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URGENT: Nikol Pashinyan, Sasun Michaelyan and Ararat Mirzoyan have been released

April 23, 2018 by administrator

YEREVAN, APRIL 23, ARMENPRESS. Members of Parliament Nikol Pashinyan, Sasun Michaelyan and Ararat Mirzoyan have been released after being arrested earlier on Saturday.

Pashinyan refused to comment on his meeting with First Deputy PM Karen Karapetyan, promising to give details later during the evening rally.

Armenia’s First Deputy Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan made a statement today for the media.

“Today we’ve made a decision and I have addressed the Prosecutor General to retract the motion regarding the Members of Parliament. I am now going to meet with Mr. Pashinyan in order to negotiate and find a solution. Tomorrow’s day is very important, and I believe that we will have enough common sense and soberness to show the whole world that regardless of how many difficult problems we have, regardless of how many unsolved issues we have, we can sit and find a reasonable solution,” Karapetyan said.

On April 22 police dispersed a rally in Yerevan’s Erebuni district, and three initiators of the rally, the opposition leader himself, and two other lawmakers – Ararat Mirzoyan and Sasun Michaelyan were detained.

“All actions of the initiators of the rally are illegal after the decision of the police to cease the demonstrations, and all participants of the rally are obliged to leave the location of the rally”, police said.

After a couple of hours the Prosecutor General’s Office said that the three lawmakers have been placed under arrest under Article 96, Paragraph 2 of the Constitution within the framework of an ongoing criminal case with the purpose of preventing crime and in direct suspicion of deliberately organizing and holding illegal rallies.

“MP Nikol Pashinyan, MP Ararat Mirzoyan and MP Sasun Michaelyan have numerously called on their followers to block city streets, block entrances of governmental buildings, breach into governmental buildings and paralyze the functioning of these buildings.

Their followers implemented the unlawful calls and blocked numerous streets and avenues, blocked the entries of state, self-governing body buildings, as well as private organizations, obstructed the normal functioning of these buildings and agencies, committed violence against police officers and others – leading to disproportionate restriction of the rights of other citizens and public interest.

As required by the Constitution, the Speaker of Parliament has been immediately notified on the arrest of the lawmakers”, the Prosecutor General’s Office said in a statement.

The crowd did not disperse, and pocket demonstrations were reported citywide.

Later in the day, hundreds of protesters gathered in the Republic Square again.

Iraq once again controls own economy, free of UN sanctions

December 27, 2017 by administrator

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi addresses the session “A Vision for Iraq,” Davos, Switzerland, Jan. 23, 2015.

By Adnan Abu Zeed,

BAGHDAD — The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has agreed to lift sanctions imposed on Iraq when the country invaded Kuwait 27 years ago.

The Iraqi Foreign Ministry said Dec. 9 the country had completed its obligations under the sanctions, which were imposed in 1990 when dictator Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait. The UNSC levied the penalties after naming Iraq a threat to international security and ordered it to pay reparations to states and other parties that suffered as a result of the invasion.

Some 27 years later, Iraq is still suffering the effects of the invasion. Hisham al-Rukabi, the head of Vice President Nouri al-Maliki’s press office, told Al-Monitor that the Iraqi people welcomed the recent UN decision.

Saad al-Hadithi, the spokesman for Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, said the move is “an important event in Iraq’s recent history and the closing of a painful [age] that lasted a long time, during which the Iraqi people suffered reduced sovereignty as well as political and economic sanctions that damaged the country’s institutions as well as individuals.”

Lifting the sanctions, he said, “will make Iraq more able to develop and achieve prosperity for its citizens, and restore the world’s trust so it can deal with Iraq as a fully sovereign nation.”

He predicted the decision will allow Iraq to play a greater political and economic role in the Middle East, experience an economic recovery and attract new investment.

