Published since 07.2002
Published on March 28, 2008
FAMILIES OF OPPRESSED SEEK INTERNATIONAL ATTENTION: LETTER DECRIES ACTS OF “POLITICAL OPPRESSION”
- Editor’s note: Last week, while Armenia remained under media blackout as part of the State of Emergency, family members of detainees released a letter pleading for international authorities to intervene in the arrests being carried out against oppositionists. ArmeniaNow supports their appeal, not necessarily on grounds of political merit, but on the basis of free speech and decency that should be assumed in a democratic state. We are writing this letter as the wives, mothers, and sisters of those citizens of the Republic of Armenia who have been subjected to illegal measures by the authorities in connection with the February 19, 2008 presidential election, during the pre-election process, at the time of the election, and in the days since then. These measures include violence, brutality, kidnapping, unlawful detention, home searches without any legal justification accompanied by extensive damage to property, and the arrests of our husbands, sons, and brothers, almost all on similar charges: “Criminal actions against the state with the aim of overthrowing the government.” We believe that these arrests have been purely political in nature, given that the detainees are members of political parties, proxies of opposition candidates, or participants in the peaceful demonstrations held by the democratic opposition. The measures taken by the authorities are in contradiction to national law and are incompatible with international norms and obligations undertaken by the Armenian Government. They are acts of political persecution aimed at destroying democratic opposition, and as such represent a gross violation of human rights. We call upon the European Union, the Council of Europe, and the United States of America to organize an independent and impartial investigation of all of the cases connected with the February 19 presidential election, including both the killing of innocent people and the arrests of our family members. Finally, we note with alarm that these arrests are continuing to this day. With respect and in hope of support, Melissa Brown Wife of Alexander Arzoumanian, former Minister of Foreign Affairs, former Representative to the United Nations, director of the Levon Ter-Petrossian Central Campaign Headquarters, arrested on March 10, 2008. Anna Hakobyan Wife of Nikol Pashinyan, Editor-in Chief of Haykakan Zhamanak, representative of the Aylantrank Civil Initiative, member of the Levon Ter-Petrossian Central Campaign Headquarters, in hiding since March 1, 2008. Marine Harutyunyan Wife of Grigor Voskerchyan, former deputy head of the National Security Service, head of the Levon Ter-Petrossian Abovyan Campaign Headquarters, arrested on March 8, 2008. Lusine Hayrapetyan Wife of Suren Surenyants, Republic Party board member, arrested on February 25, 2008. Mariam Karapetyan Mother of Karapet Rubinyan, former Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, former Chief of Staff of the President, deputy head of the Levon Ter-Petrossian Shengavit District Campaign Headquarters, arrested on March 1, 2008 Anahit Kirakosyan Wife of Ashot Manukyan, head of the Armenian National Movement Lori branch, head of the Levon Ter-Petrossian Lori Campaign Headquarters, arrested on March 1, 2008. Anush Mesropyan Wife of Sasun Mikaelyan, National Assembly Deputy, member of the Spirit Challenge NGO, arrested on March 12, 2008. Nelli Mnatsakanyan Wife of Grigor Harutyunyan, political secretary of the People’s Party of Armenia, in hiding since March 1, 2008. Anush Petrosyan Wife of Masis Ayvazyan, Armenian National Movement board member, Levon Ter-Petrossian Campaign Headquarters regional coordinator, arrested on March 1, 2008. Tamara Piloyan Wife of Mushegh Saghatelyan, member of the Spirit Challenge NGO, former head of the Interior Ministry Detention Center Department, head of the Levon Ter-Petrossian Ani Campaign Headquarters, arrested on March 1, 2008. Marine Poghosyan Wife of Aram Sargsyan, Chairman of the Republic Party, member of the Levon Ter-Petrossian Central Campaign Headquarters, in hiding since March 1, 2008. Dzovinar Samsonyan Wife of