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Sefilian: Delay in negotiations over Erebuni police station seizure ex


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#21 Yervant1

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Posted 28 July 2016 - 01:46 PM

There are no living conditions in isolation cell for Alek Yenigomshyan

19:09 | July 28,2016 | Social

 
png2rZosJ_UDx.png

Member of the Founding Parliament Alek Yenigomshyan, who is in the NSS temporary detention isolation cell, has problems connected with simple living conditions.

“Food, water, reading. He is alone there and it is very difficult,” his advocate Nikolay Baghdasaryan told A1+.

Today advocate together with the representative of the HRD office visited Alek Yenigomshyan, who has disabilities. According to Nikolay Baghdasaryan, at present the Ombudsman’s office is dealing with those problems, but the administration cannot technically solve those problems. In the NSS temporary detention isolation cell, according to the advocate, there are no appropriate living conditions for Yenigomshyan.

Besides, the documents should be provided to Alek Yenigomshyan in Braille alphabet, so that he can read and defend his rights.

Alek Yenigomshyan is suspected of supporting the armed group, which seized the police HQ on July 17.

http://en.a1plus.am/1242852.html

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#22 Yervant1

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Posted 28 July 2016 - 01:49 PM

Ազատ արձակումից հետո Արսինե Խանջյանը զրուցել է armtimes.com-ի հետ | ՏԵՍԱՆՅՈՒԹ

28 Հուլիս, 2016

Խորենացի փողոցից ոստիկանները երեկ բերման ենթարկեցին կանադահայ հայտնի դերասանուհի, աշխարհահռչակ ռեժիսոր Ատոմ Էգոյանի կնոջը՝ Արսինե Խանջյանին։ Ոստիկանների այս քայլը երեկ արձագանք գտավ կանադական առաջատար ԶԼՄ-ներում։

armtimes.com-ն ազատ արձակումից հետո զրուցել է Արսինե Խանջյանի հետ:



#23 onjig

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Posted 28 July 2016 - 08:17 PM

 

19:43 • 28.07.16

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Արցախի ազատամարտիկների միությունը հանդես է եկել հայտարարությամբ, որտեղ անդրադարձել է «Սասնա ծռերի» գործողություններին։

Հայտարարության մեջ նշվում է.«Ս.թ. հուլիսի 17-ին Հայաստանի Հանրապետության ոստիկանության պարեկապահակային ծառայության գնդի վրա զինված խմբի կողմից ձեռնարկված հարձակման արդյունքում հեղվեց հայի արյուն, ծանր հարված հասցվեց մեր ազգի հեղինակությանը: Անչափ ցավալի է, որ այդ գործողության կազմակերպիչներից ոմանք Ղարաբաղյան պատերազմի մասնակիցներ են… Մարդիկ, որոնց հետ կողք կողքի, նույն խրամատում կանգնած, պաշտպանել ենք հող-հայրենին, իսկ այսօր, կարծես թե` հայտնվել բարիկադի տարբեր կողմերում: Թե որքանով է հիմնավորված ու վեհ հակառակ կողմում հայտնված հայրենյաց պաշտպանի նպատակն ու դրան հասնելու միջոցների ընտրությունը, ցույց կտա պատմությունը, բայց որ այսօր արդեն ունենք հայի խեղված ճակատագիր, երկատված ժողովուրդ և աննախանձելի ներքաղաքական իրավիճակ, դա ակնհայտ է… 

Ակնհայտ է, քանզի այս պահի դրությամբ ունենք Արցախի պաշտպանության համար մարտնչած, բայց հայի ձեռքով սպանված հայ գնդապետ, հայի կրակոցից վիրավորված հայ քաղաքացիներ, հայի ձեռքում գտնվող հայ պատանդներ, այդ թվում նաև կին… Այսքանից հետո մենք` ձեր երեկվա մարտընկերները, սխալվել, թե՞ պարզապես, երևակայության ուժով հավատացել ենք, որ հանձինս ձեզ ունենք հայրենիքի ճակատագրով մտահոգ զինակիցներ… Դատելով ստեղծված ծանր իրավիճակից, պարզվում է, որ սխալվել ենք… Սխալվել ենք, քանի որ ձեր ընտրած ճանապարհով դուք հյուծում եք ազգն ու հայրենիքը, այլ ոչ թե` տանում հզորացման… Չմոռանանք, որ ապրիլյան դեպքերից շատ կարճ ժամանակ է անցել և չի բացառվում առավել դաժան ու երկարատև առճակատման հավանականությունը… Հանգամանք, որը մեզ հուշում է ոչ թե ներքին ընդվզումներով ջլատել մեր համազգային դիմադրողականությունը, այլև առաջնորդվել միաբանվածության և համախմբվածության տեսլականով… 

 

Կարդալ ավելին:   http://www.tert.am/a...armenia/2091854

 

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I also don't want any land given up, or the weakening of the Armenian position in Artsakh. Yes, and the corruption in government,  should be cleaned up. 

