Published since 07.2002
Published on May 16, 2008
POLITICAL STARVATION: “FREEDOM FIGHTERS” IN SHIRAK PROVINCE START HUNGER STRIKE
- Last week 19 men from the Shirak province announced that they were beginning a hunger strike in solidarity for others they say are political prisoners, arrested in connection to post-election violence. Sevak Saghatelyan, son of Mushegh Saghatelyan (member of HHSH, arrested March 1 and accused in power usurpation) was the first to start in the village of Dzorakap on May 9, the next day he was joined by the resident of the same village Roman Piloyan. “I demand the release of political prisoners otherwise we will continue our hunger strike. We will continue our struggle using harsher means if this one is not taken into account,” says Piloyan. Babken Urutyan, (son of prisoner Harutyun Urutyan) was the next to join the protest (on May 11) setting a tent in the central square of the town of Maralik in front of the municipality. The strikers say they are resolute, despite police pressure particularly on those in the central square of Maralik. “If I don’t bother anybody then what’s the reason for the police to worry? Why do they threaten me? They say, get out of the tent and go sit in front of another building, then nobody will say you a word. If they want to forcefully take us away, let them do that, I will sit even on a stool in the middle of the square,” says Urutyan. The Northern Criminal Court has sentenced Harutyun Urutyan to 7 years of imprisonment charged with hindering election procedures. The verdict is now protested at the Appeals Court. There is information Harutyun Urutyan who is in Artik penitentiary at the moment is planning to join the hunger strikers. “My father was arrested for his political views. But this has started 1-1.5 years ago when a plan was developed to remove Harutyun Urutyan so that he does not hinder to the authorities’ activities waiting for a proper situation to be realized and not just before the elections. My father was not allowed to participate in mayor elections in Maralik and the refusal was explained by his Russian citizenship, although they now try him in Armenia,” says Urutyan’s son. Fourteen other “freedom fighters” have declared a timeless hunger strike on May 12th in the Gyumri department of the Volunteer Country Defenders’ Union (Yerkrapah) building with 1st and 3rd category disabled among them. The court trial on cases of three who consider themselves to be political prisoners Ashot Zakaryan, Petros Makeyan and Shota Saghatelyan are still underway. The tense atmosphere predominating at the court hearings make more people join the hunger strikers. “One can say there is no court trial, it’s better be called theater or circus because there is no legal proceeding taking place there. It’s not a court trial but a clownery,” says Armen Zakaryan, Ashot Zakaryan’s brother. The hunger strikers include people also from other provinces. Temporarily leaving the family and his 3 children Artur Mardalyan, 34, from the village of Kasakh, Kotayk province has also joined his wartime friends. “Life proves the more one is frightened the more he loses the fear, so let them not frighten our people much. The more you develop a diamond the more it shines. I have promised to be the last to get out of here,” he says.
- Ani Hakobyan
Headlines for May 16, 2008
COURT CLAIM: FIRED DIPLOMATS SURE OF IMMINENT REINSTATEMENT IN JOBS
Sara Khojoyan
A number of diplomats who, according to the Foreign Ministry, violated the Law on Diplomatic Service by making a political statement in the tense post-election period and were immediately relieved of ...MINING FOR MOLYBDENUM?: ENVIRONMENTALISTS RAISE MORE PROTESTS OVER TEGHUT IMPACT
Sara Khojoyan
Environmental and other nongovernmental organizations have launched a decisive struggle for the operation of the Teghut mine and entrails surveys in Armenia to be stopped, which they say is the only way ...SAFE AMID DANGER: ARMENIANS UNSCATHED IN LATEST ESCALATION OF VIOLENCE IN LEBANON
