It’s likely that oral promises were made to Azerbaijan, and now it is pursuing them through military escalation. This is what the deputy of the opposition “Armenia” faction of the National Assembly of Armenia Artur Ghazinyan said during a conversation with Armenian News-NEWS.am.

“Azerbaijan has received a legitimate right to demand what it was orally promised. I believe the promise was made in the presence of third parties. We need to understand what was promised to Azerbaijan. Judging from the response of the international community or the absence of that response in general, it is safe to assume that the international community was told about Azerbaijan’s demand, otherwise, Azerbaijan would never dare to encroach on Armenia’s sovereign territory,” he said.

According to Ghazinyan, Azerbaijan wants to achieve delimitation and demarcation with the version that it wants and to have a road leading to Nakhchivan. Ghazinyan added that granting Azerbaijan a corridor through the territory of Armenia will be inadmissible.

During the meeting, Ombudsman Tatoyan presented the humanitarian crisis caused by Azerbaijan’s massive attack on the eastern border in the Syunik Province in an attempt to breach Armenia’s sovereign territory. He also outlined the human rights abuses committed by the Azerbaijani Armed forces, discussed border security and the illegal deployment of Azerbaijani forces on the roads between the communities of Armenia which endanger people’s lives and well-being, and the unlawful detention of POWs. The meeting led to a constructive discussion on the role which Diaspora organizations and communities can play in helping to secure the future of the Armenian homeland.

Dr. Tatoyan has been invited to the United States by the Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region, a PAC-WUSA member organization, to engage with a number of community stakeholders, elected officials, academic circles, and other interested parties throughout the Golden State to discuss the latest developments in the region.

Arman Tatoyan obtained his LLM and Ph.D. from the Yerevan State University, Department of Criminal Procedure and Criminalistics. He holds a Master of Laws degree from the University of Pennsylvania Law School. In 2016, Tatoyan was elected as the Human Rights Defender (Ombudsman) of Armenia. He also serves as an Ad Hoc Judge in the European Court of Human Rights,  a Permanent International Advisor at the Council of Europe’s Directorate General of Human Rights and Rule of Law, and lectures at the Yerevan State University, American University of Armenia, and the Academy of Justice of Armenia. He previously held positions in the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Armenia (2013-2016) and the Deputy Representative (Deputy Agent) of the Government of Armenia before the European Court of Human Rights (2013-2016). He has also been involved in different working groups for drafting laws and strategies for Armenia.

The Pan Armenian Council of the Western United States of America was founded in Burbank, California in 2019 and is comprised of 25 of the largest religious, political, cultural and professional organizations leading the Armenian community. Through the Council, these entities strive to fulfill the organization’s mission statement, which is to implement and realize projects of a pan-community nature; to encourage and assist projects which advance the collective interests and the rights of Armenian communities across the Western United States; to undertake steps to resist actions and efforts which are contrary to the collective interests and rights of Armenians; to gather and apply the Armenian community’s resources for the benefit of the community’s interests as well as the welfare of the Republics of Armenia and Artsakh; to always be mindful of the collective health and protection of the Armenian community.

PAN ARMENIAN COUNCIL OF THE WESTERN UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

JERUSALEM — The Armenian Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem urged Israeli police to “seriously investigate” a Nov. 15 incident in which a young Orthodox Jewish man spit several times at the entrance of the patriarchate, then angrily gestured with his middle finger toward a surveillance camera.

“Unfortunately, similar insulting acts, which are an expression of racism and anti-Christian hate, have been taking place frequently, especially by religious Jews against Christian clergymen at the Old City, mainly but not only at the Armenian Quarter,” the patriarchate said in a statement sent to journalists Nov. 17. “We urge the police to seriously investigate these insulting acts and bring those who committed them to justice.”

The video image shows the man, who is wearing a backward baseball cap and walking a dog, and is accompanied by another religious man wearing a dark sweater, purposefully walking up to the front gate of the patriarchate and spit twice, then making deliberate eye contact with the surveillance camera and spit three additional times with more emphasis. Then he faces the camera again, gestures with the middle finger of one hand, and puts the finger of the other hand over it to form the sign of a cross, in what the patriarchate said was “a clear act of insult.”

Armenian clergy are often the targets of such spitting attacks as religious Jews use the main road of the Armenian Quarter of the Old City as a passageway to the Western Wall and the Jewish Quarter rather than walk through the crowded market streets of the Muslim Quarter.

“We use this opportunity to assure our readiness to cooperate with religious and civilian authorities for endorsing coexistence based on mutual respect to all people, regardless of differences in religions, ethnicities and nationalities,” the patriarchate said.

Human Rights Defender Arman Tatoyan has spoken about the aftermath of Azerbaijan’s illegal invasions and terrorist attacks against Armenia in an interview with RT.

