Armenian police, especially Bazaz, have feelings, too!

It seems maybe I've been a bit too harsh on the Armenian police, and Bazaz (aka Robert Melkonyan). In a recent interview on RFE/RL (April 16, 2010, 15:00 broadcast, start at 9:30), Bazaz expressed the following - my rough transcription and translation:

"If a demonstration has been organized, it is my job to keep the public order, and the safety of the participants of the demonstration. When the demonstration is over, we will go observe our [Police] Day.

[Interviewer quotes Melkonyan] We are not what many people imagine us to be. We are people too, with human qualities.

For some reason, certain media try to, want to, constantly make the police out to be violent, boorish, illiterate, incompetent... But if you were to talk to us, you’d see that we have very good specialists, very professional police…

From a young age, they make the children scared of police. [garbled words]they say, I”ll tell the police, and they’ll punish you. For some reason, this type of attitude toward police starts to grow in people from a young age. We don’t know why. And naturally, police prohibit certain actions, which are not allowed.

I myself have been to other places – Denmark, Switzerland, Paris, France – I have seen how the police there disperse their demonstrators. We are very gentle, we are very humane.

It is a natural reaction, with regards to a government official. As a policeman or not, the president of our republic is our president, and I consider hurtful comments about the president to be inappropriate."

Many apologies for failing to empathize with you.
I can't imagine why anyone would think anything negative of the police in Armenia.

On self-restraint, sitting on concrete, and lay-ins

While the FIDH conference was happening, the police tried to behave themselves. They managed to do so on the first day, though they didn't do as well on the second. I imagine folks like Bazaz were bursting at the seams to just go beat up someone, or at least something. But, for those two days, or at least the first one, he just wasn't around. Which may be the only way someone like him can resist abusing and attacking peaceful protesters, by just not being around them.

Soon after, Pashinyan's appeal regarding the January Parliamentary seat election went back to court. Of course, he wasn't allowed to be there - that would just be a crazy idea. Pashinyan's supporters were outside, and it seems the police who were there were probably using one of their new "techniques" to keep the peace: they kept repeating that they were trying to keep things calm, and didn't want disruptions, and wanted people to move onto the sidewalk. Sounds good, right? Except that they weren't making any disturbance, and were ALREADY on the sidewalk.

For those who watch the web videos, the face and voice of former political prisoner Vardges Gaspari has become quite familiar. He is quite impassioned, and can often be seen chanting even when others have stopped. And I remember at least one occasion where he staged his own lay-in - he just lay right down on the ground amongst the protesters, refusing to move. And this is just what he did outside of Pashinyan's case just last week, with a huge picture of Pashinyan draped on top of him, refusing to move.

I think that, for many reasons, people just have no idea what to do with this. Sitting, much less laying, on the street in Armenian culture is very, very, odd - its just not done. Next time you are in Armenia, sit on the pavement -people will walk past you and just look at you like you're absolutely crazy. And having a man, especially an older man, laying on the street makes many, as can be seen in the videos, very uncomfortable, apart from what he is yelling and why he is doing it.

The police are in an even tougher spot when he does this. Because they too feel uncomfortable with the site, but they also know they're supposed to do something about it. But what? What do you do with someone lying down on the ground?

And that is exactly the point. Sit-ins, or lay-ins, are a great way to make life peacefully difficult for those who want to harass or beat you. It is civil disobedience at its best.

[photo from Aravot]

Prison Diary: Flowers from Shirin Ebadi Բանտային օրագիր. Ծաղիկներ Շիրին Էբադիից

The latest entry in Pashinyan's Prison Diary is below.
I will say only that I hope Shirin Ebadi gets to read this piece.
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Prison Diary: Flowers from Shirin Ebadi
Dedicated to the memory of Gayane Babayan

The television set in our cell at the Nubarashen penitentiary has recently gained a very serious competitor. During the day we look at the competitor more than we watch the television screen. It is a bouquet of red and yellow tulips that has added an unbelievable hue to our cell. When the bouquet appeared in our cell, my cellmates and I tried to remember when it was that we had last seen fresh flowers. We realized that it was a very long ago; and then we realized that we had needed these flowers in our cells to attain “total bliss”. And now we try to prolong that happiness as much as possible; we do not spare sugar and before our morning coffee we offer it to them first. I received that bouquet of flowers the day before from Nobel Prize recipient, human rights defender and Iranian citizen Shirin Ebadi in the meeting room of the Nubarashen penitentiary.

The human rights defender had brought flowers to all the political prisoners whom she visited that day. And you should have seen that scene. Accompanied by the prison guard, the prisoner (in this case, me), with a bouquet of flowers in his hands, walked down the prison corridors under the apprehensive gazes of the other prisoners. It was evident from their gaze that this was the first time they were witnessing such a scene. Confusion persisted in their gaze even after they recognized me; they understood that an important event had taken place.

That happening was indeed important. For the first time in history of the penitentiary, a Nobel Prize recipient had visited it. At first, when I saw the flowers in Shirin Ebadi’s hands, I felt proud of my country, my fatherland. I thought that the penitentiary had welcomed the Nobel Prize recipient, world-known human rights defender Shirin Ebadi, with a bouquet of flowers. But I was to be disappointed. On the day dedicated to Motherhood and Beauty, the female human rights defender herself had brought flowers to a prisoner whom she considers a political prisoner and a kindred spirit. At the beginning of our meeting Shirin Ebadi told me she was sorry she was meeting me in prison. I told her that it was worth being in prison if that meant getting such a bouquet of flowers.

I can’t predict how long the red and yellow tulips will survive under prison conditions. But I want to believe that this will be the last visit the Nobel prize recipient will pay to Armenian prisons. I believe that the name Armenia will become synonymous with Freedom, the Defense of Human Rights, Lawfulness and Democracy. I believe that my and my friends’ presence in prison today symbolizes our fidelity to a Free and Independent Armenia. I believe that our children will live in a Free and Blissful Armenia.

NIKOL PASHINYAN
Political Prisoner
From Nubarashen Penitentiary
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Բանտային օրագիր. Ծաղիկներ Շիրին Էբադիից
Նվիրում եմ Գայանե Բաբայանի հիշատակին

