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Serj Tankian’s Hypocrisy… Who is he appealing to for help? Artsakh is in dire need of assistance

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Who is he appealing to for help? Why doesn’t he approach his favored individual Nikol Pashinyan? Armenians worldwide are in dire need of assistance for Artsakh, but there seems to be a lack of attention toward removing the individual responsible for ceding Artsakh to Azerbaijan. As long as Armenia’s own prime minister continues to undermine the right to self-determination and subjugates them to Azerbaijani control, any external aid won’t be sufficient to truly rescue Artsakh. he can easily go to Armenia to demand Pashinyan’s resignation…

Is there ethical media left in the world?

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By Wally Sarkeesian,

Yes and No, However, even in such environments, there are often brave journalists and media organizations that strive to maintain ethical standards and provide accurate and unbiased information. These journalists may face considerable risks, including harassment, intimidation, imprisonment, or even violence for their work in the case of the example of Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Turkey just to name just a few. Despite the challenges, they continue to play a crucial role in exposing corruption, human rights abuses, and other injustices.

The responsibility of the media is multifaceted and plays a crucial role in society. It can be summarized into the following key points:

  1. Informing the Public: One of the primary responsibilities of the media is to provide accurate and reliable information to the public. This includes reporting on current events, issues, and developments both locally and globally. The media acts as a bridge between the events happening in the world and the people who need to be informed about them.
  2. Promoting Transparency and Accountability: The media plays a vital role in holding individuals, organizations, and governments accountable for their actions. Investigative journalism and in-depth reporting help shed light on corruption, abuses of power, and other unethical practices, thereby promoting transparency and helping to maintain a just and fair society.
  3. Educating and Providing Analysis: Media outlets should strive to educate the public by offering in-depth analysis and context on complex issues. Through well-researched articles, documentaries, and interviews, the media can help citizens better understand the world they live in.
  4. Safeguarding Democracy: An independent and responsible media is crucial for a functioning democracy. It enables citizens to make informed decisions and participate actively in the democratic process. By reporting on political activities and providing diverse viewpoints, the media contributes to a healthy and robust democracy.
  5. Respecting Ethical Standards: Responsible media organizations adhere to ethical guidelines and principles. These standards include accuracy, impartiality, fairness, and respect for privacy. Upholding ethical practices is essential to maintaining credibility and trust with the audience.
  6. Promoting Diversity and Inclusivity: The media should strive to represent and include diverse voices and perspectives from various communities. This fosters a broader understanding of different cultures, experiences, and opinions, leading to a more inclusive society.
  7. Avoiding Sensationalism and Misinformation: Responsible media outlets should avoid sensationalizing news and spreading misinformation or disinformation. Sensationalism can distort the truth and mislead the public, while misinformation can have harmful consequences on public perception and decision-making.
  8. Providing a Platform for Public Discourse: The media serves as a platform for open dialogue and debate on various issues. It allows people with differing viewpoints to express their opinions and engage in constructive discussions.

Overall, the media’s responsibility lies in serving the public interest, being a watchdog for society, and contributing to the overall well-being of communities and nations. Responsible and ethical media plays a vital role in shaping public discourse, knowledge, and awareness.

3rd President of Armenia sends open letter to Russia, France, US heads

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@SecBlinken, @BBolgesi @KremlinRussia_E @EmmanuelMacron

The third president of Armenia, Serzh Sargsyan, addressed US President Joe Biden, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and French President Emmanuel Macron with an open letter.

“Open letter

H.E. Joseph R. Biden Jr, President of the United States of America

H.E. Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation

H.E. Emmanuel Macron, President of the French Republic 

Your Excellencies: 

A few days ago three-year-old Leo and six-year-old Ghita died of suffocation in one of the villages of Mardakert region, Republic of Artsakh. They went out of home in search of their mother, who had earlier left for the city on foot in search for food. 