In clashes launched by Azerbaijan on November 16, the Armenian side has confirmed the death of 2 servicemen, while 13 others have been captured by Azerbaijan. Two combat positions too have gone under the control of Azeri forces, 24 Armenian troops have gone missing.

When asked about Azerbaijan’s latest attack on Armenia proper on November 16, Tatoyan reminded that the Azerbaijani military’s incursion into Armenian soil began in May. Since than, the Azeris have been spreading violence and grossly violating human rights with their illegal and criminal activities against the civilian population of Armenia.

The Ombudsman also raised the state-sponsored hatred of Armenians and propaganda of hostility in Azerbaijan, which he said has turned into fascism after the 44-day war against Nagorno-Karabakh in fall 2020.

According to Tatoyan, the state policy encouraging the murder of Armenians is a threat to the peaceful life and security of the peoples of the two countries.

The situation in Sisian is calm, the Armenian and Azerbaijani sides are holding negotiations over the detection of missing persons and return of captives. This is what commander of the Sisian detachment Ashot Minasyan said during a conversation with Armenian News-NEWS.am.

“There are no negotiations over the military posts, the Azerbaijani troops haven’t retreated. According to unverified data, Azerbaijan has seized three military posts. Those posts were very important because we could see not only our training center but also the airport in Sisian, the Kapan-Meghri-Yerevan interstate road that stretches to Sisian region,” he said.

Asked why Azerbaijan attacked and caused escalation, Minasyan said the following: “Azerbajian’s goal is to have the corridor, which the leader of our country had given consent to, but had refused to fulfill the promise later because to give the corridor would mean to destroy Armenia. I believe the negotiations are being held to maneuver the words ‘road’ or ‘corridor’.”

According to the detachment commander, the ceasefire achieved through Russian mediation can’t be sustainable, and Azerbaijan will cause escalation again.

Minasyan added that he is preparing to send a letter to the Ministry of Defense to permit the detachment to participate in the military operations, if necessary.

The situation in the eastern direction of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border was extremely tense yesterday. At around 1 p.m. the units of the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan launched an attack on Armenian military posts. The adversary used artillery, armored vehicles and firearms of various calibers. Starting from 6:30 p.m. the fighting stopped and the situation became relatively stable, based on an agreement reached through Russia’s mediation.

The Ministry of Defense reported that today at 10 a.m. the situation on the eastern border of Armenia is relatively stable, and the ceasefire agreement is mainly maintained.

The Ministry of Defense has reported only one casualty, that is, the death of contractual serviceman Meruzhan Harutyunyan (born in 1991). There are 13 captured servicemen, communication with 24 servicemen is lost, and their fate remains unknown.

On the evening of November 17, Deputy Commander of the Troops of the Southern Military Okrug of Russia, Lieutenant-General Rustam Muradov will arrive in Yerevan from Baku. According to Azerbaijan’s pro-government Caliber, the bodies of Armenian soldiers killed during the border clashes are in the plane.

According to Sputnik Armenia, there are no captives aboard the plane.

The source reports that Muradov will hold negotiations with the sides to develop a mechanism to prevent armed incidents [settlement of the situation beyond the zone of responsibility of the Russian peacekeepers on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border].

On Nov. 16, the units of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces made another provocation by attacking the Armenian military posts in the eastern direction [on Mount Tsitsernakar of Syunik Province]. There were local battles through the use of artillery, armored vehicles and firearms of various calibers. On Nov. 16 at 6:30 p.m. the military clashes were stopped in the eastern direction of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border through the mediation of the Russian side.

The situation in the eastern border section of Armenia, where the Armenian positions were attacked by the Azerbaijani military on Tuesday, was relatively stable, and the ceasefire agreement was generally observed as of 10am Wednesday, the Defense Ministry said in a statement.

As a result of the 16 November hostilities, Azerbaijan has up to 70 killed and wounded servicemen, as well as significant losses of military equipment, in particular, 4 BTR armored personnel carriers, 1 Sandcat armored vehicle and 5 vehicles (Kamaz, Ural, UAZ).

“The Armenian side has 1 killed and 13 captured servicemen. The contact with another 24 servicemen was lost during the hostilities, their fate is unknown at the moment. Intensive work is underway to find the servicemen. Two combat positions fell under the control of the enemy,” the ministry said.

Russia-mediated negotiations are underway to resolve the situation and return the captured Armenian servicemen.

The Defense Ministry promised to provide further updates.

Armenia and Azerbaijan agreed to a Russia-mediated ceasefire on Tuesday evening, ending the heavy fighting that started after Azerbaijan’s fresh attack on the Armenian positions along the eastern border section.