 

But, I don't see this as a good thing. What is your though on this?

 

 

“At present, we have an Armenian colonel who fought to defend Artsakh, but was killed by an Armenian, as well as Armenian citizens wounded by Armenians, hostages held by Armenians, a woman among them.

 

This seem like an Arab or South American country type of action. 

 

What do you think, any of you?


Edited by onjig, 28 July 2016 - 08:18 PM.


#24 onjig

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Posted 28 July 2016 - 08:28 PM

Սա լավ բան է Ադրբեջանի համար



#25 Yervant1

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Posted 29 July 2016 - 10:22 AM

Monte Melkonian’s Family Appeals for Release of Alec Yenikomshian

 

69526.jpg21:16, July 28, 2016

To:  President Serzh Sargsyan, Republic of Armenia

Date:  July 28, 2016

Dear Sir:

We have learned with great concern of the detention by the National Security Service on July 27 of life-long patriot, Ara Alec Yenikomshian.  Mr. Yenikomshian has for decades been engaged in charitable work in Armenia and with the improvement of a country he loves more than anything else. He has devoted life and limb to the benefit of the Armenian homeland, and he was one of the closest and most trusted comrades of your former comrade-in-arms, Armenian national hero Monte Melkonian.  Despite suffering great physical wounds in the process of his patriotic activities, Alec continues to work for the good of Armenia.  Mr. Yenikomshian is an extraordinary patriot, conscientious and dedicated to civil debate and to the lawful, peaceful improvement of the country’s institutions.  We join our voices to the many others who request that he be released immediately from police custody.  

Respectfully,

Maile Melkonian

Markar Melkonian

Marcia Melkonian

Seta Kbranian-Melkonian

Suzy Mahseredjian-Melkonian

http://hetq.am/eng/n...nikomshian.html


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#26 Yervant1

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Posted 29 July 2016 - 10:46 AM

When People Are Fed Up

Policy Forum Armenia, 25 July 2016

Perhaps since the takeover of Bastille in Paris in July 1789, much of the humanity has chosen non-violent methods for settling political discourse. On the one hand, times were changing and the use of arms looked increasingly uncivilized even while dealing with oppressive and corrupt regimes. Besides, people knew they will fall anyway, despite a few attempts here and there to “expedite the process”. On the other hand, the development of democratic governance across the world in the subsequent centuries provided examples of smoother and much less costly transition opportunities.

Protests-Erebouni.jpg

Fast forward Armenia in 2016…

At early hours of July 17, a group of gunmen attacked a large police compound in Erebuni district of Yerevan and took several police officers hostage. All hostages were subsequently released within days in a show of good will, including a general, deputy police chief of Armenia, and a colonel, deputy chief of Yerevan police. One senior police officer was killed in a shootout, having reportedly fired nine bullets at the attackers despite repeated warnings to cease fire.

In a written statement, the attackers—political activists and “freedom fighters” from the war in Artsakh (Armenian for Nagorno Karabagh) calling themselves the “Daredevils of Sassoon” per a medieval Armenian heroic epic poem—mentioned that they were left without options to channel dissatisfaction with the handling of the country’s affairs and achieve a meaningful change in the country’s governance. Every single nation-wide election in Armenia since 1991 has been considered fraudulent by independent observers, with the one in 2008 leading to 10 deaths of protesters daring to question the outcome. Policy Forum Armenia’s research since 2008 confirms this.

Demands of the gunmen are straightforward: (1) release of all political prisoners, including their leader Jirayr Sefilian (Lebanese-born highly decorated field commander of the first Artsakh war) and (2) resignation of Serge Sargsyan and his regime.

