MosJan

http://armenianweekly.com/2017/06/14/breaking-two-men-reportedly-arrested-over-d-c-attack/ Two Men Reportedly Arrested Over D.C. Attack on Peaceful Protesters ANCA’s Hamparian: ‘Two Arrests Are a Good Start, but this is About Far More Than Crime Enforcement. It’s About Our U.S. Government Standing Up Against Foreign Attempts to Silence Dissent by American Citizens’ WASHINGTON (A.W.)— United States Marshals have arrested two Turkish men living in the U.S., for their role in beating peaceful protesters outside of the Turkish Ambassador’s residence in Washington, D.C. on May 16, according to a report by The Daily Caller. http://armenianweekly.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/arrest.png

Hovann Simonian and Peter Hrechdakian delivered the 18th Annual Vardanants Day Armenian lecture on their work using social media to expand the nonprofit Armenian DNA Project, a Facebook group of more than 1,000 members around the world involved in researching Armenian family history through genetic testing.

DNA & the Origins of Peoples: The Armenians

ErGyotveran for you "BREAKING NEWS: The California State Assembly just passed AB1597 by Assemblymember Adrin Nazarian for divestment of California's public pension funds from Turkish Government investment vehicles! If adopted by the State Senate and signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown, California would begin the process of divesting $500 million currently invested in the Turkish Government, sending a strong message that it will no longer contribute resources to a government which uses California funds to deny the Armenian Genocide and so flagrantly violates human and civil rights. Stay tuned for details. #DivestTurkey #TurkeyFailed #goANCA #AYF #GrassrootsMakeTheDifference"

Aznavour and others later visited Tatev Monastery, where Aznavour’s son Nicolas got baptized. “I’m proud that my son Nicolas decided to get baptized in Armenia,” said Aznavour. “My parents would be so happy to know that my two children– Misha and Nicolas remained committed to their roots and got baptized here in Armenia.” “I was born in France and studied in Switzerland and Canada. But the older I get, the more I feel tied to my Armenian roots,” Nicolas said. “I returned to the origins of my family after talking to my father and aunt, after listening to their stories. I started learning Armenian. After all this I decided to get baptized in Armenia,” he added.

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Charles Aznavour House Museum Opens in Yerevan; Son Baptized in Tatev Monastery YEREVAN (ArmRadio)—Charles Aznavour’s House Museum was opened in downtown Yerevan on June 1, in a ceremony attended by the legendary singer, his son Nicolas Aznavour, Armenia’s President Serzh Sarkisian, and a number of guests. Minister of Culture Armen Amiryan handed the symbolic keys to Charles Aznavour. The ceremony also marked the launching of the Aznavour Foundation, with the aim to preserve the legend’s cultural legacy by implementing social and educational programs. “All of our joint efforts should be targeted at the development of the Motherland to enable the youth to realize their dreams inside the country surrounded by beloved ones,” Aznavour said. The singer said he has decided to establish the foundation after seeing the brilliant educational programs implemented in Armenia, the restoration of historic monuments, and creation of new infrastructures. The same say, Aznavour visited Tatev Monastery with his son and friends, IDeA Foundation reported. They were welcomed at Halidzor station of Tatev ropeway by IDeA Foundation Director Edgar Manukyan and Tatev Ropeway Director Vahe Baghdasaryan. The guests were briefed on the history of Tatev and the programs implemented by Tatev Revival Fund.