Hovhannes Ghazaryan, Armenian National Movement board member, Levon Ter-Petrossian Campaign Headquarters regional coordinator, arrested on March 1, 2008. Aida Sardaryan Wife of Aram Manukyan, Armenian National Movement board member, head of the Levon Ter-Petrossian Arabkir District Campaign Headquarters, in hiding since March 1, 2008. Ruzanna Sargsyan, Wife of Smbat Ayvazyan, Republic Party board member, former Minister of State Income, Levon Ter-Petrossian Campaign Headquarters regional coordinator, arrested on February 24, 2008. Susanna Sargsyan Wife of Davit Matevosyan, former Meghri Police Chief, member of the Levon Ter-Petrossian Central Campaign Headquarters, arrested on March 1, 2008. Laura Selvyan Wife of Gagik Jhangiryan, former Deputy Prosecutor General, former Military Prosecutor, arrested on February 23, 2008. Lilit Simonyan Wife of Levik Khachatryan, Armenian National Movement board member, Levon Ter-Petrossian Campaign Headquarters regional coordinator, arrested on March 1, 2008. Hasmik Sinanyan Wife of Vahagn Hayotsyan, Armenian National Movement executive secretary, Levon Ter-Petrossian Campaign Headquarters regional coordinator, arrested on March 1, 2008. Ruzanna Sukiasyan Wife of Khachatur Sukiasyan, National Assembly Deputy, head of the Levon Ter-Petrossian Yerevan Campaign Headquarters, in hiding since March 1, 2008. Tamara Tapaltsyan Mother of Aram Karapetyan, Chairman of the New Times Party, arrested on February 24, 2008. Inga Torosyan Wife of Davit Arakelyan, head of the Levon Ter-Petrossian Kentron District Campaign Headquarters, arrested on March 1, 2008. Edita Yeghoyan Wife of Ararat Zurabyan, Chairman of the Armenian National Movement, former Head of the Kentron District Administration, member of the Levon Ter-Petrossian Central Campaign Headquarters, arrested on March 10, 2008. Tsoghik Zakaryan Wife of Yerjanik Abgaryan, Armenian National Movement board member, former head of RA Customs Service, Levon Ter-Petrossian Campaign Headquarters regional coordinator, arrested on March 3, 2008. March 18, 2008
Headlines for March 28, 2008
FRIENDS FOREVER: SARGSYAN MEETS KREMLIN COUNTERPARTS IN MOSCOW
Suren Musayelyan
Armenia’s President-in-waiting Serzh Sargsyan met with his Russian counterpart in Moscow on Monday as he was on his first foreign trip since he pulled off a victory in last month’s disputed presidential ...FAMILIES OF OPPRESSED SEEK INTERNATIONAL ATTENTION: LETTER DECRIES ACTS OF “POLITICAL OPPRESSION”
Editor’s note: Last week, while Armenia remained under media blackout as part of the State of Emergency, family members of detainees released a letter pleading for international authorities to intervene ...PROMINENT OPPOSITIONIST CHARGED ON THREE COUNTS, CONFINED TO CITY LIMITS
Aram Sargsyan, the head of the opposition Hanrapetutyun party and close ally of opposition leader Levon Ter-Petrosyan, has been charged on three counts of Armenia’s Criminal Code as part of the criminal ...FREEDOM FUNDRAISING: GALA MANAGED TO SECURE ITS FUTURE
Ani Hakobyan
On Tuesday, March 25 an independent GALA TV based in Gyumri has successfully avoided immediate closure due to fundraising it organized to pay off imposed fines from state authorities. During a telethon ...US MAKES RECOMMENDATION FOR AMBASSADORSHIP: KYRGYZ REPUBLIC DIPLOMAT VETTED
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia confirmed today that the Bush Administration has submitted to the Armenian government the name of Marie L. Yovanovitch as the next Ambassador to Armenia. Yovanovitch ...REFORM AND REBUILDING: US DIPLOMAT SAYS SARGSYAN HAS OPPORTUNITY TO “CHANGE THE PATH
John Hughes
Whether there is immediate implementation of democratic policies and a tendency away from repressive treatment of citizenry during the first days of President Serzh Sargsyan’s administration will determine ...REFORM AND REBUILDING: US DIPLOMAT SAYS SARGSYAN HAS OPPORTUNITY TO “CHANGE THE PATH
John Hughes
Whether there is immediate implementation of democratic policies and a tendency away from repressive treatment of citizenry during the first days of President Serzh Sargsyan’s administration will determine ...CYBER SABOTAGE?: MARCH 1 INVESTIGATION INCLUDED “PROVOCATION” BY SMS
Suren Musayelyan