Iraq has long suffered the consequences of the sanctions, which were enforced militarily any time Iraq posed a threat to international peace. The country was economically cut off from the world, and its sea, air, land and communications links were severed. Its diplomatic relations with other states were cut, and it lost control of its financial resources and oil exports, which were placed under UN supervision under the oil for food program. A significant proportion of its revenues were used to pay states harmed by its Kuwait invasion.

“Iraq paid reparations to the states that were environmentally and economically harmed by the war, including Israel and Jordan,” but its reparations stalled in 2014 because of the fall in oil prices, according to legal expert Tareq Harb. “The government’s deal with Kuwait to pay the remainder of reparations in the form of gas exported via Basra prompted Kuwait to report to the UN that Iraq was fulfilling its obligations, resulting in a resolution in Iraq’s favor.”

Kuwaiti Oil Minister Essam al-Marzouq said Dec. 10 that the 10-year deal with Iraq provides for imports of 50 million cubic feet of natural gas a day in the first stage, later rising to 200 million. The deal appears to have been the key factor that persuaded Kuwait to call for the UN to lift the sanctions.

Iraqi parliament member Jassem Mohammad Jaafar, who is close to Abadi, gave Al-Monitor more details on the deal. “Before the sanctions were lifted, Iraq was not even able to open foreign bank accounts in the name of the government, and its economic and financial contracts and commercial activities were conducted through intermediaries in order to avoid lawsuits. That cost the Iraqi treasury enormously,” he said.

“From now on, Iraq can manage the legal and technical aspects of its financial resources itself — along with everything relating to deposits and foreign real estate holdings — and dispose of its own affairs,” he said. “Other countries will no longer hesitate to invest in Iraq, and foreign firms will be encouraged, as Iraq is an oil-rich country and also has major gas reserves and swathes of agricultural land that could be very profitable.”

Iraqi writer and analyst Wathiq al-Jabari, a member of the Tanmiya Center, told Al-Monitor that the resolution will have “positive social effects.”

“All efforts to freeze Iraqi funds in international banks have ended, which will enhance Iraq’s financial standing and its creditworthiness,” he said.

The decision to lift sanctions coincided with Abadi’s announcement Dec. 9 that the fight against the Islamic State was over and security and stability had returned to Iraq. He also played up the country’s investment climate now that it can once again work with international firms and banks. With its vast oil reserves, Iraq can look forward to an economic revival, providing the government is able to bring stability and work fast to stamp out violence and terrorism.

Armenian Election Stepan Safaryan: I am confident in chances of Free Democrats’ party

April 2, 2017 by administrator

I am sure in chances of Free Democrats’ party, based on the data that we have received from a number of polling stations, although at the moment we do not know the overall picture, said Stepan Safaryan, a candidate from Free Democrats. According to him, their political party, if nothing unusual happens, has all the chances to overcome the 5 percent threshold.

Safaryan said, that he wouldn’t rely on Exit poll’s results, since the organization that carries out the Exit Poll doesn’t instill any confidence.

At the same time, he noted, that in case because of the vote, it turns out that their party doesn’t overcome the barrier, it would be the guilt of voters only. “If our society accepts what is going today, bribing or yielding to a good PR, the public should be prepared for future developments and accept the burden of the path that they had chosen. If it is acceptable for voters, then we do not see any problem.

As reported earlier, the Baltic Surveys / The Gallup Organization Exit poll organization collected data, according to which Free Democrats receive 2% of the vote. The favorite is Republican party, 46% and Tsarukyan Alliance, 25 %. Exit alliance has 10 percent, whereas the ARF, 5 percent.

Kurdish MP Osman Baydemir, who apologized for Armenian Genocide, set free

January 26, 2017 by administrator

MP of the opposition pro-Kurdish People’s Democratic Party (HDP) of Turkey, former mayor of primarily Kurdish-populated Diyarbakır town, prominent Kurdish figure Osman Baydemir, who was arrested at Diyarbakır court on Wednesday morning, has been set free.