The siege of Artsakh has been ongoing for seven months. Now it started claiming lives – of both the elderly and children, of common people, whose only guilt is being born on the land of their ancestors and the love for life. We appreciate all those influential states and international organisations who have so far spoken out without ambiguities of the present situation. Such statements are crucial for the people of Artsakh who are fighting for life. However, unfortunately, such statements alone did not save the lives of little Leo and Ghita. It’s most appalling that words alone may fail to save the lives of many more children and the elderly – not in the virtual future, but literally next morning. 

Today the physical survival of 120.000 Armenians in Artsakh is very literally endangered. With each of you we have had many opportunities in the past to talk about what happened to Armenians in 1915, as well as the very consequences of the Armenian Genocide. Now, 108 years later, we are facing the immediate danger of the repetition of the same gruesome events, albeit carried out in modern methods. 

Your Excellencies, Presidents: 

I appeal to you first and foremost as Presidents of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairing countries, as leaders who have first-hand knowledge of where the Nagorno Karabakh peace process has taken us by 2018. It’s in that year that our society has made an emotional choice and transferred reins of power to a politician who had no idea of what statehood was. I fully realize that many considered that as opportunity to try and resolve the issue of Artsakh by leveraging on that individual’s unreasonable steps that had nothing to do with the real interests of our country. Yet, as a matter of fact, the conflict has not been resolved, and the associated problems have deepened, whereas that very individual no more has the vote of confidence of our people to recognize Artsakh as part of another state. Neither he has any vote of confidence on behalf of the people of Artsakh to singlehandedly decide their destiny. 

I am appealing to you as leaders of countries where you have unquestionable institutional memory pertaining to the issue of Artsakh. Today, in contrast to the incumbent Armenian authorities, there are serious professionals and experts about the Nagorno Karabakh peace process in various institutions of your respective countries, who have knowledge about all nuances and are well aware of all prior phases of conflict resolution.

I am appealing to you as your former counterpart, as someone whose objectives and principles are well known to you. I resorted to this genre given my lack of direct access to you. We exchange no official visits or one-on-one formats, channels of communications through political party formats are either weak or missing, since the relevant opposition party officials have been either persecuted or simply jailed in our country.

I am appealing to tell you what has been happening in Artsakh is a direct route to a terrible catastrophe. 

I am appealing to ask you to give a chance to life to the people in Artsakh. It’s a great personal tragedy for me that years ago we used to negotiate settlements by which the people of Artsakh would live in their own country in dignity, yet now we are talking about merely giving them a chance to life, asking for their right to live.

We have taken note with sense of appreciation all your efforts aimed at resolving this issue. Yet what is happening these days will not lead to any such settlement that you may quite diligently have envisioned. Direct negotiations between an experienced dictator and someone silly and incapable will simply not reach any reasonable point. Every satisfied demand by the dictating party will lead to new ones, much more difficult to satisfy. This will continue forever and will bring large-scale catastrophes. Keeping silence or failing to devote more time to the issue of Artsakh now means that very soon your countries will be forced to take time to address the “the question of Armenia”. This is a very real scenario given the incompetent negotiator we have, moreover having a sizeable portion of the sovereign territories of the Republic of Armenia under occupation for some time. 

I am hereby asking you – before anything else – stop the humanitarian catastrophe in Artsakh. I believe you can do that. Force the dictator to open the “road of life”. The fascist, who has made annihilating Armenians his lifestyle, cannot be allowed to continuously disregard clear messages by most serious international organisations and states. Stop the calamity. Please, secure the most basic life conditions for the people of Artsakh. I am asking you to ensure guarantees for this, and only then transition to efforts of finding diplomatic solutions. Or else it may be late tomorrow. 

Respectfully,

Serzh Sargsyan

Third President of the Republic of Armenia.”