The statement issued by the Presidential palace on the 5th day of the events in response to these demands read much like an ultimatum of someone, who has difficulties grasping the new reality on the ground. It essentially said to the gunmen: “Lay down your arms and you will be tried by the country’s laws and Constitution.” Although some senior members of the junior coalition partner and a key Sargsyan ally in suppressing Diaspora dissent—the socialist ARF-Dashnaktsutyun—criticized the use of force by the group, few took them seriously, coming from a party that has been charged by an Armenian court for preparing to assassinate country’s first (and only) legitimately elected president in 1993.

International response to the police compound takeover has been strong. Both the US and the EU condemned the use of force by the attackers while at the same time calling on the regime to exercise restraint in handling the situation. The Russian Foreign Ministry condemned the takeover of the police base and called on the authorities to “unblock the situation as soon as possible, release the hostages, carry out a full investigation of the incident and punish the responsible persons”.

In the meantime, the public support for the gunmen has been gaining momentum despite the regime’s intimidation tactics, mass arrests, and use of force. A committee has been created—consisting of opposition politicians and independent intellectuals—to coordinate the activities of protesters in coordination with the attackers (who have cut a deal with the police to have communication with the rest of the world). The outpouring of support from Diaspora communities—largely spearheaded by the Armenian Renaissance network—continues, with rallies (albeit still small) held in some cities abroad. This is turning into a significant challenge for Sargsyan (and his ARF propagandists), something that he cannot easily resolve without putting his political career and/or life on the line.

The regime has moved full force—including using tear gas, stun grenades, and hundreds of plainclothes officers—to suppress the protests that erupted in Yerevan. Over 200 activists are reportedly in police custody following the clashes with riot police and protesters on July 20. The leader of the Founding Parliament (FP), the political wing of the “Daredevils of Sassoon”, is in hiding with a case pending against him. Another senior member of the FP, Garo Yegnukyan, has been arrested and charged with aiding the gunmen. The Transparency International Armenian Anti-corruption center has asked for a cease of all foreign funding to the Armenian police amid evidence of serious abuse of power and brutality.

Events in Yerevan demonstrated a clear disconnect between the rhetoric of Serge Sargsyan’s administration and the reality on the ground. The disastrous economic and social policies conducted by Sargsyan administration (which nevertheless made a few on the top very wealthy) and constant promises for political reform followed by a series of fraudulent nation-wide elections, altogether fueling the belief that nothing can be changed in Armenia via political discourse. Moreover, the dissatisfaction with the handling of economic and political affairs of the country (which are seen as the main factors behind Armenia’s crippling emigration) was recently exacerbated by the discovery of massive embezzlement of funding within armed forces during the 4-day war with rival Azerbaijan in April (which ended with minor territorial losses for the Armenian side), creating a serious dissatisfaction with the regime’s handling of nation-wide affairs.

The events also revealed an apparent disconnect between the army and police in Armenia. The former has been increasingly nervous about the Russia-orchestrated plan to hand over the territory liberated by Armenia in the 1991-94 war back to Azerbaijan (as issue mentioned repeatedly by the gunmen in their statement), in what is widely believed an attempt by president Putin to lure Azerbaijan into the Eurasian Economic Union. The police, on the other hand, is believed to be primarily concerned about the growing internal instability and continues to remain loyal to the Sargsyan regime, which has provided them with all perks, including overblown size, relatively high and stable salaries, and ability to go unpunished for rampant abuse and (highly profitable business of) covering up corruption by high-ranking officials, among other misdeeds.

In Conclusion…

In his endorsement of Policy Forum Armenia’s report on “Corruption in Armenia”, Daron Acemoglu—the Elizabeth and James Killian Professor of Economics at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, recipient of the Bates Clark medal in Economics, and author of “Why Nations Fail: Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty”—said:

“Some say that Armenia is doomed to fail economically because of its geography or location in the world. But like so many other countries around the world and throughout history, its failure is due to corruption, unscrupulous politicians and weak institutions. It’s not lack of opportunities but squandered opportunities that are at the root of Armenia’s ills, and it can make progress only by confronting this fact and holding accountable those responsible for the failures.”

Armenians have not had their Bastille—they have been too busy confronting external enemies for pretty much as long as they existed, without paying much attention to the enemy from within. This might just be their chance to have it, a chance to break the vicious cycle of squandered opportunities and the continuous fall into oblivion by standing tall and calling for better governance and independence from a foreign rule.