Sara KhojoyanArmenians in Lebanon remained mostly unaffected by internal violence that erupted in this Middle East country in recent weeks, according to an Armenian Foreign Ministry official. Armen Melkonyan, who ...SPORT: “QUEEN KILLER” STAYS UNDEFEATED; ARARAT ON THE RISE AFTER FAILED 2007 SEASON
Suren Musayelyan
Football FC Ararat Yerevan have extended their unbeaten run in the national championship this week beating second-placed FC Mika Ashtarak 2-1 and assuring a clear lead with five victories in as many ...FROM HIMALAYAS TO ARARAT: NEPALESE CAME TO NOAH’S LAND TO REALIZE HIS ARMENIAN DREAM
Sara Khojoyan
Four years ago Nepalese Bir Tamang set for the first time foot on Armenian soil at Yerevan’s Zvartnots airport. What he had was $200 in his pocket and a strong hope to arrange work in Yerevan as he was ...HISTORY KEEPER: MUSEUM IN KAPAN HAS MUCH TO TELL BUT HAS NO PROPER HOSTING PLACE
Armine Avagyan
Kapan Geological Museum will celebrate May 18, the International Museum Day as a ruined premise with half-built walls and nothing exhibited. The Museum was one of the town’s notable cultural centers, ...BREATHING ROOM: NEW PARK PROMISES OASIS IN YEREVAN’S CONCRETE JUNGLE
Vahan Ishkhanyan
The Pushkin Park is among those rare green areas in Yerevan that has avoided ‘conquest’ of cafés and the cementation of lawns and will become an attractive recreation zone after reconstruction. Armenian ...MELONHEAD?: ONE GIRL’S EARTH DAY IS A LESSON IN HARD WORK AND GROWTH
I have lived in a rural area for 17 years but it was only last week when I learned of how hard a villager’s work is. Relatives who live in Yeraskhavan village (Armavir region) were planting melon seedlings. ...“FREEDOM FIGHTERS” FACE FIGHT FOR THEIR OWN FREEDOM: NKR WAR VETERANS AMONG “POLITICAL PRISONERS”
Gayane Mkrtchyan
Chairman of the Yerkrapah Union of Volunteers (YUV), former Deputy Defense Minister Lieutenant-General Manvel Grigoryan stated in his message addressed on Yerkrapah (“Freedom Fighte”) Day last week that ...STATE SECURITY OR POLITICS OF POWER?: PARTY LEADER’S ARREST ILLUSTRATES PERCEIVED DOUBLE STANDARDS
Gayane Abrahamyan
Tigran Ter-Yesayan, head of the Forum legal center says the most “original and fantastic” among the cases of arrested activists characterized as political prisoners from opposition is the arrest of the ...POLITICAL STARVATION: “FREEDOM FIGHTERS” IN SHIRAK PROVINCE START HUNGER STRIKE
Ani HakobyanLast week 19 men from the Shirak province announced that they were beginning a hunger strike in solidarity for others they say are political prisoners, arrested in connection to post-election violence. ...WHAT NEXT FOR NKR?: 14 YEARS AFTER CEASE FIRE, NEGOTIATIONS GO ON
Aris Ghazinyan
May 12 marked the 14th anniversary of the truce in the Azerbaijan-Karabakh conflict zone. Heavy military defeats in 1993-1994 had forced Azerbaijan to accept Russia’s initiative of truce offered on May ...SQUANDERING: LORI PROVINCE LOSES MUCH MORE WATER THAN RESIDENTS GET
Naira Bulghadaryan
With the help of the German government the residents of Lori province will soon have drinking water of better quality. The Armenian-German program in Lori will be fulfilled with means provided by a loan ...HEALTH SCARE: YEREVAN DISTRICT UNDER GUARD AGAINST UNKNOWN AILMENT
Marianna Grigoryan
Cases of typhoid registered in Yerevan’s South-Western district about a week ago created a panic situation among many in the community. According to a statement released by the Health Ministry on May ...FROM SPRINGS TO TAPS: STEPANAKERT MUNICIPALITY PROMISES RESIDENTS WATER SUPPLY
Naira Hayrumyan
In early May Stepanakert municipality announced a tender for a reconstruction project of the city’s water supply system and promised the residents to have all the documents ready for modernization of ...
Similar headlines for (last 7 days) new!