A human and professional call To the participants of the Global Media Forum taking place in occupied Artsakh Shushi by Azerbaijan

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A human and professional call To the participants of the Global Media Forum taking place in occupied Shushi by Azerbaijan By the community of journalists of the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) Dear journalists and participants of the Global Media Forum, · Given that you, from over 120 media and 50 countries, have visited Azerbaijan upon the invitation of its dictatorial regime, ·

Given one of the most negative records of Azerbaijan in ensuring freedom of speech in the world, including the numerous journalists currently under imprisonment and oppression, · Taking into account Azerbaijan’s long-term experience of manipulations, falsifications and illegal influence on international media, · Considering the Azerbaijani policy of falsifying the history and culture of the indigenous Armenian people of Nagorno-Karabakh, including Shushi, ·

In light of the anti-Armenian ethnic hatred and discriminatory state policy of Azerbaijan, with numerous examples recorded by international courts and human rights organizations, · Inviting attention to the fact that there has been a more than 7-month-long blockade and 5-week-long total siege of the Nagorno-Karabakh 120,000 people by Azerbaijan without any supplies of food, medicine, fuel and other essentials, · Being highly concerned about the deteriorating acute humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh, with high risks of starvation, a doubled mortality rate among newborn and unborn babies, 90% of anemia among pregnant women, stopped public transportation, agricultural, and other economic activities, sharply increased levels of unemployment and poverty, ·

Taking into consideration Azerbaijan’s refusal to implement the legally binding acts of the UN International Court of Justice and the European Court of Human Rights on ensuring unimpeded two-sided movements of persons, vehicles and cargo through the Lachin Corridor, connecting Nagorno-Karabakh with Armenia and the rest of the world, · Given the impediments by Azerbaijan to any international fact-finding missions, international journalists and humanitarian organizations to access Nagorno-Karabakh and record and report the real situation here, We, the journalists of the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh, call on you to take the following steps:

1. To stop reporting only one-sided information and narratives on Nagorno-Karabakh, the blockade and the general conflict,

2. To stop supporting dictatorial flagrant violations against freedom of speech and the Nagorno-Karabakh people,

3. To come to our communities, a few kilometers away from you, to cover the real life of our people and the real face of those who invited and feed you in Shushi,

4. To stay committed to your mission as journalists to present the truth and protect human rights and dignity,

5. To refrain from becoming a tool in dictatorial hands and promoting the policy of ethnic cleansing; otherwise, you are bearing a heavy responsibility for this ongoing crime against humanity. Reporting on a false heaven just next to a hell is neither human, nor professional, nor legal. We believe that you can make a change in the world and save the human lives of our people. We expect your human and professional support for the truth, human rights, freedoms and dignity.

This seems to be the typical fear-mongering that led @NikolPashinyan to power, Armenian PM: War is likely

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Armenian PM: War is likely unless a peace treaty is signed,

“This seems to be the typical fear-mongering that led @NikolPashinyan to power, and it’s also the reason why Armenia finds itself in such turmoil. To move forward, it is essential to remove this individual and subject him to trial. Only then can Armenia have a chance to reclaim stability and progress.”

Until a peace treaty is signed and ratified by the parliaments of both countries, war is very likely, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said in an interview with Agence France-Presse.

“Azerbaijan’s obvious aggressive rhetoric, hate speech is added to this, the current geopolitical situation is added to this, where essentially the world order that some time ago was presumed to somehow exist, we now see it doesn’t exist by and large. This is also contributed by the breaching of the military balance between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and so on and so forth,” he noted.

“And of course new escalations, new wars are always likely, which does not mean that it is going to happen, but it also does not mean that it is not going to happen. By the way, every day, literally, violations of the ceasefire regime occur on the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan. During my term as Prime Minister, in more than five years, there might have been a maximum of three days during which the ceasefire wasn’t violated,” Pashinyan added.

Relatives of Soldiers Killed/POW in 2020 Karabakh War Demand Meeting with Pashinyan 

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Hrachik Vardanyan is not happy with the slow progress of a court case looking into how forty members of a sixty-man Armenian military unit were killed or captured during the 2020 Karabakh war.

Vardanyan’s son Aristakes is still listed as missing in action when the unit found itself surrounded by Azerbaijani forces in the town of Kovsakan (Zangilan) in the south of the Artsakh Republic. The area was part of the “liberated territories” outside Nagorno Karabakh proper captured by Azerbaijan during the war. 