Regardless of whether or not these events will directly bring about a political change in Armenia, one thing is clear: maintaining the status quo in Armenia for Serge Sargsyan and his Diaspora partners will be next to impossible. The 30-odd heavily armed and experienced fighters surrounded by thousands of sympathetic civilians in downtown Yerevan are unlikely to go away (without creating a mayhem for the Sargsyan regime) and may just become the trigger for both political and foreign policy reform that citizens of Armenia have been longing for.


Mr. Yegnukian is also an Executive Board member of Policy Forum Armenia.

http://www.keghart.com/PFA-Fed-Up

 


#27 Yervant1

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Posted 29 July 2016 - 10:53 AM

Petros Makeyan: Crisis cannot be resolved by neutralizing Sasna Dzrer or sending its members to prison

12:45 | July 29,2016 | Politics

Leader of the Democratic Homeland party, Petros Makeyan, condemns the inhuman, Pinochet-style actions of the security forces.

“Police officers with machine guns intimidate people nowadays. It is useless to keep police troops today, they should be sent to the army,” Mr Makeyan told journalists on July 29.

He says besides Azerbaijan the Armenian leadership also has another enemy in the person of Armenian society. The arrests of Alek Yenigomshyan and Armen Mikaelyan, both members of the Founding Parliament movement, as well as Levon Barseghyan, Chairman of Gyumri-based Journalists’ Asparez Club, remind Petros Makeyan of 193 ‘when Stalin said it is important to find people to press charges against them.’

He says the authorities are not responding to the demands of the Sasna Dzrer because Serzh Sargsyan wants to benefit somehow from the present situation and delay the surrender of lands.

“The crisis should be resolved in a political way, rather than by force. When people go to war, they realize that they will either die or come back home. But when the members of the Sasna Dzrer group stormed the police HQ, they knew that they will either die or be sent to prison,” he said adding that the problem cannot be solved by neutralizing the armed group or sending its members to prisons; new groups will emerge who will also raise their voices in protest against the authorities.

Speaking about the medics who are reportedly held hostage by the anti-government gunmen, Mr Makeyan said ‘the guys simply need round the clock care.’ “If they [gunmen] released Valeri Osipyan, then we cannot consider medics hostage in the given circumstances.”

In reply to A1+’s question why he was not seen on the platform, the Leader of the Democratic Homeland party said, “I prefer to fight in the field where the people are standing.”

http://en.a1plus.am/1242907.html



#28 Yervant1

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Posted 29 July 2016 - 10:56 AM

“Arresting Levon Barseghyan, the police will be deprived of grants.” Eduard Mkhitaryan
13:14 | July 29 2016
%D4%B7%D4%B4%D5%88%D5%92%D4%B1%D5%90%D4%
 

Eduard Mkhitaryan, a member of the “Gala” political board of Gyumri, in an interview with Aravot.am, considers an absurd to file a criminal case about the fact of detecting a folding knife in the pocket of the President of “Asparez” Journalists Club in Gyumri, Levon Barseghyan, and arresting him. “The allegation is groundless and absurd. Perhaps, 91 percent of Armenia’s population have a knife like this and use it for cutting cheese, opening a bottle on the way to going somewhere or stops on the way to eat bread on the trunk of his car, every man keeps such a knife with him. They have not found any other way but to bring such accusations. The purpose apparently is clear to everyone. Isolating Levon Barseghyan from Khorenatsi Street, deprive his of the opportunity to speak from the tribune as the authorities also understand that Levon Barseghyan has very sharp and rich vocabulary and is able to criticize the RA authorities and the whole system full of corruption and illegalities, as well as the legal system armed with truncheons very precisely and very opportune, he is able to interpret the situation precisely. Levon was isolated for this very reason. I think that they have no grounds to keep Levon Barseghyan and will release him soon,” – said Eduard Mkhitaryan.

According to our interlocutor, if we had followed by the logic of the authorities, then at least 60 percent of our population is a law-breaker and should be detained. “For example, the farmer goes to harvest with a scythe, or the woodcutter goes with an ax, likewise they can be detained. All this is funny, ridiculous, there are far more effective methods, you can talk to people rather than use such brutal methods, like let’s say, Arsine Khanjyan was forcibly transferred without understanding and without realizing who she is and how important she is for the community and the world culture-admiring society. This caused a big fuss. Many prestigious Canadian and American media addressed this issue. I am sure for hundred percent that they will also write about Levon, the reports of the human rights organizations will address this issue, and naturally, it will have a negative impact. It is very possible that tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, they will be deprived of financial sources, we know very well that the police are partly funded by the grant programs of international organizations. The shining helmets or, let’s say, the new measures, conscript that stand before the people, those water cannons, which they used to “shower” people, this is done by the funds of international organizations. Now, they appeared in a non-beneficial situation,” says Eduard Mkhitaryan with confidence.