Baydemir was taking part in the trial into the case of the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK), during which he was arrested, according to Cumhuriyet daily of Turkey.

He was later released along with several other arrested Kurdish MPs.

During his tenure as Mayor of Diyarbakır, Osman Baydemir had provided considerable assistance in the restoration of the Surp (Holy) Giragos Armenian Church of the town, an Armenian sign—reading “Welcome to Diyarbakır”—was placed near the entrance to the city, he had apologized for Armenian Genocide, and visited the Armenian Genocide Memorial in Armenia’s capital city of Yerevan.

Turkey’s ruling party aims to pardon 3,000 rapists

November 19, 2016 by administrator

Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has caused an outcry after proposing an intensely controversial bill that would pardon those found guilty of statutory rape of minor girls if they married their victims.

The 49-article draft bill was approved after it was brought forward in parliament by the conservative party at a night session on Thursday but fell short of gaining a majority vote required for it to be passed into law.

The parliament will convene again on Tuesday to vote on the bill.

The bill says in all pre-November 16 cases of child sex abuse involving girls aged 15 or younger and committed “without force, threat, or any other restriction on consent,” the sentence will be “deferred” if the culprit marries his victim.

In 2005, a similar law was abolished; hence, the bill includes all such cases during the past 11 years. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s AKP hopes that by turning the bill into law some 3,000 child rapists, who are currently in prison due to the current law, will be pardoned.

Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag defended the bill on national television on Friday, saying it was a response to the “unfortunate reality” of child marriage in Turkey’s conservative society.

He cited cases of imprisoned perpetrators, who had left the teen mother and her son in financial difficulties, adding, “Those who say ‘rapists will benefit from this’ are distorting the situation.”

The bill, however, has infuriated all three opposition parties and women’s associations, who argue that it would encourage forced marriages and legalize marriage to rapists.

“If a 50 or 60-year-old man is told to marry an 11-year-old girl after raping her, and then marries her years later, she will suffer the consequences. If you give him a pass through marriage, the young girl will live in a prison for her whole life,” said Omer Suha Aldan, a lawmaker from the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP).

Furthermore, the CHP released a statement on Friday saying that the bill “has severely damaged the reputation” of the parliament.

However, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim defended the bill, saying the CHP was trying to “distort” the issue.

Erkan Akcay, the deputy chair of the opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), also condemned the bill as “outrageous” and “impossible to accept.”

President of Federation of Women’s Associations Canan Gullu also denounced the draft, saying all early marriages should be prohibited.

“Families pressed girls aged 11 to 17 to marry unlawfully, and public action is filed when the girl gives birth at hospital or when schools notice the situation,” she added.

Meanwhile, the Women and Democracy Association (KADEM) also slammed the bill for its failure to determine the elements related to “compulsion, threat and will.”

According to women’s rights advocate Nuriye Kadan, almost a third of all marriages in Turkey involve child brides.

Armenia rated a ‘Free’ country for internet access for the fourth consecutive year

November 15, 2016 by administrator

Internet freedom remained largely uninhibited in the past year, though Armenia’s overall score declined somewhat after physically attacks against journalists by police were recorded in isolated incidents, Freedom House said on Monday in a newly-released “Freedom on the Net 2016” report. The new report places Armenia among 17 free countries out of the total 67 observed states with a score of 30/100 (0=Most Free, 100=Less Free). To note, Armenia’s score for the previous year was 28/100.