Vardanyan and other relatives of those forty Armenian soldiers today gathered outside Yerevan’s Government Building early this morning, demanding a meeting with Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan. They waited in vain.

After the war, a criminal case was initiated regarding the incident. Former Deputy Chief of the General Staff of Armenia’s Armed Forces Andranik Makaryan, commander of the military unit Arsen Abgaryan, chief of staff of the military unit Sargis Kulakchyan and head of the military unit’s recruitment department Ellada Harutyunyan now face charges of incompetence and inaction in the face of danger.

Hrachik Vardanyan tells Hetq it’s not easy to reach Yerevan from the Shirak village of Hatsik to attend the court hearings.

“We come from the villages, drive 100 kilometers. After arriving, there are five minutes of talk and then we’re told today’s session has been postponed,” says a frustrated Vardanyan, adding that he feels like the court system, rather than providing answers, wants to erode the patience of the relatives.

 In 2021, Hrachik Vardanyan’s daughter, fraught with angst over the loss of her brother, died from a heart attack. Another son died in a car accident. His surviving son now lives abroad. 

Mr. Vardanyan says the family found it near impossible to accept the loss of Aristakes, a sadness not assuaged by the court system.  

(The unit in question is an anti-radiation, chemical, and biological protection unit. The unit’s informal name is Kimikneri zoramas).

Source: https://hetq.am/en/article/158303?utm_content=bufferc3772&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

Հարգելի՛ հայրենակից, «Հայաքվե» նախաձեռնությունը մեկնարկել է Արցախի հանձնումը ձախողելու հետևյալ ծրագիրը․

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Dear compatriot, the “Hayakve” initiative has launched the following plan to fail the surrender of Artsakh.

Հարգելի՛ հայրենակից, «Հայաքվե» նախաձեռնությունը մեկնարկել է Արցախի հանձնումը ձախողելու հետևյալ ծրագիրը․

1. Քրեականացնել Արցախն Ադրբեջանի մաս ճանաչող գործողությունը։ Մենք ՀՀ քրեական օրենսգրքում լրացում կատարող մի նախագիծ ենք կազմել, համաձայն որի Հայաստանի Հանրապետության անունից Արցախը այլ պետության մաս ճանաչող պաշտոնատար անձը պատժվում է 10-ից 15 տարի ազատազրկմամբ։ Անհրաժեշտ է ՀՀ 50 հազար քաղաքացու ստորագրություն, որ այս առաջարկությունը քննարկվի ՀՀ Ազգային Ժողովում։ Եթե Ազգային Ժողովը անտեսի 50 հազար քաղաքացու պահանջը, մենք համաժողովրդական հանրաքվեով կպարտադրենք նրան ընդունել մեր պահանջը։

2. Այս գաղափարի ու գործի շուրջ առաջ բերել համազգային համախմբում և կանխել Արցախի հանձնումը։ Նախաձեռնությանը միացել և աջակցում են հանրային հարյուրավոր գործիչներ, մեր շարքերն օր-օրի ընդլայնվում են։ Մենք հանրային, քաղաքական զորեղ ճնշմամբ հասնելու ենք նրան, որ գործող իշխանություններն ունենան 2 տարբերակ՝ կա՛մ քրեականացնել Արցախն Ադրբեջանի մաս ճանաչող գործողությունը և հայտարարել, որ հավատարիմ են մնալու ՀՀ Անկախության հռչակագրին, Սահմանադրությանն ու ՀՀ Գերագույն Խորհրդի 1992թ․ հուլիսի 8-ի որոշմանը, կա՛մ հեռանալ։

Գործող իշխանությունները միանձնյա վճռում են Արցախի ճակատագիրը։ Նրանք արհամարհում են հայ ժողովրդի կամքն ու կարծիքը։ Ուստի մենք ինքնակազմակերպվում ենք ու գնում հանրաքվեի, հայ մնալու քվեի։