In the wake of the melee of March 1 police arrested at least two citizens for sending mobile phone messages that law enforcement said endangered the nation. TV channels later showed footage provided ...“POPULAR WALK-INS”: PROTESTERS CLAIM RESTRICTIONS OF FREE MOVEMENT AS POLICE ENFORCE ANTI-PROTEST MEASURES
Marianna Grigoryan
The book-reading action planned in downtown Yerevan as part of the continuing “popular walks” on Wednesday fell through. Eyewitnesses say only a few people managed to read out books in a low voice, after ...SCHOOLS AND POLITICS: TEACHER SAYS HE WAS FIRED BECAUSE OF HIS POLITICAL VIEWS
Naira Bulghadaryan
Nairi Aroyan, a school teacher in the Lori province became unemployed after the February presidential elections. Aroyan says he was fired from his job in the school because he supported the candidacy ...REGIONAL RESTRICTIONS: VANADZOR CITIZENS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO HOLD RALLIES
Naira Bulghadaryan
The state of emergency is lifted in Yerevan, but public gatherings still remain taboo not only in capital but in Armenian provinces as well. Recently the authorities in Vanadzor, Lori province, (which ...PRESS PRESSURE: REGIONAL NEWSPAPER FEELS WEIGHT OF RISK AND RESPONSIBILITY
Armine Avagyan
On March 16 at around 8 p.m. Goris police officers turned up at Syunik-based Syunyats Yerkir newspaper’s editor Samvel Alexanyan’s apartment and detained him without a prior notice. Alexanyan was held ...ECHO OF MARCH 1 IN KARABAKH: THE EVENTS IN ARMENIA ARE VIEWED IN STEPANAKERT EXCLUSIVELY IN TERMS OF KARABAKH’S FUTURE.
Naira Hayrumyan
Everybody in Karabakh follows closely the events in Armenia, but makes their judgments about who is guilty or not solely in the context of Karabakh’s safety. Karabakh obviously hears speculations about ...ANALYSIS: CRISIS SEEN AS STEMMING FROM LTP/ROBERT KOCHARYAN’S “LIBERAL POLICY”
Aris Ghazinyan
At present, it is very difficult to make assumptions regarding ways of Armenia’s development after the dramatic events of March 1-2. The limited nature of reports and the special regime of providing information ...THE UN RESOLUTION: WILL AZERBAIJAN BREAK UP THE OSCE MINSK GROUP FORMAT?
Naira Hayrumyan
In mid March the UN General Assembly, at Azerbaijan’s suggestion, adopted a resolution in fact recognizing Karabakh as an occupied land. Analysts say that by such steps Baku is trying to dissolve up the ...OPPORTUNITY AWAITS: PRESIDENT SARGSYAN, TELL YOUR PEOPLE WHAT THEY NEED TO HEAR
John Hughes
Sorry Seems to be the hardest word Elton John -- Sorry President Serzh Sargsyan has a near-Lincolnesque opportunity when he takes office on April 9. It is hard to imagine a country ...INTERNAL BLEEDING: CRISIS HAS TURNED “ARMENIANS” AGAINST “KARABAKHIS”
Vahan Ishkhanyan
“For the first time in my life I did not say I am Karabakhtsi [Karabakh Armenian]. They asked me where I am from, I told from Abovyan,” ArmeniaNow photographer Anahit Hayrapetyan tells about how every ...NEWS IN SPORT: ARMENIA BEATS KAZAKHSTAN IN SOCCER, ARONYAN SUCCESSFUL AT AMBER
Suren MusayelyanFootball Armenia’s national football team led by Danish specialist Jan Poulsen beat counterparts from Kazakhstan on Wednesday in a friendly match that took place near Rotterdam, Holland. The Football ...
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Today in Armenian history- 1799 Birth of Eone Kish (Kishian), Hungarian Armenian revolutionary figure.
- 1827 General Ivan Paskevich is appointed Governor of the Caucasus and Commander of the Caucasian Special Corps.
- 1830 Birth of organist, conductor, teacher, and public figure, Anton Mayilian in Tbilissi.
- 1907 Birth of surgeon Ivan Gevorgian. He invented pain-killers and pioneered new ways for blood transfusion.
- 1920 The Drama Institute presents its first play.
- 1923 Birth of two-time hero and pilot Nelson Stepanian. The group of pilots led by Nelson Stepanian sank more than 50 enemy ships and destroyed 13 airplanes in World War Two. Nelson Stepanian flew 240 sorties. He died in a dogfight in 1944.
- 1928 Birth of artist and sculptor Ara Harootoonian. His great architectural work is the Sardarapat complex.
- 1988 The Supreme Soviet of the USSR rejects Artsakh's demand to be reunited with Armenia.
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