Four suspects beat woman to death in Istanbul (The most dangerous City for Woman)

April 24, 2013 By administrator

Four suspects, including a woman, were taken into custody today after allegedly beating 37-year-old Dilek Duyuş to death late last night in Istanbul’s Beyoğlu district, Doğan news agency reported.

The female suspect was the ex-wife of Duyuş’s current boyfriend, Celal Demir, and was accompanied by three other men when she barged into Duyuş’s home in the district’s Kulaksız neighborhood. The suspects allegedly attacked the couple with bats, and one of the suspects, identified as H.M., allegedly stabbed the woman three times.

The woman was discovered dead in the apartment by neighbors after the suspects left the crime scene. Demir, wounded at the time, was taken to a nearby hospital immediately.

All suspects were soon caught by police officers and taken into custody. H.M. reportedly confessed to stabbing Dilek, claiming that he was “defending his honor.”

Duyuş’s body was sent for an autopsy at the Istanbul Forensic Medicine Institute.

Armenian MP calls on Iran to recognize Armenian Genocide

April 24, 2013 By administrator

Iranian Armenians expect the Islamic Republic of Iran to recognize the Armenian Genocide, Armenian MP in the Iranian Majlis Karen Khanlarian is quoted as saying by Isna.ir.

Referring to the 98th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide in his remarks in Majlis, the Armenian MP said, in part, “In the course of the history, the Armenians, together with their Muslim, Assyrian, Jewish and Zoroastrian brothers, protected Iran, sparing no effort for its development and progress and therefore I expect the Islamic Republic of Iran to recognize the Armenian Genocide, in which 1.5 million Armenians were killed by the Ottoman Empire in 1915.”

Recently the Deputy Speaker of Iranian Majlis mentioned the Armenians and Assyrians killed during the Genocide, saying, in part, “If military and political strength and wealth do not unite with high human and divine values, they will lead to such horrible crimes as the genocide of our Christian sisters and brothers. The hand which was yesterday covered with the blood of the Armenians is now covered with the blood of our sisters and brothers in Syria.”

The Armenian Genocide has been recognized and condemned by Uruguay (1965), the Republic of Cyprus (1982), Argentina (1993), Russia (1995), Canada (1996), Greece (1996), Lebanon (1997), Belgium (1998), Italy (2000), Vatican (2000), France (2001), Switzerland (2003), Slovakia (2004), The Netherlands (2004), Poland (2005), Germany (2005), Venezuela (2005), Lithuania (2005), Chile (2007), Sweden (2010). The Armenian Genocide has also been recognized and condemned by Vatican, the Council of Europe and the World Council of Churches. Turkey denies the fact of the Armenian Genocide.

Iranian Armenians hold protest near Turkish embassy in Tehran

April 24, 2013 By administrator

The Iranian authorities have allowed Iranian Armenians to hold a protest near the Turkish embassy in Tehran, Hayeli.com reported.

Iranian Armenians attended a commemoration service for the victims of the Armenian Genocide at St. Sarkis Church in Tehran this morning before they marched to the Turkish embassy in Tehran.

The protesters were carrying placards reading: “The Armenian Genocide is the first genocide in the 20th century.”

Armenian Genocide rally held in Beirut

April 24, 2013 By administrator

Thousands of Armenians called on Turkey to recognize the Genocide in Beirut on Tuesday, The Daily Star reports.

During a mass rally in Martyrs’ Square commemorating the 98th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, Lebanese of Armenian origin and supporters held signs and chanted slogans against Ankara which maintains that the deaths of some 500,000 were not a result of genocide.

“Turkey should recognize the genocide and take action for restitution,” Paul Halebian, one of the protesters, said. “It’s our right, our land, our dignity.”

“Turkey: It’s time for recognition and repatriation,” one of the signs read. “Justice and restitution for the Armenian Genocide,” another said.

There are around 200,000 Lebanese of Armenian origin represented by five ministers in the Cabinet.

False accusation linking Armenian to Boston bombings should be condemned: Harut Sassounian

April 24, 2013 By administrator

11:55, 24 April, 2013

YEREVAN, APRIL 24, ARMENRPESS. The Publisher and Editor of The California Courier newspaper Harut Sassounian claims on condemnation of the false accusation put forward by the uncle of the Tsarnaev brothers linking the Armenians to the Boston bombings. “Armenpress” introduces Harur Sassounian’s article in its entirety.

Many unanswered questions remain in the wake of the barbaric Boston Marathon bombings last week.

In the absence of established facts, it is difficult to reach an informed conclusion and find a motive for the murderous actions of the Tsarnaev brothers — Tamerlan, 26, and Dzhokhar, 19. It is interesting to note that Tamerlan carries the name of a vicious 14th century Turkic warlord who razed entire cities to the ground and butchered millions of innocent people.