«Նուբարաշեն» քրեակատարողական հիմնարկի մեր խցի հեռուստացույցը վերջին օրերին լրջագույն մրցակից է ձեռք բերել: Օրվա ընթացքում մենք ավելի շատ նրան ենք նայում, քան հեռուստացույցի էկրանին: Կարմրադեղին վարդակակաչների փունջն է դա, որ անհավանական երանգ է տվել բանտային մեր խցին: Երբ այդ ծաղկեփունջը հայտնվեց խցում, խցակիցներով սկսեցինք քննարկել, թե վերջին անգամ երբ ենք կենդանի ծաղիկ տեսել. պարզվեց բավական վաղուց, պարզվեց նաեւ, որ հենց այդ ծաղիկներն էին մեր խցին պակասում` «կատարյալ երջանկության համար»: Ու հիմա ջանում ենք հնարավորինս երկարացնել այդ երջանկությունը. շաքարավազը չենք խնայում, ու առավոտյան սուրճից առաջ նախ նրանց ենք հյուրասիրում: Այդ ծաղկեփունջը նախօրեին Նոբելյան մրցանակի դափնեկիր, իրավապաշտպան, Իրանի քաղաքացի Շիրին Էբադիից եմ ստացել` «Նուբարաշեն» քրեակատարողական հիմնարկի տեսակցությունների սենյակում: Իրավապաշտպանը ծաղիկներ էր տարել բոլոր այն քաղբանտարկյալներին, ում այցելել էր այդ օրը: Եւ պետք էր տեսնել այդ տեսարանը. կալանավորը (տվյալ դեպքում ես) վարդակակաչի փունջը ձեռքին վերակացուի ուղեկցությամբ քայլում է քրեակատարողական հիմնարկի միջանցքներով` բազմաթիվ այլ կալանավորների մտահոգված հայացքների ներքո: Նրանց հայացքներից ակնհայտ էր դառնում, որ առաջին անգամ են նման պատկերի ականատես լինում: Նույնիսկ երբ ճանաչում էին ինձ, տարակուսանքը նրանց հայացքում չէր վերանում, չնայած` հասկանում էին, որ, ուրեմն, ինչ-որ կարեւոր իրադարձություն է տեղի ունեցել: Իսկ իրադարձությունը իսկապես կարեւոր էր. պատմության մեջ առաջին անգամ Նոբելյան մրցանակի դափնեկիր էր այցելել քրեակատարողական հիմնարկ: Սկզբում, երբ միջանցքում-հեռվից Շիրին Էբադիի ձեռքին ծաղիկներ տեսա` մեջս հպարտություն խաղաց երկրիս, հայրենիքիս համար: Ինձ թվաց, թե քրեակատարողական հիմնարկը ծաղիկներով է դիմավորել Նոբելյան մրցանակի դափնեկիր, աշխարհահռչակ իրավապաշտպան Շիրին Էբադիին: Բայց ինձ հիասթափություն էր սպասում. Մայրության եւ գեղեցկության օրը կին իրավապաշտպանը ինքն էր ծաղիկներ բերել մի կալանավորի համար, որին քաղբանտարկյալ ու համախոհ է համարում: Մեր հանդիպման սկզբում Շիրին Էբադին ասաց, թե ցավում է, որ ինձ հետ բանտում է հանդիպում: Ես էլ ասացի, որ հանուն նման ծաղկեփունջ ստանալու արժեր բանտում հայտնվել: Չեմ կարող կանխատեսել, թե կարմրադեղին վարդակակաչները որքան կդիմանան բանտային ռեժիմին: Բայց ուզում եմ հավատալ, որ սա Նոբելյան մրցանակի դափնեկրի վերջին այցն է հայաստանյան բանտեր: Հավատում եմ, որ Հայաստան անունը դառնալու է Ազատության, Մարդու իրավունքների պաշտպանվածության, Օրինականության, Ժողովրդավարության հոմանիշ: Հավատում եմ, որ իմ ընկերների եւ իմ բանտում գտնվելն այսօր` Ազատ եւ Երջանիկ Հայաստանին մեր հավատարմությունն է խորհրդանշում: Հավատում եմ, որ մեր երեխաները ապրելու են Ազատ եւ Երջանիկ Հայաստանում:

ՆԻԿՈԼ ՓԱՇԻՆՅԱՆ
քաղբանտարկյալ
«Նուբարաշեն» ՔԿՀ-ից
www.nikol.am

Նիկոլ Փաշինյան -

Ապրիլ 9, 2010

Update on Ashot Manukyan -or- Its Time for the Regime to Go

I received the update below regarding the status of political prisoner Ashot Manukyan. I have posted it verbatim (except for the attached links, whose format I changed), with my comments below.

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Ashot Manukyan, still imprisoned for fighting against the hijacking of Armenia, has won a slight battle today. The Court of Cassation (Constitutional court) has found that one of the laws the prosecution had used is unlawful. They remanded the case to the Supreme Court. Mr. Manukyan has been in jail for 2 years already.

There is a current initiative that should be passed only with the commitment of the Armenia lobby to push for an end to this regime (or at least its practices). The Dept of Defense should not open Armenia as a procurement option for Afghan operations (see the proposed amendment to the DFARs). This money will only be stolen.

Unfortunately, there has been no help from the Diaspora lobby. Case in point, at the Policy Forum Armenia seminar held at Georgetown last month, leaders and academics joined to discuss the possibilities of Diaspora-Hayastan relations. Each speaker had well-thought ideas, but NONE dared mention the elephant in the room: the absolute corruption of the present Oligarchy and the uselessness of moving forward without a serious regime change. audio link

Here is an article that proceeded the decision today:

The political prisoner Ashot Manukyan challenged the constitutionality of Article 309.1 of the RA Criminal Code at the Constitutional Court, which allows prosecutors to take back the accusation from the Court, make it more severe, and then resubmit it.
62 year old painter Ashot Manukyan is sentenced to six years imprisonment for his involvement in the events of March 1, 2008. This past Tuesday, the CC was scheduled to consider the appeal by Manukyan and make a decision. At the conclusion of two hours of discussions, the members of the CC decided to restart the deliberation of the appeal. The reason for this was that CC President Gagik Harutyunyan was absent, and the other 8 members of the CC were unable to reach a decision without him. This means that the CC decision, and therefore whether the political prisoner is freed or not, depends on Gagik Harutyunyan.

article link
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This may have some potential to be some progress in the case, a small step forward maybe, but if this step is at all consistent with this regime's actions to date, it will be circular and unethical - any steps made will be for show. I would absolutely love for this regime to prove me wrong, and free Mr Manukyan as well as all of the political prisoners... but even that would be just a start to the change that is needed. But it would be an important start.

And of course, I love the idea that Diasporan organizations would organize and pressure the US and other western governments with the goal of supporting Armenia, a real, free and independent Armenia. But that is almost less likely than Sargsyan switching places with Mr Manukyan, himself. Again, though, I'd love to be proven wrong on this one.

I must say, however, that while I was not at the PFA meeting and have not yet had a chance to read what is available from the meeting (so my commentary on the meeting is limited), PFA is one of the only armenian organizations based outside of Armenia that has been critical of this regime, and has published informed, analytic pieces that challenge so many aspects of the criminal regime that has taken Armenia hostage. In contrast, well established organizations, the AAA, ANCA, church, AGBU and the rest of such groups have kept quiet, if not openly supported the regime, or some aspect of it.

All in all, what is this regime showing by putting a 62 year old man, a painter, in prison for his politics? The same thing it shows when it beats children, abuses women, and shoots at its own people- and more recently sells out not only its present, but past and future to save its own behind- it has to go.

Poor choice of words... or tactics, maybe?

Two countries have strained diplomatic relations, and the strain gets worse and worse – while unfortunate, it wouldn’t be surprising that one of them takes it out on immigrants from the other country…

For example, let’s say France and Albania, or England and Russia, or Italy and Zaire, develop strained relations; it wouldn’t be surprising that the former of the countries put pressure on the latter. The United States, during WWII, placed thousands, actually, over one hundred thousand individuals of Japanese descent, in internment camps, purportedly for their own safety. Really, they were under lock and key out of fear, discrimination, and ignorance. If I remember my history correctly, over half of them were actual legal citizens, many of them were U.S. born, and a minority, if any, were illegal (if someone has any info on this, please feel free to add it in the comments).

But, really, Erdogan’s statements are a tad ridiculous. This is what it comes down to: present day Turkey is upset that there is pressure regarding Genocide recognition, a genocide which involved mass killings, rape, murder of women and children, and… deportation. And so, some countries and political entities start threatening to recognize, or recognize (with apologies might I add), the Armenian Genocide by Ottoman Turkey… And what does Turkey do? Threaten to deport Armenians! … Who in their government decided this was good diplomacy, or even, made any good sense?

The news reports and translations are that the words used in Turkish are “deportation” of Armenians, and that to date, Turkey has been “tolerating” Armenians. Isn’t there a better way to say that as a government, they will be more stringent regarding the legality and leniency of illegal immigrant from Armenia?

I will look more into the original language and translation – but if anyone sees them, or knows Turkish and reads the original statements, I would appreciate if you share what you have read, especially regarding whether these are the terms really being used by the government of Turkey.

Come on, … Tolerate? ... Deportation?...

Some interesting articles...