Nune AREVSHATYAN

http://en.aravot.am/2016/07/29/179371/



#29 Yervant1

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Posted 29 July 2016 - 10:59 AM

Three French-Armenian Organizations Support People Demonstrating in Yerevan

 
png9ja9uZAPQS.png

14:22, July 29, 2016

On Tuesdays, July 26, three French-Armenian organizations (Renaissance Arménienne, Charjoum le Mouvement and CollectifAzatDzayn) gathered in front of Armenian embassy in Paris to support the struggle of the Armenian people.

In solidarity they denounced rampant corruption in Armenia and voiced support of the people in their determination to remove the current regime, restore equal justice for all, fight against poverty and restore freedoms.

In addition, the organizations denounced the arbitrary arrests of citizens and demanded the release of jJrair Sefilian and Alec Yenikomishian.

JeanEckian / Paris
http://hetq.am/eng/n...in-yerevan.html


#30 Yervant1

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Posted 29 July 2016 - 11:01 AM

Arsinee Khanjian: Actions of “Sasna Tsrer” group is an _expression_ of despair


09:33, 29.07.2016
 
pngTtdObNrAIY.png


YEREVAN. – Actions of “Sasna Tsrer” group is an _expression_ of despair, well-known Canadian-Armenian actress Arsinee Khanjian said in an interview with the Armenian service of RFE/RL.

Earlier Arsinee Khanjian was detained from Khorenatsi Streert where supporters of the group are gathering for 12 days.

Asked about her attitude to Pavel Manukyan and members of “Sasna Tsrer” Khanjian said: “They are the heroes of our symbolic history, they served our country, perhaps more emotional, but I think that their actions are an _expression_ of despair.”

 In her view, the change of power in Armenia should not happen through “Sasna Tsrer” group, but through the call of the people.

“In fact, today, people are no longer afraid. Even if the police intimidate people, they are not ready to be afraid anymore. They are trying to become a party to the changes like our heroes,” she said.

Asked whether her husband famous director Atom Egoyan shared her political views, the actress stressed: “Of course. For him it is quite clear that there is a big problem in this country, and it is our duty to become a party to the developments. Up to now we have been focused on cultural field.”

http://news.am/eng/news/339456.html

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#31 MosJan

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Posted 29 July 2016 - 02:46 PM


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#32 Yervant1

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Posted 30 July 2016 - 07:58 AM

Clashes start also in Yerevan's Khorenatsi street, law enforcement officers attack protestors


22:41, 29.07.2016

YEREVAN. - Clashes have started now between the protestors and policemen in Yerevan’s Khorenatsi street, where   supporters of Sasna Tsrer armed group have gathered.  

Immediately after warning the policemen started an attack, throwing smoke grenades at the people, Armenian News - NEWS.am correspondent reports. The law enforcement officers have started detaining people.

By blocking the street the police are moving forward, freeing the street.

Clashes have also taken place in Sari Tagh neighborhood of Erebuni district, where part of the protestors have gathered. The police used special means in Sari Tagh. According to Deputy President of Heritage Party Armen Martirosyan, the clashes were provoked by plainclothes provocateurs.  

Armen Martirosyan and Levon Barseghyan calmed down the situation in Sari Tagh. They are negotiating with Yerevan Chief of Police Ashot Karapetyan, who insists that the assembly is unlawful and demands protestors to leave the territory.

http://news.am/eng/news/339640.html


#33 Yervant1

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Posted 30 July 2016 - 08:03 AM

Riot Police Assault on Protesters In Yerevan, Many Injured

July 29, 2016

YEREVAN — Riot police clashed late on Friday with hundreds of people
near a police compound in Yerevan occupied by gunmen affiliated with
an Armenian opposition group.

The violence unfolded amid the sound of gunshots and explosions coming
from the compound located in the city’s southern Erebuni district. It
was not immediately clear whether security forces were conducting a
large-scale operation there.

Most of the protesters sympathetic to the gunmen unexpectedly tried to
approach the building from the nearby Sari Tagh neighborhood. Using
tear gas and stun grenades, the police charged towards them after the
protest leaders ignored senior law-enforcement officers’ orders to
walk back to the city center.