ON THE MOVE: TER-PETROSYAN-LED OPPOSITION ANNOUNCES LENGTHY SIT-IN BEFORE ITS NEXT RALLY
Gayane AbrahamyanSPORT: ALL EYES ON SPAIN AS ARMENIA PREPARES FOR AN ENCOUNTER WITH EUROPE’S BEST
Suren MusayelyanCHILDBIRTH IN ARMENIA: PROMOTE POPULATION, IMPOVERISH FAMILIES
Naira BulghadaryanDIPLOMATIC RUMBLINGS: MOVEMENTS IN RELATIONS SEEN AS REGIONAL POWERS BECOME MORE ACTIVE
Aris GhazinyanACCUSATIONS CONTINUE: TER-PETROSYAN DOCUMENT SAYS OPPOSITION WAS METHODICALLY PERSECUTED
Marianna Grigoryan
Most read news (last 7 days)
BACK ON THE STUMP: OPPOSITIONISTS PACK GOVERNMENT HALL TO HEAR LATEST RALLY BY TER-PETROSYAN
Gayane Abrahamyan
AT HOME & ABROAD: ARMENIANS TO HAVE TWO IDS, INCLUDING BIOMETRY FOR TRAVELS ABROAD
Arpi HarutyunyanMINING FOR MOLYBDENUM?: ENVIRONMENTALISTS RAISE MORE PROTESTS OVER TEGHUT IMPACT
Sara Khojoyan“FREEDOM FIGHTERS” FACE FIGHT FOR THEIR OWN FREEDOM: NKR WAR VETERANS AMONG “POLITICAL PRISONERS”
Gayane MkrtchyanFARE SCARE: HIKE IN GAS PRICE FUELS SPECULATION ABOUT INCREASED TRANSPORTATION CHARGES
Arpi HarutyunyanSPORT: “QUEEN KILLER” STAYS UNDEFEATED; ARARAT ON THE RISE AFTER FAILED 2007 SEASON
Suren MusayelyanFORMER OPPOSITIONIST GETS PROMISED SECURITY COUNCIL POSITION
SEEKING REPATRIATION: FOUR ARMENIANS STILL IN AZERI CAPTIVITY AFTER GOING ASTRAY NEAR BORDER
Arpi HarutyunyanSAFE AMID DANGER: ARMENIANS UNSCATHED IN LATEST ESCALATION OF VIOLENCE IN LEBANON
Sara KhojoyanCOURT CLAIM: FIRED DIPLOMATS SURE OF IMMINENT REINSTATEMENT IN JOBS
Sara Khojoyan
© AUA
Today in Armenian history- 1812 The Peace Treaty of Bucharest (Romania) is signed between Russia and Turkey. Bessarabia is attached to Russia.
- 1904 Vahan Manooelian is killed in the fighting at Gomer during the Sassoon Rebellion.
- 1926 Inauguration of Yerevan's first hydro-electric power station. Orjonikidze, Aghamali-Oghli, and Eliava give speeches.
- 1980 Commemoration of the 1500 th anniversary of David Anhaght (the Invincible).
- 1981 Death of William Saroyan (writer) in Fresno (USA). He was awarded a Pulitzer Prize in 1940. He was born in 1908.
Forum most active discussions
- State Dept.'s David Kramer Owes an Apology for Misusing "Anti-Semitism" Card Against Armenia
- Ter-Petrossian had a meeting with the neo-fascist Turkish leader Alparslan Türkes
- levon ter petrosyan : a foreign agent
- The strategic research centre makes sensational revelations
- Open Letter to John Hughes who is the "agent in chief of the supposed "information" media armenia now which is 100% financed by the CIA.
- FOR THE RESPECT OF DEMOCRACY AND SURVIVAL OF THE ARMENIAN NATION
- Պարտադրված շուրջերկրյա ճանապարհորդություն
- ՄՈՒԶԿԱՄԱՆԴ
- Ինչ արժե երջանկությունը
- Միջադեպ
ARMENIAN NEWS
INTERACTIVE NEWS
INFORMATION
MY ARMTOWN
How to quit smoking?
How to write in Armenian on Windows XP?
All materials published on this website are taken from open sources and are copyrighted by their respective owners. You cannot reproduce or copy any materials published on armtown.com without written consent of original copyright holder. If you want to remove any material, please send us an email with proof of ownership/copyright and your material will be removed immediately. All materials published for information purposes only.