A couple of interesting articles popped up, so i thought i'd mention them:

The first two related to my commentary on the previous blog post:

Pluralism Armenia style: Ruling coalition denies major rift as its members row (from ArmeniaNow)

Armenia’s Political Situation Might Be Favorable For Ex-President’s Return To Big Politics (HyeMedia from ArmeniaNow)

And for the record, I would like to make this article easily accessible, some of us may want to find it in the future:

2008 Elections were Falsified, Extraordinary Elections Could be Too: Armenian Revolutionary Federation MP

The last one is from Zaman via Hetq:

Commentary: The Armenian Genocide and Disgrace written by Etyen Macupyan, who is a columnist at Today’s Zaman and an editor at Agos. An article with great depth, and breadth - as far as i'm concerned, anyone uttering the terms Genocide and/or Recognition, should read this article. Even if you don't agree, you should know WHY you don't agree.

Hopefully every Flow will have an Ebb, and Kocharyan will go with that Ebb

Just the other day, Oskanyan (of the Kocharyan and previously the LTP governments, and now of Civilitas fame) gave an interview to A1plus and Capital papers, the a1plus video is available online, as are articles written about it (lragir tert).
A1plus then went to HHK Chair Razmik Zohrabyan, and asked him what he had to say about Oskanyan's interview (article has video). I dont know if a1plus knew what to expect, but both interviews have some great segments, and the combination is outstanding. I'll try to keep it to the true gems, but there's lots in there to work with.

Let's start with Oskanyan. As Zohrabyan points out in his interview, and many have pointed out to to date, Oskanyan manages to act, with a straight face I might add, as though he has nothing to do with the present regime, how it came to be, and the policies it is continuing and fulfilling now. His selective memory as the great objective benevolent ethicist allows him the following conversation with the interviewer (I)(paraphrased, starting at 16:15):

I: What can be done in this situation, by the people, to change the situation. If the number of people protesting starts growing at all, they are not only beaten, but they may also be fired upon- we have seen that. What is the way out, what are the options, how do we move forward?

Oskanyan: I have given a general ideological framework about that. Those involved have to think about that... We all have to think about that. I do not have a formula for that. But I know that this cannot continue this way, something has to change. I have hope that, in the end, we will be able to find a way...

So, Mr. Oskanyan, what is it that you are doing to help the people achieve that change? Did making Kocharyan's announcements for him on television in March, 2008, help progress? Or was it the watering of your eyes, or did you say you shed tears, for what happened? Have you worked to free the political prisoners in Armenia, and I have not seen it? Have you been busy defending those who are being rendered homeless on Byuzant street, right by your office on Northern Avenue, because I have not seen that either. Or maybe you are visiting the youth in the hospital when they are beaten by the police and cadres of Bazaz?

And before I move on (since I promised to be short-winded) I can't resist this one - the Tert article quotes Oskanyan as calling the regime change of 1998 "A coup." If it was a coup, why were you part of it for ten years, or even one minute?

On to Mr. Zohrabyan. He actually does quite a good job in commenting on Oskanyan, and being surprised at just how easily Oskanyan is able to distance himself, in just 2 years, from a regime he worked with for 10 years. Oskanyan was a "teammmate," he notes. These policies, this framework of action on NK and related affairs in general, were built by a team which included Kocharyan and Oskanyan - why is Oskanyan criticizing them now?

Mr. Zohrabyan, however, seems to live in another reality. The events of March 1, 2008 were "minor clashes." You see, he explains, this type of things happens all around the world, and opposition and government blame each other, and there are unnecessary victims, but no one ever knows the truth - Smooth, Mr. Zohrabyan! And things in Armenia, they're just fine (quotes from a1plus):

“I see no grounds for a power change. Moreover, I see no political crisis in the country while Oskanian says the moment for a power change has matured. Thanks God, the minor clashes of March 1, 2010 are left behind,” said Razmik Zohrabyan.

“I cannot understand what Mr. Oskanian is displeased with. Why should our teammate raise the issue of power change?”

These two do seem to be at odds with each other, but in the end, I don't see either of them as being in touch with the reality most Armenians in Armenia are living each day.

But to get back to the "at odds" business. Word has it that Oskanyan has always been close to Kocharyan, as is, by the by, Dodi Gago. And talk of a Kocharyan return has ebbed and flowed since he left. And recently, Dodi Gago was quite critical of this regime, as now was Oskanyan. And the ARF, close to Kocharyan since they both sold out to each other during his first term, continues their half-hearted criticism (though this is no surprise). And Armenian Times recently published a piece about an argument between Kocharyan and Sargsyan. And lets not forget Kocharyan's recent international travels.

One has to wonder if at some point, the flow will happen, with no ebb, and keep going - and we will wake up and Kocharyan will have some government position...

[pics are from a1plus]

Congrats to HZH

Haykakan Zhamanak (aka Armenian Times) now has many of its articles in English and Russian as well!
For those who don't know, this is just about as oppositionist (and therefore persecuted) as papers in Armenia come. The editor-in-chief, Nikol Pashinyan, is a political prisoner today in Armenia due to his very active and vocal role in the opposition to Serge Sargsyan during the February 2008 presidential elections. He has a long history of being both loathed and feared by the regime, however, as his first daily newspaper "Oragir" was also shut down, and he was a founding member of the political movement "Alternative," which became part of the "Impeachment" bloc. He continued to write in the period after March 1, 2008, while he was in hiding, and continues to write from prison even to this day.

Recently, the newspaper itself was fined for publishing a piece about former President Kocharyan's son - another attempt to harass and intimidate that most journalists in Armenia have become very familiar with by now.

And it would seem that much of the staff of Armenian Times is politically active, as reading the news, I often run into interviews or statements by others from Armenian Times. Though I'm not sure which is more frequent, the interviews, or how often the police harass, beat and detain the youth who are politically active and have ties to the paper.

The more information that more people can read, the harder it becomes to hide from the truth.

[picture is the logo from HZH website]

Remind me why we need another church

One of the new issues that has come up is the plan to demolish one of the main cinemas in Yerevan, and build a new church.
Unzipped has posted two great posts, in Armenian and English, with the relevant information, as well as a video.

There is also a petition that was started recently, all who agree are encouraged to sign, Petition Here

But, back to the video mentioned. It is an interview with Samvel Karapetyan, who is the head of an architectural society in Armenia. He makes a very, very, strong case, as to why we, we as in Armenians, and specifically, Yerevan, does not need yet another church.

And he goes further. That if the church cares so much for the people, for the wellbeing of Armenians, then they should help build them houses, feed people, build schools, waterways, ... He points out that there are thousands of ways of helping to care for and strengthen the nation, building churches is not the only way.

This point struck home for me, and I have touched on it a bit in the past in my posts, in regards to March 1, to present day problems in Armenia, and our history. I see how so many so-called leaders of the Church live, and I imagine how much they could do to truly better the nation. If, I suppose, it was in their best interest.

Honestly, I see these pictures, and just starting imagining how much wealth I see there,... and how much poverty I see in Armenia.

Charged for stealing dolma!

Pashinyan's case was just at the appeals court for the last two days. A1plus, HZH, and other sources have some articles, and RFE/RL has some snippets of the court proceedings. Fortunately, a1plus has also posted a couple of videos, from which I have transcribed/translated a few choice pieces... Why would I do this? Because Pashinyan has a way of distilling reality to fundamental truths and reason, without oversimplifying... and of finding humor in even the gravest injustices...

From a1plus article in English:

"I am charged with the murders that took place on March 1. Everyone knows that Robert Kocharyan gave the command to open fire on March 1. The government needed as much verdicts for March 1 as possible. Serzh Sargsyan didn't collect as much votes during the February 19 elections as the verdicts on March 1 were reached.”
"According to the verdict against me, I am the commander of Commanders Sasun Mikayelyan, Myasnik Malkhasyan and Hakob Hakobyan. That is a great honor for me, but such a formulation is ridiculous."