The chief of Yerevan’s police department, Ashot Karapetian, said that
the rally is illegal and that gunshots fired around the compound are
too dangerous for its participants.

Some protesters as well as three RFE/RL journalists — Karlen Aslanian,
Hovannes Movsisian and Garik Harutiunian — were attacked and beaten up
by a large group of plainclothes men as they retreated towards
downtown Yerevan. The men, who appeared to be police officers, were
clearly aware that they are assaulting reporters.

“Are you filming?” one of them said before punching Movsisian,
smashing his camera and tearing off his ID badge.

“I told them that I stopped filming but they kept hitting me,”
Movsisian said by phone as he ran for safety and took cover in a local
shop shortly before midnight.

“They are chasing us and trying to arrest everyone in sight,” he said,
adding that he witnessed dozens of protesters injured and detained at
the scene.

The two other RFE/RL reporters were also injured before fleeing to
safety through another Sari Tagh street.

Earlier on Friday Armenian security forces shot and wounded three more
gunmen in the continuing standoff with the gunmen barricaded inside
the police compound.

The Armenian police spokesman, Ashot Aharonian, said they “returned
fire” after the gunmen again started firing gunshots in defiance of
warnings issued by law-enforcement authorities. “One of the shooters,
Arayik Khandoyan, was wounded,” he said.

Aharonian said the gunfire continued after Khandoyan’s was struck by a
bullet. “Two more shooters were wounded by retaliatory fire from
law-enforcers,” he wrote on Facebook later in the evening. “They are
receiving adequate medical assistance.”

Aharonian said the gunmen, Artur Melkonian and Armen Lambarian, were
taken to the nearby Erebuni hospital afterwards.

Around the same time, an RFE/RL correspondent witnessed the
hospitalization of two men outside the hospital entrance guarded by
masked and armed security officers. She reported that one of them was
Lambarian but could not recognize the other man.

Varuzhan Avetisian, the gunmen’s leader, blamed the police and the
National Security Service (NSS) for Khandoyan’s shooting when he spoke
to RFE/RL’s Armenian service (Azatutyun.am) before the two other
gunmen were reportedly wounded.

“We contacted an NSS representative and he said, ‘You are shooting and
that is why were are returning fire,’”Avetisian said by phone.

“But we are not shooting at them,” he said. “We are shooting inside
our territory for our safety. We are shooting at an [unmanned aerial]
device to make sure that it doesn’t drop bombs and harm us.”

Avetisian said that Khandoyan was wounded in the leg and immediately
treated by three medics that were taken hostage by the gunmen on
Wednesday.They claimed that the ambulance crew are not hostages. But
he admitted that they are being held in the seized compound against
their will.

“The presence of doctors here is a matter of life or death for us,”
said Avetisian. “We are not holding the doctors hostage, we just need
medical aid.”

“If there are no doctors here they will shoot us one by one,” he said.

Avetisian insisted on Friday that the three medics will be allowed to
leave the compound only if they are replaced by another ambulance
crew.

Taguhi Stepanian, the chief of Yerevan’s public ambulance service,
rejected that condition. “They deceived us when they held our doctors
[on Wednesday,]” she told RFE/RL’s Armenian service (Azatutyun.am).
“They had told us that they have two seriously wounded persons and
that they want the doctors to transport them to hospital.”

“Then they told the doctors, ‘You won’t get out of here until our
demands are met,” said Stepanian.

https://urldefense.p...0mROhEUA6MCo&e=



#34 Yervant1

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Posted 30 July 2016 - 08:07 AM

CTV News, Canada
July 29 2016


Armenia: Officers wound 3 more gunmen holding police station


YEREVAN, Armenia -- Security forces on Friday wounded three more of
the armed members of an opposition group who have been barricaded
inside a police station in the Armenian capital for nearly two weeks,
and riot police later used stun grenades to break up a demonstration
in support of the opposition gunmen.

The three gunmen were wounded in an exchange of gunfire with security
forces, police spokesman Ashot Agaronyan said on Facebook.

A high-ranking police officer, speaking on condition of anonymity
because he was not authorized to release information, said the gunmen
were hit in the legs by snipers after emerging from the station.

A group of about 30 gunmen seized the police post in Yerevan on July
17, killing one officer and wounding several others in the attack, to
demand freedom for an opposition figure arrested in June.