Ոչ ոք, ոչ մի պետություն, միջազգային ոչ մի կառույց չի կարող կանգնեցնել Հայաստանի դե ֆակտո իշխանությանը։ Դա կարող է անել միայն Հայաստանի Հանրապետության քաղաքացին։ Մենք կբռնենք հայությանը կործանող ձեռքը, եթե առաջ բերենք համաժողովրդական դիմադրություն, երբ մեր հավաքականությամբ ո՛չ ասենք Արցախի հանձնմանը։

Միացի՛ր «Հայաքվեին», դարձի՛ր 50 հազար քաղաքացիներից մեկը, ով իր ստորագրությամբ ասում է Արցախին այո, դավաճանությանը՝ ոչ։

ՕՐԵՆՍԴՐԱԿԱՆ ՆԱԽԱԳԻԾ

Հայաստանի Հանրապետության Քրեական Օրենսգրքում Լրացում Կատարելու Մասին

Հոդված 1. 2021 թվականի մայիսի 5-ի Հայաստանի Հանրապետության քրեական օրենսգիրքը լրացնել հետևյալ բովանդակությամբ 420.1 և 420.2 հոդվածներով.

«Հոդված 420.1. Արցախը որևէ այլ պետության կազմում ճանաչելը
1. Հայաստանի Հանրապետության անունից Արցախը որևէ այլ պետության կազմում ճանաչելը՝ պատժվում է ազատազրկմամբ՝ տասից տասնհինգ տարի ժամկետով:

Հոդված 420.2. Հայոց ցեղասպանության ճանաչումից հրաժարվելը, Հայոց ցեղասպանությունը հրապարակայնորեն հերքելը, արդարացնելը կամ դրա վտանգավորությունը նսեմացնելը
1. Հայաստանի Հանրապետության անունից Հայոց ցեղասպանության ճանաչումից հրաժարվելը, Հայոց ցեղասպանությունը հրապարակայնորեն հերքելը, արդարացնելը կամ դրա վտանգավորությունը նսեմացնելը՝ պատժվում է ազատազրկմամբ՝ տասից տասնհինգ տարի ժամկետով»:

Հոդված 2. Սույն օրենքն ուժի մեջ է մտնում պաշտոնական հրապարակման օրվան հաջորդող տասներորդ օրը։

Գլխավոր

Dear compatriot, the “Hayakve” initiative has launched the following plan to fail the surrender of Artsakh. Criminalize the act of recognizing Artsakh as part of Azerbaijan. We have drawn up a draft amending the Criminal Code of the Republic of Armenia, according to which an official who recognizes Artsakh as part of another state on behalf of the Republic of Armenia shall be punished with 10 to 15 years of imprisonment. The signatures of 50,000 RA citizens are necessary for this proposal to be discussed in the RA National Assembly. If the National Assembly ignores the demand of 50 thousand citizens, we will force it to accept our demand through a popular referendum.

Turkey Emerges as a vital hub for drug trafficking connecting continents: Report

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According to a UN report, cocaine seized in Turkey in 2022 increased by 42 percent compared to the previous year. This supports Turkey’s Anti-Narcotics Directorate’s proposal of a new route from South America to Turkey for the trafficking of drugs to the Middle East and Europe.

Duvar English

In recent years, the Turkish authorities’ arrest of prominent figures involved in the drug trafficking and the substantial surge in drug seizures within the country have brought to light Turkey’s pivotal role as a significant hub in the global drug trade, according to reporting by Daily BirGün.

Following the capture of the leader of the internationally known drug cartel Isaac Bignan on June 23 and the apprehension of Antony Finix, who oversees the cartel’s armed faction, along with the subsequent detention of numerous Turkish citizens associated with the organization, attention has once again shifted to Turkey’s role in the cocaine trade originating from Latin America.

The United Nations (UN) International Narcotics Control Board’s (INCB) 2022 report reveals that Turkey has became a transit point for many drugs to reach markets in the Middle East and Europe.