From the March 5 19:00 RFE/RL broadcast:

"Why are the ten victims included in the judgements against me? If this is part of the judgement against me, then Gor Kloyans father should not be sitting in the back rows of the courtroom, but rather he should be a plaintiff in this case… as well as the families of the other victims…
Why is this in the sentence against me, and in the others being charged as well…
Three of the ten victims were killed as a result of police operations.
Why should I stand here in court today, and read about the death of the ten victims in the sentencing against me, about the victims of Robert Kocharyan and his ruling regime ; why should I read about the victims of Kocharyan’s murdering skinheads in my judgement?
Can anyone answer that question?"
…
"In the name of lawfulness, in the name of constitutional order, for the future of our children…
And in the name of having our children have a homeland where they can all stand equal before the law…
In the name of democracy, freedom of expression, of human rights,
I will struggle until the end, whether I am in freedom, or in prison."

And from the A1 plus video above:
“The police standing there knew why the people were standing there; the police understand that we were struggling for the future of all of our children”

Gor Kloyan's Father Sargis Kloyan, interjects into Pashinyan’s statement when Pashinyan begins to speak of the ruling authorities during March 1:
“The terrorists!… The scavenging animals! The scoundrel! The scum! The bandits! The masters of the crooks! I am the father of Gor Kloyan, victim of March 1… they fired on the people, on our children – the bandits!" At that point, Mr. Kloyan was escorted out of the courtoom...

Pashinyan continues:

"I think nobody can deny, especially the authorities, that during the past ten years, that they [the authorities] have used every means at their disposal to try have me join their, to put it bluntly, plundering brigade... They used every means you could think of… They brought criminal charges against me, they tried to bribe me, they tried to blackmail me; they did everything to try to get me to join their plundering ranks… They are plundering the country with each other, let them plunder… And having been unable to reach their goal, they are coming and accusing me of having broken some glass to steal some dolma…"

There is a lot more, hopefully i'll get a chance to post it soon.

Our sons stood in the streets...

Today was March 1. And, I have to admit, I was somewhat finger-tied on what to write. Not that I have nothing to say on the matter, but rather, too much to say.
But what do I have to say, that has not already been said, that is not so obvious and clear?
But as I listened to RFE/RL (21:00 broadcast), I heard the statement of the mother of one of the victims of March 1, here it is in English:

Our sons stood outside with you in the streets, to stand for and support their votes… to establish a lawful and free country…
I am convinced that what we wanted would have come to fruition, if this guilty government, in order to save its position and wealth, without any conscience or sense of responsibility, had not opened fire on our children in the center of the city, if they had not spilled their blood… No one gave these unlawful authorities the right to fire upon our children.
We will struggle, until the last murderer and those from above who gave the orders, those from the lowest to the highest levels, stand before justice….
The March 1 page HAS not closed, it WILL not be closed…

An online chat I had with a friend while listening to the radio reminded of certain truths, truths that are important to all who claim to want international human rights, freedoms, and justice, whether they be the oligarchs of the Republic of Armenia, PACE, western governments, or other entities:

-The events of March 1 were not just an unfortunate occurrence of accidental police/army power

-The pro-SS/RK forces silenced and beat voices in their opposition prior to the election

-The pro-SS/RK forces planned and carried out mass falsification of the February 2008 Presidential Elections in Armenia

-Days in advance, the SS/RK government issued an order to attack peaceful protesters: an attack which resulted in the physical beating, harassment, imprisonment, and deadly shooting, of peaceful protesters

-Immediately after the elections, the international community blatantly denied the injustices which they knew had occurred

-To this day, the international community not only has not come out strongly against the elections and violence of the presidential elections, with PACE only recently having recognized the events as a probable ("bears the characteristics of a") Coup d'Etat, but the western community uses said events as leverage against the Armenian government, compromised in its illegitimacy, to negotiate and pressure the Armenian government in other, nationally critical international affairs.

-And among the most important, the Republic of Armenia continues to this day to:
- intimidate and beat its own citizens, including youth, and to oppress their
civil and human rights
- hold political prisoners
- silence opposition media
- produce illegal obstacles, both physical and other, to the existence and growth
of a healthy opposition

The government of Armenia has failed to investigate the events of March 1, the violence and murders of that time, and has tried only to hide the truth of these events, and pass these events into a forgotten history of the Armenian people.

These are undeniable truths.

March 1 will not be forgotten.

The March 1 page is NOT closed.

[Picture is a still from the a1plus video from March 1 2010 march)

You see class, you just grab here and squeeze...

Unzipped's February 20 posting has this picture which I had not seen from the recent Youth-led opposition rally, where a policeman has his hand around the neck of one of the young protesters. The picture has brought forth some discussion. A1plus has also published the police report of that day's goings-on.

Let's say the comments on Unzipped's post are true, as is the police report, that the youth were inciting and yelling, cursing, disrupting traffic and were gathered illegally. Lets say all of that is true, as it very well may be. That does not, in any way, justify this behavior by the policeman. I am not defending what may have been the behavior of some of the protesters. I am only saying the following: even if that youth in the picture were physically attacking that policeman, or harming someone else, even then there are ways of subduing unarmed protesters without choking them - which to me, at least, seems extremely personal, and violent. That type of grabbing, choking hold is truly more befitting of a gang member, or dirty street fighter, not a policeman - but there's no surprise there.

And that violent behavior, that boundless lawlessness, the right they have given themselves to take away the rights and dignity of the people of Armenia, that self-righteousness of those in power, whether they are police or parliamentarians or those in the executive branch, is exactly why things have reached the point that have, and exactly why there is an opposition protesting in the streets.

[thanks to unzipped for publishing the pic - it is by Setrak Mkrtchyan, PanArmenian Photo, which by the way has more photos from the same occasion here]

Sitting is threatening to the banditocracy

The march on the 19th had hundreds, and a sit-in. The red berets and police pushed the crowd, and it almost seems in the video that the people pushed back. Not violently, but firmly. A couple of times when one protester became more outspoken or obvious than the others, the police or red berets would try to grab them out of the crowd, and drag them off. According to a1plus, they did manage to grab Vahagn Gevorgyan, and drove off with him, letting him go 10 minutes later - a technique they've used before.

Here is the a1plus video (another from a1plus and a tert video):


In fact, according to lragir, six youth activits were taken to the police station: Tigran Arakelyan, Sargis Gevorgyan, Sergey Gasparyan, Varag Nahapetyan, Vahagn Gevorgyan and Areg Gevorgyan. One person, Sargis Ghazaryan, was taken to the hospital.

And in another lragir article, several of the mothers of those killed on March 1 were also at the March, and were pushed and punched.

The authorities are definitely scared - the numbers were bigger, the weather is warmer, and March 1 is coming up. Sit-ins, I think, are a great idea- I hope they continue.

We know they're willing to beat women and youth, and shoot into crowds at night, so I wont bother with that question. But how many times can Sargsyan use that solution? How far are police and red berets willing to go against individuals sitting, and in broad daylight?

On another note, did anyone see Bazaz in there? I thought I caught a glimpse, but I'm not sure - maybe he sat this one out?

Report on Attacks on Journalists

From A1plus

"Committee to Protect Journalists" has issued a report entitled "Attacks on the Press 2009: Armenia"

"The nation remained polarized by the fraud-marred 2008 presidential election won by Serzh Sargsyan, with large public protests and violent government reprisals continuing well into 2009. The global economic crisis caused layoffs in the mining industry and a decline in remittances from Russia, heightening public frustrations. The government sought to suppress critical debate over these issues, and journalists faced intolerance, hostility, and violence.

The government maintained control over most broadcast media, the primary news source in a poverty-afflicted country with poor newspaper distribution and low Internet penetration. The Council on Public Radio and Television, composed of presidential appointees, continued to set editorial guidelines for H1 state television, ensuring the station generated pro-government reports. Most private radio and television stations were owned by politicians and businessmen with close ties to the government, leading to significant self-censorship by journalists and limited critical news reporting on the airwaves, CPJ research showed.