The report states that “historically the internet has remained relatively free in Armenia, with gradual improvements in infrastructure and accessibility connecting more of the population”. For the reporting period, covering June 2015 – May 2016, Freedom House refers to some incidents of censorship occurred during and after the coverage period, coinciding with the periods of violence and unrest. Specifically, it notes that Facebook was briefly restricted (for approximately 40 minutes) in July 2016 while armed militants were challenging the authorities,

The report refers to cases of self-censor as violent clashes briefly resumed on the Nagorno-Karabakh frontline in April 2016. “Expression online was skewed by the Defense Ministry’s appeals to citizens to refrain from discussing the situation on the frontline on the internet, for fear of revealing “war secrets” to the other side. Online commentators practiced self-censorship, and discussions online often turned hostile when publications or users were perceived to be publishing unfavorable information or figures about Armenia’s standing in the conflict,” the reports says. “Armenian internet users are able to access a wide array of content online, though online media outlets based within the country are subject to financial and political pressures,” the report reads, referring to some cases, when journalists are not allowed to deviate from the editorial policy of online media outlets, often linked to one of the political parties. Such pressure has the potential to affect the overall situation of freedom of speech in the country, though online publishers and individual bloggers strongly resist self-censorship. Indeed, there is a wide diversity of opinion on social media, and virtual battles between supporters and opponents of the government are often observed.

A variety of independent and opposition web resources provide Armenian audiences with politically neutral, or oppositional opinions. The report has registered no cases of imprisonment or other criminal sanctions for online activities over the past year. However, it has documented eight cases of physical violence against journalists in 2015. A number involved journalists and media personnel covering the June 2015 protests against energy price hikes in Yerevan or the December 6, 2015 constitutional referendum. On June 23 2015, police attacked journalists live-streaming the Electric Yerevan rally on Baghramian Avenue. Four police officers are under investigation in connection with the attacks. On July 29, 2016, a group of plainclothes men attacked at least 14 journalists while they were covering clashes between riot police and protesters marching in support of armed gunmen who had occupied a police compound in Yerevan. Some of the journalists were hospitalized as a result of the attacks; some of their equipment was broken. Armenian authorities promised to investigate the attacks. According to the report, internet freedom around the world declined in 2016 for the sixth consecutive year. Two-thirds of all internet users – 67 percent – live in countries where criticism of the government, military, or ruling family are subject to censorship. Estonia, Iceland and Canada are at the top of the list of the states with the freest internet, while Syria, China and Iran have the worst record among the observed states. From the regional states, Georgia along with Armenia is rated as free country with a score 25, Azerbaijan is rated partly free, while Turkey has registered a considerable decline coming a not free.

Foreign Minister: It’s time to recognize free and democratic Nagorno-Karabakh Republic

September 28, 2016 by administrator

Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic Karen Mirzoyan met with the leadership of the EU-Armenia Friendship Group headed by the President of the group Eleni Theocharous during his visit to Belgium.

During the meeting on Tuesday, a range of issues related to Artsakh-Europe relations, settlement of the Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict and regional processes were discussed.

On the same day Karen Mirzoyan met with the President of the Friendship group with Artsakh in the European Parliament Frank Engel and other members of the group. During the meeting, a number of issues related to the activity of the friendship group were discussed. The sides highlighted the importance of deepening ties with various European structures, including the European Parliament.

Later in the day, Karen Mirzoyan, as a keynote speaker, delivered a speech at a round-table organized by Frank Engel entitled “Nagorno Karabakh Republic: 25 years of state-building in a volatile region” at the premises of the European Parliament.

In his speech, the NKR Foreign Minister stated, in particular, that 25 years ago the people of Nagorno Karabakh voted for independence on a nation-wide referendum which became the logical continuation of Artsakh liberation struggle in response to decades of discrimination and oppression by Azerbaijan.

“In spite of the peaceful and legitimate nature of the Karabakh movement, from the very beginning Azerbaijan rejected any dialogue and resorted to the language of threats and intimidation which led to a large-scale war against Nagorno Karabakh and its peaceful population”, Karen Mirzoyan said.