The fact that the amount of cocaine seized in Turkey in 2022 reached a record high of 2.8 tons, an increase of 42 percent compared to the previous year, supports the statement of the Turkish Anti-Narcotic Crimes Directorate that a new route from South America to Turkey was established in 2021.

The UN Office on Drugs and Crime’s (UNODC) Global Report on Cocaine shows that the amount of cocaine seized in Turkey increased sevenfold between 2014 and 2021, but the seriousness of the situation becomes even more apparent when the drugs seized before they can be sent to Turkey are taken into account.

In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the amount of cocaine seized in countries such as Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Panama and Brazil while being sent to Turkey.

The report indicated a substantial price disparity for cocaine, where it can be acquired for under 2,000 dollars per kilo in South America, while its value surges to over 50,000 dollars in Europe and surpasses 200,000 dollars Middle Eastern countries. This significant price discrepancy has intensified the interest of international criminal organizations in these markets.

According to Colombia-based Insight Crime, which conducts research on global organized crime and drug trafficking, Turkey-based drug traffickers have turned to the cocaine trade as opium prices have fallen in recent years.

Insight Crime stated that the experience of Turkish drug traffickers in heroin trafficking and smuggling from Asia to Europe and their connections to organized crime syndicates in Asia and Europe offer significant opportunities for cocaine trafficking.

Turkish court blocks access to websites for reporting on preliminary probe into Erdoğan’s son

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Turkish court blocks access to websites for reporting on preliminary probe into Erdoğan’s son.

Duvar English

An Istanbul court on June 27 imposed a publication ban on news reports about a preliminary probe into President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s son Bilal Erdoğan. 

On June 26, Reuters published a special report named “US, Swedish prosecutors study graft complaint naming son of Turkey’s Erdogan.”

The report said “Anti-corruption authorities in the United States and Sweden are reviewing a complaint alleging that the Swedish affiliate of a U.S. company pledged to pay tens of millions of dollars in kickbacks if a son of Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan helped it secure a dominant market position in the country.”

The same report added “Ultimately, no kickbacks were paid, according to the complaint submitted to authorities by an individual and reviewed by Reuters.”

Istanbul Anatolian 5th Criminal Court of Peace has blocked access to 93 websites and Twitter accounts on the grounds of “violation of personal rights” for publishing the report of Reuters.

In its decision, the court said “Malicious distortions of truth may exceed the limits of acceptable criticism. Therefore, the duty of reporting necessarily includes responsibilities, and the limits that the press organizations must comply with. It was necessary to decide on the acceptance of the applicant’s request regarding the content that is far from reality, unconfirmed and far from goodwill and violating the applicant’s personality rights.”

Similarly, Presidential Communications Director Fahrettin Altun on June 26 deemed the reporting “a black mark” in the history of journalism.

In #Artsakh, the severity of the humanitarian crisis is evident as people are forced to resort to using limited portions of salt.

By

Ruben Vardanyan, @RubenVardanyan_

In #Artsakh/ #NagornoKarabakh, the severity of the humanitarian crisis is evident as people are forced to resort to using limited portions of salt.

To address this situation, several actions should be taken:

1) Establishing an open humanitarian air corridor is of utmost importance, allowing UN or other humanitarian missions to have direct access to Stepanakert.

2) An urgent UN or other fact-finding mission needs to be deployed to the region. Witnessing the situation firsthand on the ground will provide a clearer understanding of the crisis.

3) Mediators from various countries, including Washington and Moscow, must exert pressure on Azerbaijan to bring about change. If they fail to do so, their mediation efforts will be futile.

4) Recognizing that the crisis is not only humanitarian but also rooted in political and historical factors is crucial. The perpetuation of state-sponsored anti-Armenian propaganda by Aliyev’s authoritarian regime cannot be ignored.

5) It is vital for renowned Armenians to speak out and raise awareness about the crisis. By coming together and supporting each other, Artsakh’s position as an integral part of the Armenian world can be reinforced, and together, we can overcome these challenges.