http://asbarez.com/163943/council-of-europe-launches-investigation-into-azerbaijani-corruption/ STRASBOURG, France (BBC)—Europe’s top human rights watchdog, the Council of Europe, has launched an investigation into alleged corruption at the council involving Azerbaijan. The criticisms concern some members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), accused of doing favors for Azerbaijan. The oil-rich ex-Soviet state has cracked down on political dissidents. There are suspicions that Azerbaijan influenced PACE’s rejection of a report on Azeri political prisoners in 2013. Azerbaijan is among the 47 member nations of the Strasbourg-based Council of Europe. The council – not part of the EU – monitors compliance with the European Convention on Human Rights, and judges in Strasbourg enforce it. In January 2013 PACE rejected a report by German Social Democrat MP Christoph Strässer, which deplored human rights abuses in Azerbaijan and urged the authorities there to release political prisoners. The Azeri government denies that charges against opposition activists are politically motivated. Opponents of President Ilham Aliyev have been jailed on various charges, including tax evasion, spying and weapons possession. Top judges Three top international human rights lawyers will investigate the PACE corruption allegations and will report their findings by the end of 2017. They can recommend action against any PACE members implicated in corruption. The investigators are: Sir Nicholas Bratza from the UK, a former president of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) Jean-Louis Bruguière, a top anti-terrorism judge from France Elisabet Fura, a Swedish former judge at the ECHR PACE elects the judges at the ECHR, whose human rights rulings are binding on Council of Europe states. As part of the inquiry, PACE plans to revise its code of conduct. An investigation published in December by the European Stability Initiative (ESI), a human rights think-tank, alleged that some parliamentarians in PACE had engaged in political lobbying for Azerbaijan. There were claims that some received Azeri payments. Azerbaijan bans online insults to leader In March a top Council of Europe official, Secretary General Thorbjorn Jagland, wrote to PACE President Pedro Agramunt, urging him “to establish an independent external investigation body without any further delay.” A large group of European MPs in PACE made a similar plea in January. They said PACE’s integrity was threatened by “recent, serious and credible allegations of grave misconduct” by some fellow MPs. Civil society groups in Europe sent an open letter to PACE in April, saying an independent investigation must “shed light on hidden practices that favor corruption.”

no no ; let it stay like that. it's Arpas topic, let it stay the way he opened

should we change the topic name to islamofascist ???

STEPANAKERT, Artsakh—The Artsakh Republic recently launched flights on the path to increase tourism between Artsakh and Armenia. The Artsakh Foreign Ministry was asked to comment on the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry’s May 25 statement criticizing the operation of the flights in Artsakh, stating that it is an “illegal economic activity.” “Artsakh has long been a normally developing country where people, like in any other country, live and implement programs in various spheres, including tourism,” said Artsakh’s Public Relations Head Artak Nersisyan in an interview with Armenian news agency Aysor.am. Nersisyan said that Baku “not only tries to deny this objective reality, but also does not miss the opportunity to demonstrate his flagrant ignorance of the international conventions and legal norms of regulating civil aviation.” Azerbaijani authorities continuously try to “divert the attention of the international community from the real problems hampering the negotiation process and condition,” continued the Artsakh official, “by the relentless attempts of the Azerbaijani side to undermine the negotiation process.” In an interview with Tert.am, the Head of the Department of Aviation Samvel Tavadyan, said that last weekend, Artsakh has already carried six passengers with the newly operated flight. “Interest among travelers is high and we have been receiving many calls from abroad, regardless of it being a conflict zone,” he said.

STEPANAKERT, Artsakh (ArmRadio)—Yell Extreme Park, in collaboration with the Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh) Republic government, on May 24 announced the launch of tourist flights from Stepanakert-Shushi. This initiative, as well as the recently launched Artsakh-Armenia flights, has sparked outrage in Azerbaijan, who says it will damage the negotiation process. Founding Director of Yell Extreme Park Tigran Chibukhchyan says the rage from Baku plays more of a role for advertising. Flights have been carried out from the Stepanakert Airport since Artsakh’s liberation in 1991. The issue was politicized in 2008, when Artsakh authorities renovated the airport and announced plans to operate passenger flights. The airport also purchased two small planes for domestic flights a few years ago, used for agricultural purposes and tourist flights. Regular flights have never been launched. However, helicopter flights regularly operate to and from the airport, generally carrying the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group Co-Chairs and high-ranking officials from Armenia. The company is currently operating eight flights a day, and the demands keep growing, says Samvel Tavadyan, head of Aviation Department of the Artsakh Ministry of Economy. The flight duration is 25 minutes and costs 35,000 AMD per person. http://asbarez.com/163870/yell-extreme-park-launches-stepanakert-shushi-flights/