The NKR Foreign Minister stressed that even today the people of Artsakh literally have to defend the young democracy in the conditions of constant attempts of Azerbaijan to return Nagorno Karabakh to the past. Karen Mirzoyan noted that the NKR had repeatedly spoken out publicly about Azerbaijan openly preparing for the resumption of war by, however, the international community did not react to these warnings. The impunity enjoyed by Azerbaijan led to the resumption of hostilities against Nagorno Karabakh on April 2б, 2016.

Karen Mirzoyan stressed that the people of Artsakh cannot remain hostage to the destructive policy of Azerbaijan and will continue to develop even in the conditions of the unresolved Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict. In this regard the Foreign Minister mentioned that the NKR authorities attach great importance to the expansion and deepening of foreign relations of the NKR at all levels, its integration into the international processes.

Karen Mirzoyan expressed confidence that expansion of the international cooperation will be an important contribution to strengthening peace and security in the region.

“We believe that the time has come for the international community to support our struggle. It’s time to recognize and support the reality – existence and consistent development of the free and democratic Nagorno Karabakh Republic”, Karen Mirzoyan concluded.

The NKR Foreign Minister answered questions of participants.

Members of the NKR National Assembly delegation, members of the European Parliament and experts attended the discussion.

Armenia arranges free trade area with Iran, Economy Minister says

August 25, 2016 by administrator

Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan at a session of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council has reached an agreement on the establishment of a free trade area with Iran, Economy Minister Artsvik Minasyan said Thursday, August 25, according to Tert.am.

“The creation of a free trade area with Iran will enable establishing better relations between Iran and the Eurasian Economic Union,” Minasyan said.

The main problem facing Armenia, according to the Minister, is ensuring legal guarantees.

Weighing in on the deal, Minasyan said that both Armenia and Iran should be engaged, with Armenia, according to him, already making efforts.

Asked whether Armenia can have a free trade area with Iran independent from Russia, Minasyan said Armenia has had such a status from the very beginning, and that no new document will be signed between Iran and the Eurasian Economic Union in this regard.

Kurdish Peshmerga forces liberate 6 villages east of Mosul

August 14, 2016 by administrator

This photo provided by Kurdish-language Rudaw television network shows Kurdish Peshmerga forces during an anti-Daesh military operation in Khazar region, northern Iraq, on August 14, 2016.

Iraqi Kurdish Peshmerga forces have liberated five villages near Mosul from Takfiri Daesh militants as army troops and allied fighters are battling to drive the terrorists out of the militant-held northern city.

Peshmerga launched an operation in Khazar region east of Mosul at around 5:30 a.m. local time (0230 GMT) on Sunday, and managed to establish full control over the villages of Tal Hamid, Qarqasha, Abzakh and Dasht Takh following fierce exchanges of gunfire with Daesh militants, Kurdish-language Rudaw television network reported.

The report added that two vehicles rigged with explosives were destroyed during the operations. It, however, stopped short of specifying casualties on the ranks of Daesh Takfiris and Kurdish forces.

Kurdish sources, requesting anonymity, said Peshmerga troopers are poised to recapture at least 11 villages from Daesh during Sunday’s offensive.

Having suffered severe blows on the battleground near Mosul, Daesh terrorists have stepped up their acts of terror against civilians and security forces there.

In another development on Saturday, Iraqi media quoted Amir Wasiq, a senior police official in Nineveh Province, as saying that Daesh militants executed 60 ex-officers for cooperating with Iraqi intelligence services in an area south of Mosul.

Mosul fell into the hands of the Takfiri terrorists in June 2014 when they launched an offensive in Iraq.

Hisham al-Hashimi, a consultant to the Baghdad government on the anti-Daesh campaign, recently said a large-scale offensive for the liberation of Mosul was slated for late September.

Last week, Defense Minister Khalid al-Obeidi said high-ranking Daesh militant commanders and their families had sold their belongings and fled Mosul as Iraqi forces were closing in on the city.

The Iraqi army and fighters from the Popular Mobilization units have been engaged in joint operations to retake militant-held regions.

Source: presstv.com