A fugitive Tarzana couple still on the run after their conviction in a COVID-19 relief fraud scheme was sentenced to years in federal prison as the search for them continued, officials announced Tuesday.

Department of Justice Office of Public Affairs FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

In June, Richard Ayvazyan, 43, and his wife Marietta Terabelian, 37, were convicted by a federal jury of conspiring with family members and others to bilk the government out of millions in Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loan relief funds.

But ahead of their sentencing, the couple allegedly cut off their monitoring bracelets and ran, according to the FBI.

A judge sentenced them in absentia on Monday, while they remained fugitives, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California.

Ayvazyan was ordered to serve 17 years and Terabelian got six years. Ayvazyan’s brother, 41-year-old Artur Ayvazyan, was ordered to serve five years in federal prison.

The three family members schemed to fraudulently obtain more than $20 million in Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loan COVID-19 relief funds, Department of Justice officials said.

The scheme involved using dozens of fake or stolen identities to submit fraudulent applications for approximately 150 loans, which they applied for with false identity and tax documents, and payroll records, officials said.

Some of the stolen identities belonged to dead and elderly residents, as well as foreign exchange students who briefly visited the U.S.

The funds, which were meant to help struggling businesses during the pandemic, were then used as down payments on luxury homes in Tarzana, Glendale and Palm Desert.

The money was also used to buy gold coins, diamonds, jewelry, luxury watches, imported furniture, designer handbags, clothing and a Harley-Davidson motorcycle.

“The defendants lived a lavish lifestyle by defrauding the government at the expense of small businesses and American taxpayers already facing financial and pandemic-related hardship,” said Kristi K. Johnson of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office.

The FBI is offering a reward of up to $20,000 for information leading to the arrest of the husband and wife duo.

“The FBI is actively investigating the whereabouts of fugitives Terabelian and Ayvazyan and will pursue them until they are taken into custody to pay for their crimes,” Johnson added.

 At Monday’s sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Stephen V. Wilson said he could not recall a fraud case conducted in such a “callous, intentional way without any regard for the law.”

The judge described Richard Ayvazyan as “an endemic, cold-hearted fraudster with no regard for the law” and someone who “views fraud as an achievement.”

In court, Ayvazyan’s attorney Ashwin J. Ram said that the family suspects that he and his wife were abducted, but prosecutors say there is no evidence to back that up, the Los Angeles Times reported.

The Ayvazyan brothers and Terabelian were all found guilty of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud, wire fraud, bank fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. The brothers were also convicted of aggravated identity theft.

Ayvazyan and Terabelian were ordered to forfeit bank accounts, jewelry, watches, gold coins, three residential properties, and approximately $450,000 in cash.

The case was the first involving a pandemic-related fraud scheme in the country to go to trial, according to the Justice Department.

The three family members weren’t the only ones convicted in the case.

Manuk Grigoryan, 28, of Sun Valley, Edvard Paronyan, 41, of Granada Hills, Vahe Dadyan, 42, of Glendale and Arman Hayrapetyan, 39, of Glendale have all been sentenced in connection with the COVID-19 relief scam.

Tamara Dadyan, 42, of Encino, is also scheduled to be sentenced in December.

“The defendants used the COVID-19 crisis to steal millions of dollars in much-needed government aid intended for people and businesses suffering from the economic effects of the worst pandemic in a century,” U.S. Attorney Tracy L. Wilkison said in a statement. “These sentences reflect our office’s determination to root out and punish wrongdoers who use national emergencies to defraud the government and the American taxpayer.”

Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/seven-members-los-angeles-based-fraud-ring-sentenced-multimillion-dollar-covid-19-relief

Due to the military-political situation, the ARF Supreme Body of Armenia convened an urgent session
“We will provide additional information on future decisions,” the statement said.

Due to the current military-political situation, the war situation in a number of eastern parts of the RA state borders, the fact that the Azeri troops advanced through Sisian’s neck and the Armenian side suffered losses, the ARF Supreme Body of Armenia convened an emergency session.

The Supreme Body of the ARF Dashnaktsutyun informs about this.
“We will provide additional information on future decisions,” the statement said.

s a result of Azerbaijan’s attack on the Armenian military posts deployed in the eastern direction of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, the Armenian side has 15 casualties, and another 7 servicemen are captured. This is what Chair of the Standing Committee on Foreign Relations of the National Assembly of Armenia Eduard Aghajanyan said during an interview with RFE/RL Armenian Service.

“Based on our information, according to information that has yet to be confirmed, among the soldiers, there are 15 casualties and 7 captured servicemen. Also, based on our data, the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan have suffered quite a lot of casualties,” he added.

According to Aghajanyan, during the defense operations, the Armed Forces of Armenia downed four Armored Personal Carriers (BTRs) and one Ural of the adversary.