OSCE Regrets Closure of Yerevan Office YEREVAN (ArmRadio)—“Armenia’s involvement in all OSCE programs and in all directions of its activity can be considered exemplary,” Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian told reporters on Tuesday at a joint press conference with visiting Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Secretary General Lamberto Zannier. “The OSCE Secretary General’s visit is taking place at a time, when the organization is forced to close down its last office in the region, as one of the OSCE members states –Azerbaijan abused its right to veto, actually blocking the extension of the mandate of the OSCE Yerevan Office,” Nalbandian said. “Baku was trying to present the issue on the Armenia-Azerbaijan dimension, but the issue is actually a matter of Azerbaijan-OSCE relations and is an action against the OSCE,” the Foreign Minister stated. “I believe that the OSCE Chairmanship, as well as the participating states and the Secretariat have made relevant conclusions in regard to this destructive step of Baku, which totally contradicts the OSCE vision and goals,” he added. “Regarding the Office I would like to add that we anticipate that many programs, which Office has been implementing, will continue to be realized within other formats,” Nalbandian stated. OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier, in turn, voiced regret over the failure to reach consensus on the extension of the mandate. He added that the closure of the office does not mean end of cooperation with Armenia. “I think we have many topics on the agenda that are relevant and important and we have to look at different ways of working together and ensure that the closure of the office marks the closure of a chapter, and an opening of new ways of working together,” he added. He thanked the Armenian authorities for the support during his time as Secretary General. The Office in Yerevan will discontinue its operations on August 31, 2017 http://asbarez.com/163874/osce-regrets-closure-of-yerevan-office/

now you know how isis is transporting oil and who has the %%% in it.

BREAKING: House Foreign Affairs Committee Unanimously Condemns D.C. Attacks by Erdogan’s Bodyguards http://bit.ly/2rZq7tg