Besides the three gunmen wounded Friday, five others were wounded in
previous exchanges of fire with police. Six were hospitalized and two
remained inside the police station, where they were receiving
treatment from three members of an ambulance crew who were being held
hostage.

The standoff has set off a series of anti-government demonstrations,
held nearly daily in the evening.

More than 4,000 protesters gathered in a central square on Friday
evening and several hundred of them later set off for the area around
the besieged police station.

Riot police set off stun grenades to disperse the protesters and
clashes broke out.

https://urldefense.p...yTV1L8fiZwKM&e=
 



#35 Yervant1

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Posted 30 July 2016 - 08:24 AM

Armenia on the brink of police state: Heritage Party
  • 11:40 | July 30,2016 | Politics
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Statement by Heritage Party

In the most egregious campaign of human rights violations since the falsification of elections and referenda, the ruling regime has rounded up and physically attacked hundreds of citizens, including journalists, for exercising their constitutional right of assembly.

Many of the late-night arrests were conducted by plain-clothes policemen with the application of unprecedented violence.  Among those arrested were Heritage leaders Armen Martirosyan, Hovsep Khurshudyan, Susanna Muradyan, and Davit Sanasaryan.  Their whereabouts are unknown.

We demand the release of all political prisoners and the resignation of this administration, which has proved to have nothing in common with the civilized world and much in parallel with Yanukovich and other despotic, totalitarian regimes around the world.

Without protection of civil and human rights, both within the country and by the international community, the opportunities for discourse and justice will vanish, and our promising new republic will risk spiraling unpredictably into formless chaos.

We suggest that all political forces and civil society stand together for the purpose of establishing, in short order, a constitutional state based on free and fair elections and a fundamental respect for the dignity of each and every citizen.

Raffi K. Hovannisian

30 July 2016

Yerevan

http://en.a1plus.am/1243114.html



#36 Yervant1

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Posted 30 July 2016 - 08:25 AM

Armenia's Ombudsman: Police hinders detainees from meeting their lawyers
  • by Tatevik Shahunyan

  • Saturday, July 30, 15:20
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Armenia's Ombudsman Arman Tatoyan mentioned in his statement received by ArmInfo that facts were registered of Police hindering those detained overnight from meeting their lawyers, and breached their right to make telephone calls. 

The statement stresses that this is a harsh violation of human rights. Currently the representatives of the Ombudsman's Office are visiting police departments for ensuring the activists' rights are restored.  

To note, there is still no information about the exact number of the detainees.

http://www.arminfo.a...B550EB7C0D21663



#37 Yervant1

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Posted 30 July 2016 - 08:29 AM

“When I find out who is president of our country, I will hold him accountable”
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Director of “A1+” TV company Mesrop Movsesyan, while touching upon overnight clashes and violence used against the journalists, has come to a conclusion that these methods of banditry aim at silencing the media outlets and cutting off their tongue, breaking the camera and head, “And beat in general. My grandmother used to say that there is God above; it means that there is only one truth for everybody and they will pay for it. Simply ‘above’ means something different and some other men for some people.”

He thinks that everything must be displayed and broadcast, “Neither Vova Gasparyan, nor the president is to decide whether this or that footage must be broadcast or not, the editor and the journalist working on the scene are to decide it. Yesterday all the journalists were singled out from the people, were stopped in an open area and literally appeared under bombardment. How can the Police Chief believing in God explain it? Maybe it is the first night he slept peacefully and maybe he is asleep until now. Such things happen all over the world, but power in our country are a little wilder; they turned it into a planet of apes. The Police Chief is a very little person to make decisions by himself, and the person, who makes decisions, is silent as always. During all these years the style is the same, simply ink has been changed; generation has been changed, which today wants to become established, but the night’s events aimed at frightening them.”

As for the question whether the security of the journalists implementing their professional activities is ensured and whether they can stop the work for security reasons and left the scene, Mesrop Movsesyan added, “At night I visited our journalist Robert Ananyan; he has numerous injuries, but he isn’t frightened, he is simply shocked. He worked bleeding for about an hour. As for who we must hold accountable for all this, I can answer- when I find out who is our president, I will demand from him; we simply have phenomena like mummies, who make decisions so that they are backed.”

http://en.a1plus.am/1243130.html



#38 Yervant1

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Posted 30 July 2016 - 08:31 AM

“Displays of revenge and sadism against journalists and society”
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Aram Abrahamyan, editor of “Aravot” newspaper, considers yesterday’s events in Sari Tagh, when numerous citizens and journalists were subjected to violence and beating, to be inappropriate and wrong actions by a gang, “I strictly condemn the actions of the policemen as well as persons in civilian clothes against the demonstrators and journalists. It was a targeted attack on the journalists; they aimed at stopping the live streaming, eliminating photos and recordings. Such hindrance was simply nonsense.”