One independent news outlet remained off the air. In February, a Yerevan appellate court dismissed lawsuits filed by the media outlet A1+ that sought reconsideration of its broadcast license applications. The station, pulled from the airwaves in 2002 in reprisal for its critical news reports, has seen a dozen license applications rejected by the government's broadcast regulator. (A1+ has continued operating as an independent online news agency.) The Strasbourg-based European Court of Human Rights ruled in 2008 that the regulator violated the European Convention on Human Rights by repeatedly rejecting the applications without explanation.

Other forms of government obstruction were reported on a regular basis. In January, bailiffs in a Yerevan court prevented journalists from attending the trial of seven opposition activists charged with illegal participation in 2008 protests, according to local press reports. In August, the police chief in the northwestern city of Gyumri prevented a crew from Shant TV, a private station, from covering protests in front of the mayor's office concerning the closing of a local market, local press reports said. That same month, parliament issued new media accreditation rules that authorized suspensions of journalists whose reports "do not correspond to reality" or that disrespect the "lawful interests, honor, and dignity" of members of parliament, according to local press reports. Parliamentary staff members were given wide discretion to administer the rules.

Violent attacks against journalists continued amid a climate of impunity. On March 13, security guards at the State Linguistics University in Yerevan knocked freelance photographer Gagik Shamshian to the ground and kicked him after he tried to photograph students protesting alleged faculty corruption, according to press reports. Shamshian was hospitalized for six days with internal bleeding. A security guard was briefly questioned by police but was not charged.

In April, three unidentified assailants attacked Argishti Kivirian, editor of the independent news Web site Armenia Today, outside his home in Yerevan, according to press reports. The assailants beat him with clubs, leaving the editor hospitalized with a concussion and severe bruising. Kivirian's colleagues and family linked the attack to his professional activities, noting that he had received prior work-related threats. Lusine Sahakaian, a prominent defense lawyer and the editor's wife, criticized police for failing to collect evidence at the crime scene, the U.S. government-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reported. Armenia Today's Web site was plagued by denial-of-service attacks throughout the year-including a series of attacks that coincided with the assault on Kivirian.

A third attack also generated no arrests and little evident police investigation. Nver Mnatsakanian, a prominent commentator for Shant TV, was punched and knocked to the ground by two unidentified men as he was walking home in Yerevan on the evening of May 6, according to press reports. Mnatsakanian, who was forced to cancel his show for two days, criticized police for claiming the attack was the result of mistaken identity.

Attacks spiked in May, several of them related to a Yerevan mayoral election that was marred by allegations of fraud. Gohar Vezirian, a reporter for the opposition newspaper Chorrord Ishkhanutyun, was beaten by supporters of pro-government candidate Gagik Beglarian after she informed an election commissioner that the candidate's supporters had unlawfully entered a polling station in Yerevan, according to the news Web site EurasiaNet. Election officials stood by when pro-government supporters threatened Nelly Gregorian, a reporter for the independent daily Aravot, confiscated her camera and erased photos at a polling station in Yerevan, according to the London-based Institute for War and Peace Reporting (IWPR).

Law enforcement officials were either ambivalent or hostile to the press. Col. Hovhannes Tamamian, a senior police investigator, told reporters at a May 8 press conference that police were working hard to arrest assailants in the attacks-but he suggested journalists should arm themselves in defense, according to international press reports. In August, when prosecutors were angered by media criticism of an investigation into the activities of an outspoken environmental activist, a spokesman for the prosecutor general warned journalists that the office "regularly sends publications to police for assessment," IWPR reported. The comment was seen as a veiled threat that journalists would be harassed if they continued reporting on the case.

Arman Babadzhanian, 33, editor of the opposition daily Zhamanak Yerevan and a critic of law enforcement officials, was released from prison in August after doctors diagnosed a brain tumor, according to press reports. In 2006, he was sentenced to four years in prison after publishing an article that questioned the independence of the Yerevan prosecutor's office. Babadzhanian had been convicted of forging documents to skirt military service; he did not dispute the allegation, but he and press freedom advocates, including CPJ, said the prosecution was selective and retaliatory. Babadzhanian underwent surgery outside the country and was recovering in late year."

And he just keeps taking and taking...

This article came out the other day in Haykakan Zhamanak - as I didn't see this much detail anywhere else in English - I put it up myself...

4 Billion Dollars Plus 3.3 Million Drams

We learned yesterday that that a lien was placed on the property of “Haykakan Zhamanak” publisher Dareskizb, Ltd., on the basis of a demand by the family of Robert Kocharyan that they be paid the court ordered 3,300,000 drams.

We should remind the reader that as a result of the “Kocharyan vs. Haykakan Zhamanak” civil suit, the court had imposed a fine of that exact amount on our newspaper. And the occasion for the fine was the publication in our newspaper recounting the drunken debauchery of Kocharyan’s youngest son, Levon, in Dubai. The Kocharyans had gone to court and demanded 15 million drams from Haykakan Zhamanak for slander. At the end, the result of that disgraceful trial was that the court set a fine of 3, 300,000 drams on our newspaper.

Yesterday, we paid that amount at the court to lift the lien on our property. Thus, the Kocharyans were able to add another 3,300,000 drams to the four billion dollars they had looted from Armenia.

But we paid that amount with pleasure, because it is not for nil. After all, the day is not far when they will return to the people not only that three million drams, but also the other four billion dollars. No tyrant can digest what he has devoured.

[The picture is from HZH as well]

News items and theories abound...

I first saw this on HNazarian's blog, and it is in the news as well. Armen Sargsyan is confirmed to have been arrested and accused of treason for allegedly leaking documents of Order #0038, which revealed that the preparation for military involvement in the March 1 events occurred on February 23. This recently got PACE in a huff, and according to the draft resolution apparently they now think March 1 was Coup d'Etat attempt. A tad slow, methinks, but that's another story.
Armen Sargsyan, by the way, is the cousin of the late Vazgen Sargsyan. And here is the PACE document from 3 February, 2010, calling it a Coup d'Etat.

Speaking of PACE, the Political Prisoners Committee and the Youth Committee of the Armenian National Congress had sent out a letter to Ambassador Yanez Lenarcic
Director, OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, arguing for the public release of the March 1 report. Here it is, in English, and in Armenian.
Interestingly enough, there have been some rumblings about Pashinyan recently, including by PACE.

And just today, SIL group was invaded by the police department, and Saribek Sukiasyan, brother of Khatachur Sukiasyan, was taken in to custody. The theories abound as to why, but there is no clear answer, yet. I first saw that one on Aramazd's blog, and the comments are accumulating quickly...

And now for a comedy break... that's accurate, too!

This video was apparently made in 2007, but has been circulating on Facebook. It is one of the most intelligent, hilarious, pieces of work I think I have ever seen, possibly in any media format, ever. It is so well done, and so accurate, on so many levels, that I think any attempt to explain why might take away from it.
Maybe I'll try later. But what I keep asking myself, while I watch it over and over, is how on earth the actors kept from laughing on screen.

I feel bad for the Ostriches... Civilitas, Oskanyan, and US foreign policy

Interestingly enough, just moments before I opened my email, I was chatting with someone regarding Civilitas. And we were chatting in particular about Oskanyan, and in line with my recent analogies of money laundering, I stated that my impression is that Oskanyan and his Civilitas do for the face of democracy in Armenia what Island banks do in money laundering.
But why do I say this? Well, I have made my feelings clear in the past, both in individual posts and even in essay-format a while back. But, I'll put it this way. To me, it seems, that if one were truly, sincerely, concerned about the voice of civil duty, of civil rights, of democracy, and all else of which they speak, then as observers, we should (not) expect the following...