Instead of jumping to unwarranted conclusions and making generalizations about Chechens, Muslims, and the Tsarnaev family, some probing questions are in order:

— Back in 2011, when the Russian intelligence services asked the FBI to investigate Tamerlan’s radical Islamist ties and plans to join underground groups, how thoroughly did the FBI carry out this task? If the FBI agents did a thorough job and found nothing sinister, why did they not follow up a few months later when Tamerlan returned to the US in 2012, having spent six months in the troubled Russian republics of Chechnya and Dagestan? And why did US law enforcement agencies fail to investigate the Jihadist videos and links to radical Islamist websites found on Tamerlan’s computer?

— If the Russian tip was not seriously pursued by US officials, was their decision based on political considerations or a proper assessment of the risk of terrorism? Since Chechen insurgents were fighting Russia for independence, did US officials prefer not to meddle in an internal Russian conflict? Did the US view Chechen “terrorists” as “freedom fighters,” concluding that they represented no threat to the United States? More significantly, what role did the anti-Russian stance of influentialneo-conservative American circles play in assessing the warnings on Tamerlan?

— Did the Russian intelligence services thoroughly investigate Tamerlan when he fell in their lap while visiting Dagestan and Chechnya for six months, particularly if they were dissatisfied with the FBI’s lukewarm response to their earlier request?

— Would this terrorist act killing four Americans and injuring close to 200 now prompt US intelligence agencies to cooperate more fully with their Russian counterparts to jointly combat terrorism regardless of international political concerns?

— Will the US investigate the 10-day visit to Turkey in July 2003 by Tamerlan and three of his family members, as disclosed by Turkish Interior Minister Muammer Guler? What was the purpose of Tsarnaevs’ visit to Turkey and who were their contacts?

Turning to Ruslan Tsarni, the talkative uncle of the Tsarnaev brothers, who made controversial and contradictory comments disseminated worldwide by CNN, NBC, Wall Street Journal, Reuters, and Time magazine, among others. Uncle Tsarni accused an unnamed Armenian convert to Islam in Cambridge, Mass., for radicalizing Tamerlan!

Tsarni, a Maryland resident, told the NBC Today show that one of his Armenian acquaintances informed him about an “outside influence” on Tamerlan: “He [the acquaintance] said, there is someone who brainwashed him [Tamerlan], some newly convert to Islam. I would like to stress [the acquaintance] was of Armenian descent.”

However, Uncle Tsarni, gave CNN a completely different explanation for the despicable actions of his nephews. He had accused them of being “losers,” claiming that they had brought shame on their family and the Chechen people. But, he later told NBC Today that he had called his nephews “losers” out of anger, and that he was now sure their crime had nothing to do with Russia or Chechnya. Tsarni also contradicted himself on CNN by claiming that the person who had “brainwashed” Tamerlan was the “new convert to Islam of Armenian descent,” not the acquaintance!

The question is, who is Tsarni and why is he accusing an Armenian? A cursory internet search reveals that he has had direct ties to western energy companies involved in the Caspian region. He has worked for Big Sky Energy, Golden Eagle Partners, and Nelson Resources Ltd., all three with direct investments in Caspian Sea energy projects. Could Tsarni’s ties to these energy companies explain his accusation against an Armenian?

Finally, why hasn’t a single Armenian organization or official complained to the news media about their dissemination of Tsarni’s baseless and libelous statements, accusing an Armenian for radicalizing Tamerlan? A similar situation occurred years ago, when an Australian newspaper, The Canberra Times, reported: “Pope Shot by Armenian Gunman.” In reality, Pope John Paul II was shot by Mehmet Ali Agca, a Turk!

It is high time that Armenians organize an anti-defamation organization that would vigorously pursue all those who libel and defame them around the world.

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Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide victims held in Istanbul

April 24, 2013 By administrator

14:10, 24 April, 2013

YEREVAN, APRIL 24, ARMENPRESS. The state may deny the fact of the Armenian Genocide, but the people can direct the events in the way they want. As reports “Armenpress” one of the demonstrators stated this in the Sultan Ahmet Square in Istanbul. One of the organizers of the event stated: “Today there are fascists living in our country, notwithstanding there are also good people living in here and their number is increasing every year. The official viewpoint remains unchanged, although the people’s knowledge about the reality is growing. And the event organized in Diyarbakir is to prove that.”

