ani Gevorgian. The evidence indicates that she was at the rally doing her job,” said CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon. “We join with our Armenian colleagues in calling for Gevorgian’s release.”
If you use twitter, and tweet about any issue related to her, please attach the hashtag #AniG... Each new hashtag seems to be a step further from democracy - #March1, #Pashinyan, #Khalafyan, #AniG, #DollarArmen, #NonuthinAlik #humanrights #Bazaz... hopefully soon new hashtags will actually be a positive thing...