-To hear the voice of Oskanyan in place of Kocharyan's during March 1-2, 2008

-To then hear Oskanyan's voice backtracking, covering his own tracks, with no
reasonable explanation, apology, or true criticism of the government, or of the fraud, violence, oppression and murder that took place

-I would not expect utter and complete silence with regards to the existence of political prisoners in Armenia - whether it be Nikol Pashinyan, or Ashot Manukyan, or more than 10 others... Or Sasun Mikaelyan, who, it appears, was being denied appropriate medical attention for weeks while in prison...

-I would expect a loud voice when residents of homes just around the corner from the Civilitas office on posh Northern Avenue were evicted from their homes, under dubious circumstances

-I would expect protest and criticism from Civilitas when the next generation, the voice of hope and dreams, the future of Armenia, was beaten time and time again while exercising their basic CIVIL rights...

And the list goes on... So, you can imagine my reaction when my inbox showed a forward (of a forward of a forward) from Civilitas which contained the following exerpt, especially in light of my impression of the ostrich-like approach to foreign affairs the US and the rest of the West has taken:

Finally, with support from the US Embassy in Armenia, we are helping nearly a dozen of Armenia’s regional libraries become centers of civil society, by improving their physical quarters and acquiring books.

It's a feel good party all around - at least, for those who have nothing to lose.

US State Department, mold, and the Armenian Diaspora

Word is that the meeting the US state department and the limited diasporan groups were going to have on Feb 9 has been postponed.

Maybe its because the ARF put up a big stink, because their "colleagues" weren't going to be there. Maybe other organizations who weren't even listed put up a stink. Maybe its because the room where they were going to meet has a mold problem.

I would like to think it's not the mold. I would like to think it is because, for whatever reason, the State Department is actually starting to think about the situation at hand on a deeper level. Maybe they have realized that this is not a simple problem with a simple solution, and that every solution has consequences, and repercussions.

But, I hear that mold is very dangerous for your health, so if that's the reason for the postponement, then they did the right thing.

False Opposition, Smokescreens, and the Convenient Gullibility of the US

The ANC put out a statement the other day, that included this sentence, which has been echoing in my head since then:

The Sargsyan administration had also estimated that that support would allow the administration to suppress the opposition's struggle for democratic liberties and creation of legitimate authorities and to create a governable "nationalist" opposition. The objective for such a false opposition had to show that it was against Sargsyan when it came to national issues without such criticism that would reveal the regime's flaws and endanger its existence.

The idea of a false, governable opposition is not new. But it is obvious to see for those who choose to look. Shutting out the opposition, the voices of democracy, seems to be the strategy of not only the ruling Armenian regime, but of the West as well. PACE is trying to forget that they have turned their back on democracy by shutting out any opposition representation, and the US, in its upcoming State Department meeting with Diasporan organizations, is doing the same thing.

And while the Armenian Weekly has an editorial about the "Politics of Exclusion," the mere fact that (most if not all of) the Diasporan organizations mentioned in the article all feed, in one way or another, with direct or indirect support, financial investments, or otherwise, the ruling criminal regime - is completely missing from the article. The argument amongst themselves over who gets to go to this meeting is farcical, because, in essence, the groups who are going, and the ones whom they demand be invited, all say the same thing - its okay to support this government. The argument over who is invited doesn't even include, for example, the SDHP, one of the only voices that has actually spoken up against March 1, against false elections, against political prisoners. A real effort, real desire, to hear the voices of the US Armenian Diaspora would include all points of view, and all sides would want that variety of viewpoints represented in the meeting. My comment in response to the article is posted below it.

On the other hand, a Letter to the Editor in MassisWeekly (English section, p3, definitely worth reading) addresses almost exactly that point - that maybe, just maybe, these powers that be want to ignore, want to not see, what is really going on. And their actions are not only against democracy and human rights, but in the end, against stability. And PACE and the US, and the rest of the West, if not for the basic principles of Democracy and Human rights, for moral and ethical reasons, then for the interest of their own countries and organizations, should take a slightly longer look at what is really happening.

The ARF, the AAA, the ANC, the ARS, the Knights of Vartan, all those guys, invited or not - they may fight amongst themselves about Turkish-Armenian relations, Diasporan issues, and the like, but they have made these issues (and themselves) the priority, more important than a strong, democratic, just Armenia. That argument sure is a good distraction, a good safe distraction, and a set of criticisms that doesn't reveal the true flaws, as the ANC statement said...

If you agree, let the US state department know. Call them, Skype them, its cheap. Tell them that the ANCA, the ARF, the AAA, these guys don't represent all Armenians, these guys are a distraction, even a smokescreen...

Here's the number I have for the Armenia desk at the US state department: (202) 647 - 6576. I'm sure they want to hear what we ALL have to say.

Banditocracy does not begin to describe...

On January 29, an article came out in the Russian paper Versia about the business investments and holdings of the oligarchs in Armenia, with a special focus on Kocharyan and Sargsyan, with a promise of more of the article to come. The article seems to have made quite a splash, as aside from being posted and reposted on Facebook, it was sent to me by numerous different and unrelated people - most recently someone posted it in the comments section of one of my related posts (Airports, Fruits, Banks and Mail 26/10/2009). Thinking that perhaps there are those who still haven't seen it, I thought I'd post it.
I don't know anything about the paper itself, nor about the author, Igor Petrov, and very little about Karahanyan, who is mentioned in the article. So, among other things, I don't know about the sources of the article.
I do know that much of this information was already known, and had been circulated by word of mouth and perhaps even in some written form or another, though I have not seen it anywhere in as much detail as it is here. Significant reference to some of the information was made in the past, including, at least in very general terms, during opposition speeches.
For those who do not read Russian, the translation from Google's Translator is here.
Below are some highlights...:
---------------------
To specify all of the above, the head of the Armenian National Club Miabanutyun Moscow Smbat Karakhanian said: "I can confidently tell you what hold the first persons in Armenia:
Ex-President Robert Kocharian (including through nominees and family members):
- Artsakhbank
- MAP (50%)
- Armeksimbank (co-owner)
- Unibank (co-owner)
- ABB Bank (co-owner)
- Renko Construction
- Zangezur Copper and Molybdenum Combine (90%)
- Ardshininvestbank (over 50%)
- Converse-bank (according to different sources from 30 to 50%)
- Complex Kaputan Sevan - 100% (through Artak Voskanian)
- Medical Center Nairi (50% together with the Minister of Health Harutiun Kushkyanom)
- Brands (Emporio Armani, Stefano Ricci, etc.)
- Construction company "BiShin" (100%)
- Construction company "Downtown Yerevan" (through the eldest son Sedrak Kocharian)
- TV Company "H2" - 50% (co-owners Samvel Mairapetyan and current Vice-Prime Minister Armen Gevorgyan)
- Chain stores SAS (50% - owned by Robert Kocharyan through Deputy Prime Minister Armen Gevorgian)
- Network of shops "Star" (30% owned Sedrak Kocharian - eldest son Robert Kocharyan's)
- "Noah" konyachno-vinovodochny Mill - 50% (co-owner Gagik Tsarukyan)
- Airport Zvartnots - 50% (30-year lease, co-owner of a citizen of Argentina, Eduardo Eurnekian)
- "Armenian post" - 50% (in S. Kocharian's eldest son, the other co-owner of a citizen of Argentina, Eduardo Eurnekian)
- Import of mobile phones - 80% of the market
- Large shopping complex in Moscow (co-owner Samvel Karapetyan)
- Casino in Moscow (along with Shakro)
- Representation of Toyota Company in Armenia
- In addition Robert Kocharyan, as an independent director, member of the Board of Directors of Russia's AFK Sistema. This circumstance, experts say, requires his assets under the control of the corporation.
Assets, which he previously owned or had a substantial share:

- "K-Telecom" (trade mark "VivaCell")
- Agro-industries Ltd. (1870 ha)
- Golden Palace Hotel in Yerevan (the real owner of 83% was Sedrak Kocharian)
- AraratCement "- 33%
- "Converse" (through the eldest son Sedrak Kocharian). The bank got into the field of view of U.S. intelligence, when it became clear that through his accounts laundered money (about 800-900 million) a number of front companies and banks linked to international terrorism. The scandal led to the resignation of President Bank S. Nasibian and sale of assets of the family to another owner E. Eurnekian. However, there are sufficient grounds for believing that the transaction for the sale of shares S. Kocharian was false. In fact he remains a co-owner of Converse.
----
President Serzh Sargsyan (including through nominees, and his brother Alexander and her husband Mikael Minasyan):
- Assets of "Flash" (co-owner Barsegh Beglarian)
- The network of filling stations
- 3 wine factory in Nagorno-Karabakh (Messrs. Stepanakert, Martuni, Karmir Suka)
Distillery (g.Karmir Suka, 1 / 3 of all vodka sold in Armenia, 2.3 million liters)
- Bank "Ararat"
- Chain restaurant "Ararat" (about 30 pieces)
- Assets of the company "MICA" (co-owner Mikhail Bagdasarov):
- Armavia
- The company's Mika on imports of fossil fuels, gasoline, kerosene (monopoly), diesel fuel
- FC MIKA (estimated 40-50 million)
- Mika - Cement
- Construction company "MIKA House (more than 5 large elite houses in Yerevan)
- Hotel Complex in Moscow
- Private house in London
- VTB Bank (bought for 300 thousand dollars, sold for $ 28 million 100%)
- Network of stores "Dzhazve"
- Being as defense minister, was associated with an intermediary with the supply of small arms by private producers of Bulgaria in the Third World countries ",
- Through front men in-law M. Minasian is the owner of television "Armenakob" and "Ai TV".
---------------------------

On Freedom of Expression, and yes, Bazaz!

This was a couple of days ago now, but it keeps coming back into my head, so I thought I'd post it.

This past Friday, opposition youth held a protest march. They peacefully walked through the streets, and laid flowers in recognition of the victims of March 1. Below are some pictures (a1plus, HZH).












Now, the police apparently didn't like this, which is no surprise. But, apparently something was different. Robert Melkonyan, known by the nickname Bazaz, known for, well, having no moral center or conscious and beating women and the elderly, seems to have lost it. He went to the HAK center and apparently was yelling and screaming so loudly and incoherently that all folks understood of what he said was that the protesting youth were causing a problem. He was asked either to calm down and speak intelligibly, or leave. Which, while sad, is absolutely hilarious.

It is not surprising that those who are questioning the authorities, who are demanding basic human rights, and freedom for political prisoners, are the ones laying flowers and marching. These are the voices calling for change. And they do so calmly, and coherently.

It is the minions of the regime, the perpetrators of violence who, when they need to, cannot express themselves except through unintelligible outbursts. Freedom of expression is a great thing - and when it is allowed, we see just how different the people and the regime, truly are.

And this just topped it for me- its aimed at Armenian journalists in Yerevan (thanks to Ditord from Haik newspaper)

Observers, the Free Society Institute, and the Cayman Islands

Now, it was no surprise when the ruling regime used violence, fraud, and intimidation to keep votes going their way, and other voters and journalists away from polling station, during the recent District #10 elections in Yerevan.
The elections did, however, bring to my attention an NGO known as the "Free Society Institute" (FSI). I first read about them in one of the a1plus articles which was reporting on the election, and mentioned that someone named Armen Sahakyan, supposedly an observer from the FSI NGO, was swearing at and physically threatening a journalist. This fellow and a "colleague" of his, David Simonyan, also from the FSI, were mentioned in a later article as well.
I have to admit, I was someone surprised that someone masquerading as an observer would be so hostile - or, vice versa - someone so hostile would masquerade as an observer. So I did what I always do, I Googled the Free Society Institute. And, aside from one incident where it seems the Free Society Institute was confused with the Soros foundation Open Society Insitute (very different, but with understandably confusable names), here is what I found:

-There are numerous Free Society Institutes, including in Eastern Europe and South Africa. They seem to be completely unrelated, and I could not find a website for the one in Armenia.

-The name that come up most often with the organization when Googled is Edgar Hakobyan, who was, at least several years ago, the chair of the organization. Anahit Daniyelyan is the only other name that came up, and she is/was apparently the head of the branch in Stepanakert.

-I did find that this Free Society Institute has been sending "observers" to elections Armenia for several years. And, for the mostpart, they like what they see:

- Regarding the May 2007 Parliamentary elections, Edgar Hakobyan stated that they had 1405 observers, there were no gross violations, and that it met international democratic standards.

-During the presidential election of February, 2008, "army officers dressed in civilian clothes are sitting as observers, which is a violation of the Electoral Code." They were registered with FSI.

-Regarding the January 10, 2010 elections, Hakobyan was quoted as saying "No violations, no emergency situations have been registered... The voting is very civilized, the turnout is very high."

Being curious by nature, I emailed the two emails I could find, to Mr Hakobyan and Ms Daniyelyan, asking for more information, or at least to be pointed in the right direction for more information, about the organization. It has been over a week. The emails did not bounce back. I have not heard a thing.

FSI has obviously been involved for quite a while. In fact, Edgar Hakobyan himself has been to the Council of Europe Summer School for Democracy, as the head of FSI. And, the FSI, and their observers are cited in at least one OSCE report about elections in Armenia.

Now, getting a lot of information about individuals in Armenia on the web is difficult, as many of the names are common, which makes verification difficult.

And maybe I am about to get an answer back. I would in fact really appreciate that. I would like to be able to either realize that there has been some misunderstanding and they are one of many grass roots organizations in Armenia aiming to instill democracy and Human Rights, or, know that this organization does for the banditocracy what an account in the Cayman islands does for a banker.


If I ever do get a response, I will absolutely post it.

Next Seminar in just a few days for PFA

Policy Forum Armenia is having their next seminar on January 25th. I haven't had time to delve into their website as I would like, but they seem to be an interesting group and I do read their reports - interesting to me because they are among the few organizations that popped up just in the past few years, that is mostly outside of Armenia, seems very professional, seems not to be related to any political party, and is openly critical of the authorities, especially the elections. This combination is what is interesting to me.

The facebook link, for those so inclined, is here.

Kessedjian Murphy Seminar/PFA

Speaking of Gala TV...

The station in Gyumri I referred to in the previous post, which has fought and won its own battle against this banditocracy, is continuing its actions in support of Pashinyan...
Check out galatv.am

Copied directly from Lragir.am (20/1/10)

GALA ACTION CONTINUES
On January 19, Gala TV channel decided to hold an action against the verdict of the editor-in-chief of Haykakan Zhamanak daily Nikol Pashinyan which still continues. Today too, at 21:00-22:00 only Nikol Pashinyan’s photo will be shown on Gala TV and names of people and organizations who join Gala’s action will appear on the screen. Those who want to join may write to tvgala@mail.ru electronic post.

Sargsyan's Nightmares

The other day I was asking myself a question that I ask just about every day, what would it take now to change this regime? What has been done? Where to go from here?
What does it take to revive Hope?

And my brain came up with my usual answers, but for some reason fixated on something which is obvious, that there is minimal to no opposition, or at least non-government, coverage on television, there is no a1plus or the like (as far as I know, there is only the local Gyumri station, a victory story in and of itself). This is nothing new - nor is the importance of having such media representation just dawning me. But in a world where there is limited trust in printed news (including opposition printed news), and limited radio coverage, and web access is limited to a cluster of the population, television is not just important, it is overwhelmingly important. Just HOW different would things have been if, say, a1plus, were not illegally stopped from broadcasting?

Which of course then makes it that much more important for SS and his banditocracy to keep a1plus (and any other similar representation on TV) quiet. Because it could very well be a big part of the puzzle.