The fact of the Armenian Genocide by the Ottoman government has been documented, recognized, and affirmed in the form of media and eyewitness reports, laws, resolutions, and statements by many states and international organizations. The complete catalogue of all documents categorizing the 1915 wholesale massacre of the Armenian population in Ottoman Empire as a premeditated and thoroughly executed act of genocide, is extensive. Uruguay was the first country to officially recognize the Armenian Genocide in 1965. The massacres of the Armenian people were officially condemned and recognized as a genocide in accordance with the international law by France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Netherlands, Switzerland, Sweden, Russia, Poland, Lithuania, Greece, Slovakia, Cyprus, Lebanon, Uruguay, Argentina, Venezuela, Chile, Canada, Vatican, and Australia.

Holocaust Museum urges international community to recognize Armenian Genocide

April 24, 2013 By administrator

15:22, 24 April, 2013

YEREVAN, APRIL 24, ARMENPRESS. The Director of the Holocaust Museum in the U.S. promised to organize a vast exhibition on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. As reports “Armenpress” citing Skokie periodical, the Director of the Museum Rick Hirschhaut stated that in the next month they will hold a two-day conference titled “The Ottoman Turkish Genocides of Anatolian Christians”. Among other things Hirschhaut underscored: “We must speak for those, whose voices were silenced and for those who survived so we may remember and pledge never to forget. Today, at this gathering, we are reminded of a history that must be recognized, and remembered, and calls to the importance of lighting the torch of truth for the world community. Our young people – our future – must be a bridge to the future, and ensure that we realize the lessons that were set forth by us, by the Armenian Genocide, the Holocaust, and all such terrible atrocities.”

Kurdish Party of Turkey calls upon country’s authorities to recognize Armenian Genocide

April 24, 2013 By administrator

April 24, 2013 | 16:44

In its statement released in connection with the 98th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, Turkey’s pro-Kurdish “Peace and Democracy Party” (BDP), which is a parliamentary political force, noted that the genocide, which was committed in 1915 against the Armenians, was one of the greatest tragedies in the 20th century.

In its statement, BDP called upon the Turkish authorities to face Turkey’s own history and to apologize to the Armenians, ANKA news agency of Turkey reports.

“The Armenian people suffered great pain and were taken from their lands. The genocide wounds and pains are preserved in the society’s recollections because Turkey has not yet confronted its history and one of the greatest genocides of the 20th century, it has not accepted the genocide and has not apologized to the Armenians.

“We call upon Turkey to confront its own history and to apologize to the Armenians, who have lived in great pain, with the hope that such thing will never repeat. We pay tribute to the victims of the Armenian Genocide,” the Peace and Democracy Party statement reads in particular.

Armenian Genocide must gain international recognition – Valérie Boyer

April 24, 2013 By administrator

April 24, 2013 | 16:12

YEREVAN.- On the occasion of its first official visit to Armenia, members and participants of the newly created EU-Armenia Friendship Group in the European Parliament attended and paid respects at the memorial ceremony of the Armenian Genocide held at the Tsiternakapert Genocide memorial monument in Yerevan.

Members of the delegation took part in the laying of the wreath ceremony and also visited the Genocide memorial museum afterwards, the group said in a statement.

“We will never forget the victims of the Armenian Genocide carried out by the authoritarian Young Turks government in 1915. We will continue fighting for the restoration of the human rights of all people on earth whose rights are being compromised,” said President of the EU-Armenia Friendship Group leader of the delegation Dr Eleni Theocharous.

The group was joined by Valérie Boyer, a French member of Parliament and author of the Armenian Genocide bill.

“I am very touched to be in Yerevan for this occasion. It is an absolute necessity to for the Armenian Genocide to gain international recognition. Recognition is a question of dignity and honour, not only to recognize the past but also to reinforce ideals of human rights which are of great importance to world we live in today,” Boyer said.

“The Sandcastle Girls” Genocide novel to be released in Russian

April 24, 2013 By administrator

April 24, 2013 – 16:46 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – New York Times Best-Selling author Chris Bohjalian’s novel on the Armenian Genocide, “The Sandcastle Girls” will be published in Russian to be released in Moscow.

The initiative was widely supported by the Armenian entrepreneurs in Russia.

The novel has received stellar reviews from dozens of publications nationwide, including the Washington Post, USA Today, the Boston Globe, the Associated Press, Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, Booklist, Kirkus Reviews, Entertainment Weekly, and People Magazine. It was announced as the Book of the Week on Oprah.com and is currently seventh on the New York Times Best-Sellers List.

In his 15th book, “The Sandcastle Girls,” Bohjalian brings us on a very different kind of journey. The spellbinding tale travels between Aleppo, Syria in 1915 and Bronxville, New York in 2012, telling a sweeping historical love story steeped in the author’s Armenian heritage, making it his most personal novel to date.