He thinks that there were certain displays of revenge and sadism against the journalists and the society, “I don’t say that the policemen shouldn’t patrol the police station, simply they must do everything in a professional way; all they must have uniform and don’t behave like neighborhood hooligans. I think that the unlawfulness was mainly displayed not by the policemen, but by the staff of some oligarch.”

http://en.a1plus.am/1243144.html



#39 Yervant1

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Posted 30 July 2016 - 08:32 AM

Jirayr Sefilyan: “First I must meet with the guys and then with Serzh Sargsyan”
  • 16:27 | July 30,2016 | Politics
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The Founding Parliament today has released the statement of Jirayr Sefilyan:

“Dear compatriots, I want to inform you that during past 3-4 days, negotiators have visited me, whom I know and respect. They visited me after having met with Serzh Sargsyan.

The negotiators visited me for two times and once called and conveyed that Serzh Sargsyan hasn’t changed his stance and continues to claim that the guys should lay down the arms, after which meeting will be held between them.

I told them that I also remain committed to my stance that the goal of my meeting with the guys is to find political golden mean. First I should meet with the guys and then with Serzh Sargsyan, only as a result of that the guys can lay down the arms. I continue to insist on this stance.

Not coming to an agreement with Serzh Sargsyan in this matter has had serious consequences for our people, for which I am very sorry. The whole nation is in a bout, and Serzh Sargsyan wants to make it sink. Not coming to an agreement by him and using cruel methods against the people can prove it. On the contrary to all this, as well as on the contrary to the insidious actions carried out by the regime against Sasna Dzrer and the people, I remain open for negotiations, which aim at stopping bloodshed as soon as possible.

So, the whole responsibility of the current events in Armenia lies with Serzh Sargsyan.”

http://en.a1plus.am/1243142.html



#40 Yervant1

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Posted 30 July 2016 - 08:35 AM

Editors condemn targeted attacks on journalists

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SOCIETY 16:28 30/07/2016 ARMENIA

“I strongly condemn the actions of the policemen and non-uniformed people, who left the impression of gang members carrying out inadequate and incorrect actions against protestors, especially the journalists,” Aram Abrahamyan, Chief Editor of Aravot daily said during a press conference commenting on the events at Sari Tagh neighbourhood.

“They targeted the journalists and attacked them to interrupt live broadcasts and destroy photos, videos and recordings, so that their actions would not to be recorded. However, as it was also proved during the Electric Yerevan that’s impossible,” he added.

According to Abrahamyan, whatever happened was revenge against the public and the journalists, which is strongly condemnable.


Concerning the issue of how the news are being edited in this critical moments, Mesrop Movsesyan, the director of A1+ news agency, who was also present during the press conference noted that the editor and the journalist discuss what should be broadcasted. “Yet when they’re trying to close your mouth, cut off your tongue, break your hands and the camera, it becomes difficult to think about how to edit [the information]”.

Speaking about whether the journalists are protected when carrying out their professional duties and whether they can leave the scene when their safety is endangered, he noted that professional journalists never leave. “I’ve visited our reporter, Robert Ananyan at the hospital. While having numerous injuries, he wasn’t scared. He worked about an hour while bleeding”.

IT security expert, Samvel Martirosyan also condemned the attacks highlighting that applying such means in an inhabited area is incomprehensible.

“Attacking journalists is a serious case. After the events at Baghramyan, the journalists’ community wasn’t consistent enough in order for the real culprits to be punished. So now we see the results. The journalists’ community shouldn’t just express their joint opinion, rather they need to resort to certain actions”.

Speaking about blocking the news, he said that pursuing journalists the issue wouldn’t be solved, as anyone with a cell phone is a potential journalist. “We have thousands of journalists today who provide information from the scene. It’s just that many of them aren’t professional”.

They also noted that in response, journalists could refuse to cover certain areas.

http://www.panorama....nalists/1620794





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