The reason we see the same youths and the same journalists get harassed and beaten time and time again is because they are out there every time, they don't give up - they are keys to change. The more pivotal the organization, the idea, the person, the longer they're illegally beaten, subdued, kept quiet, imprisoned. Which is why to no surprise, Pashinyan was found guilty, and given 7, not 6, years. Its SS's way of saying, I'm calling the shots. And its his way of saying, he is petrified of Pashinyan.

I wonder who visits Sargsyan more in his nightmares, Kocharyan, or Pashinyan?

Arman Grigoryan talks to HZH about PACE

Below are rough translations of two brief articles in Haykakan Zhamanak (Armenian Times)about the upcoming PACE meetings - they talk to Arman Grigoryan, the ANC's representative to PACE, about these issues.

Major undertaking, high sponsporship? HZH article here

Arman Grigoryan, ANC’s representative to PACE, made an astounding revelation while speaking with our correspondent yesterday. He was informed by a PACE official, he said, that the visit of PACE co-Rapporteurs to Armenia planned for November-December did not take place because PACE did not want to exert additional pressure on the Armenian authorities at a time when the entire political oxygen was being used up on Armenian-Turkish relations, and PACE did not want to disrupt the process of resolution of Armenian-Turkish relations.

The planned November-December visit had been postponed till January, but it has now become clear to our correspondent yesterday that that meeting, too, has been postponed. As PACE explained to Arman Grigoryan, the visit of the corapporteurs will take place when the “essential attention is not concentrated on other issues.” This means that the corapporteurs will come to the Republic of Armenia only when some of the issues related to the Armenian-Turkish—which also means those related to the Nagorno Karabagh issue—have been disentangled. Perhaps this very approach is the reason why the authorities of the Republic of Armenia announced that the issue of March 1 is closed and that the Republic of Armenia no longer has any problems with PACE, etc. Seemingly, the authorities of the Republic of Armenia hope that Armenian-Turkish relations will continue to sap all the political ogygen and PACE will just not have its turn.

On the other hand, the processes underway since early January testify to the fact that the “concentration” on the Armenian-Turkish issues is coming to its end, after which PACE will have no restrictions in terms of working with Armenia. After that, if PACE suddenly retreats—using some excuse or another—from the current political prisoners in the Republic of Armenia, from their stern positions to reveal the circumstances surrounding the events of March 1, and postpone future visits and deliberations at monitoring sessions, it will become obvious that the price for the Armenian-Turkish relations and the resolution of the Nagorno Karabagh issue are the 15 political prisoners now detained in prisons and that the deal has been made under the high auspices of the Council of Europe.

Confidential Report to be Discussed HZH Article Here

At its upcoming session on January 24, PACE’s Monitoring Committee will examine the confidential report on Armenia, presented by co-rapporteurs John Prescott and Georges Colombier at the preceding session.
Let us remind you that the preceding session of PACE’s Monitoring Committee held in Paris on December 17 had become somewhat scandalous. First, the issue of our country had entered the agenda quite unexpectedly, and it was announced that the well-known report of Nikoyan’s committee was to be examined. But on the day of the session, the co-rapporteurs for our country failed to appear, with some inane excuses, making it impossible to examine the issue.
It later became known, however, that the co-rapporteurs had presented a confidential, secret report on Armenia, and which was made public, here in Armenia, by Armen Rustamyan, member of both the ARF and of the Armenian delegation to PACE. The confidential report was quite harsh and described Nikoyan’s report as “insufficient.” Remember that the co-rapporteurs had deemed the investigation of the death of the ten victims as insufficient, and had stated that at least 3 individuals were killed by special methods used by the police, but that the guilty have not yet been punished. They had also mentioned that after March 1, a large number of opposition supporters were imprisoned and persecuted, and to date there are no clarifications, and that the reference from Nikoyan’s committee on that issue is insufficient. It is also mentioned that there are multiple contradictions in the report submitted by the Nikoyan’s committee, meaning that the analyses contradict each other. At the end of the report it was stated that the monitoring committee continues to monitor Armenia and will return to the issues of our country during the next meeting of the committee. Arman Grigoryan, ANC’s representative to PACE, in an interview with us yesterday informed us that the above-mentioned report of the co-rapporteurs will be discussed at the upcoming meeting. «As to what will happen during discussions, it’s hard to predict. It seems to me, of course, that our delegation will try to soften some of the theses of that report and change others. But I hope they won’t succeed and the basic assessment of that report remains intact,” said Arman Griogoryan, who answered a few more of our questions yesterday:

- The December 17, 2008 report of the monitoring committee was extremely harsh, and had included the “term political prisoner.” Later, they removed that term from circulation, despite the fact that currently there are 15 political prisoners in the Republic of Armenia. In your opinion, are the reasons for such a softening of their assessment again have to do with the Armenian-Turkish and Nagorno Karabagh processes?

- I can’t confirm that with 100% certainty, and there may have been other reasons. But I also can’t be sure that such consideration has not played a role. I am not surprised that they made certain concessions to the authorities of the Republic of Armenia, among them taking the term “political prisoner” out of circulation, because that, and a few other things, were the price they would have to pay in order to have at least a few of the political prisoners released in June.

- Do you have any information about their views on the remaining 15 political prisoners?

- They are still attentive to the issue of political prisoners, despite the fact that the term has been removed from circulation. Even if there are no open deliberations about it, I know that they don’t consider the problem of political prisoners resolved. There have been communications about that issue with me; we are in communication on a continuous basis on the issue of political prisoners. PACE has requested certain information with which they have been provided, and I know that negotiations between PACE and the Armenian authorities continue regarding the remaining political prisoners. Unfortunately, at the moment, it is difficult to speak of any concrete results, but this is not a closed subject for PACE.

- Mr. Grigoryan, will the recorded violent acts and fraud during the January 10 elections during the 10th electoral district be considered in any way at the sessions of the monitoring committee?

- To tell you the truth, I’m not sure that they will get around to discussing the topic this time at the session of the Monitoring Committee because the agenda is prepared previously, and the issues to be discussed are agreed upon ahead of time, and, there is the issue of time. But that they will be informed of the outrageous elections of January 10, there is no doubt.

Second article by Lucine Barseghyan, January 16, 2010

The house special at today's election is your classic intimidation with a side of beating...

Through fraud, beatings, and intimidation, again the authorities have managed to make it through another election. According to their count, Pashinyan came in second.

But I have to give it to them, it was slightly less violent than in the past. They're trying to use intimidation, seemingly to prevent violence (does that count as violence prevention?). RFE/RL published a video online that really is more like a cartoon.

The guy in the black coat, pacing back and forth, is a proxy for Ara Simonyan. He doesn't say too much. He does seem to greet every voter who comes in, maybe he thinks he's the Maitre D' - which is what I'm going to call him. I keep expecting Bugs Bunny to come out of nowhere and kiss him.

The guy in the yellow shirt I think is the chairman of that site. While the women working at the site have a mouthful to say about the Maitre D', the chairman somehow is oblivious to any problems that this man may be causing, eventually checks the Maitre D's ID and announces that the Maitre D' is in fact one of Simonyan's proxies, but does not read aloud the name, nor allow the camera to record the ID.

The Maitre D' seems to also know the local military guy who is in a room there. Not surprisingly, all three men seem to have similar proportions - i'll leave it at that.

Elections Today

The elections for the MP seat for District 10 are today - significant not just because its another election, but becuase Nikol Pashinyan, voice of opposition to the banditocracy even before March 1 2008 and before the presidential election of 2008, is now running for the seat from behind bars. As LTP and so many other have said since Pashinyan's decision to run, the authorities have handled Pashinyan's case, from the arrest warrant on him, to his arrest, imprisonment and candidacy, in a way that broke just about every democratic law and every human right possible.

We'll see what happens today.

I wish safety to the proxies, campaigners and media representative out there today.
I wish safety to any who dares to voice their opinion, including the voters, because we have learned what happens to them in today's Armenia.

HIMA is posting live videos from today at the HIMA website.

And the Violence continues...