The full text of the ANCA's Aram Suren Hamparian's testimony before the House Foreign Affairs Committee Subcommittee of Europe regarding the Erdogan-ordered attacks on American protesters. Aram Hamparian Executive Director Armenian National Committee of America U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Europe, Eurasia, and Emerging Threats May 25, 2017 Violence Outside the Turkish Ambassador’s Residence: The Right to Peaceful Protest Thank you Chairman Rohrabacher and Ranking Member Meeks for this opportunity to testify about the May 16th attack by Turkish President Erdogan's bodyguards against peaceful protesters outside the Turkish Ambassador's residence. I participated in this peaceful protest at Sheridan Circle and was witness to this brutal assault on Americans and American values. I personally saw unprovoked attacks by President Erdogan's bodyguards and others against civilians protesting the Turkish government's policies. The Turkish President's security detail was large, clearly well-trained, and extremely violent - kicking and punching protesters even after they had fallen to the ground defenseless and, in at least one case, unconscious. I did my best to help the injured and stayed with many of them later that evening while they were being cared for at the George Washington University Hospital's emergency room. Live footage that I filmed for the Armenian National Committee of America Facebook page served as source video for CNN, the Associated Press, and other major media outlets. Our viral video spread news of this incident around the world and, along with excellent video and reporting by the Voice of America and others, helped place a global spotlight upon the Erdogan regime's increasingly violent efforts to suppress dissent, both at home and now, increasingly, abroad. Your leadership in educating your Congressional colleagues and the American public about this outrage is deeply appreciated. At the time of the incident I felt certain that it was an orchestrated attack, launched on orders from above. Video evidence I have reviewed subsequent to the violence, including a frame-by-frame analysis by the Washington Post and an audio analysis by the Daily Caller, confirm my conviction that this attack was, in fact, launched at the direction of President Erdogan. At the time, I offered live, on-the-scene comments. While rushed and shared in a stressful setting, my words then reflect my views today: "This is the very type of intolerance that has come to predominate in Turkey, and it is now been exported here. I was here. I saw every bit of this. I saw a group of peaceful protestors in Sheridan Circle - there is grassy area across the street from Turkish Ambassadors residence - they were protesting, exercising their Constitutional right to speak their mind, to hold signs, to share their opinion, to express their views." "They were rushed from across the street by a group of - a pro Erdogan crowd - broke through the police lines, attacked just literally anybody within reach, with their fists and anything else they could get a hold of, and they beat as many people as they could, they left many bloodied, many have been taken to the hospital. This is exactly the type of violence you see in Ankara and they're exporting it here. They're exporting it here. I'm going to repeat myself: It's one thing for the Turkish government to do that to its own citizens, and it's a terrible thing. It's another thing for us, as Americans, to see that exported to the United States, and it was exported to right here to the nation's capital. Right here, blocks from the White House!" The fact that Erdogan would act in such a brazen and brutal manner against Americans during a high-profile visit to Washington, DC offers a chilling insight into the depths of violence his forces visit every day upon those in Turkey who - far from the media spotlight - dare to dissent against his despotic rule. Last Tuesday's aggression by the Turkish government at Sheridan Circle is clearly part of an escalating and very troubling pattern. Having been allowed by U.S. Presidents - past and present - to enforce its gag-rule against honest U.S. remembrance of the Armenian Genocide, the Turkish government is now openly and unapologetically exporting its intolerance and violence to America. Past incidents involving violence by President Erdogan's bodyguards include a 2011 attack on a United Nations security detail and also a March, 2016, assault on protesters and journalists outside the Brookings Institute here in Washington, DC. I took part in last year's Brookings protest and witnessed first-hand the violence visited by President Erdogan's security on people gathered, upon our internationally respected Embassy Row, to exercise their Constitutional rights. President Erdogan is acting with remarkable arrogance and absolute disdain for our country, open disrespect for our police, and outright contempt for the principles that inspire and guide our democracy. The news that the Turkish Foreign Ministry has filed an official protest with U.S. Ambassador John Bass over the conduct of U.S. law enforcement offices is as outrageous as it is offensive. By way of background, our protest in Sheridan Circle followed an early, larger demonstration held across the street from the White House in Lafayette Park. The ANCA co-hosted this protest, along with other civil society groups concerned about a broad array of Turkish violations of human rights, humanitarian standards, press freedoms, and international law. Our Facebook event page was titled, "Protest Against The Erdogan Dictatorship," and invited supporters to "Join supporters of human rights, religious liberty, and regional peace at a rally outside the White House (in Lafayette Park) during President Trump's May 16th meeting with Turkish President Erdogan. Among the issues listed on this page were: Erdogan's post-coup consolidation of authoritarian power; mass arrests of the HDP leadership; vast purge of his political opposition; arrest of record numbers of journalists; restrictions on religious freedom and worship; Wikipedia ban and social media crackdown; aggression against Kurds in Syria and Iraq; anti-American rhetoric and actions; continued military occupation of Cyprus; obstruction of justice for genocide of Armenians, Assyrians/Chaldeans/Syriacs and Greeks, and; illegal economic blockade of Armenia. Among those protesting alongside human rights advocates, Armenians, Kurds, Greeks, and others at Lafayette Park was a religious freedom group seeking Turkey's release of Pastor Andrew Brunson, a U.S. citizen from North Carolina who, after leading a Christian ministry in Izmir for more than two decades, has, since October of 2016, been unjustly imprisoned in Turkey on trumped up charges. Mr. Chairman and Ranking Member, I very much appreciate the opportunity to share my testimony with you today and look forward to answering any questions.

https://www.facebook.com/ancagrassroots/videos/10154791529651859/ Streaming from the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee's Subcommittee Hearing on the violent attacks outside of the Turkish Ambassador's Residence.

Chairman Ed Royce of the House Foreign Affairs Committee was joined today by Ranking Democrat Eliot Engel and the Majority and Minority Leaders of the U.S. House - Reps. Kevin McCarthy and Steny Hoyer - in introducing H.Res.354, condemning the Turkish government's May 16th attack on peaceful protesters in Washington, DC - reported the ANCA. This bipartisan measure will be considered during tomorrow morning's meeting of the Foreign Affairs Committee.

Yesterday the city of Myrtle Beach recognized a horrific chapter in World History, the Armenian genocide, it lasted 8 years and killed over 1.5 million people. I was honored to be a part of this recognition and to help a cause so dear to our Armenian community here in Myrtle Beach. I also was excited to help a cause so dear to one of my heroes #BobDole Randal Wallace Myrtle Beach City Councilman https://www.facebook.com/91065547867/videos/10155484865307868/

your 1000% correct my friend