Couples Married in Mass Wedding Demand Release of Levon Hayrapetian

July 26, 2014 By administrator

STEPANAKERT—674 couples who were married in a mass wedding in Artsakh, sponsored by businessman and philanthropist Levon Hayrapetian, have appealed to Russian authorities, demanding the release of Hayrapetian, who was arrested on July 15 in Moscow. The couples say they hope that Russian law enforcement will take an objective approach to the case, in which case they are confident that Hayrapetian will be proven innocent.

“We, the 674 couples of a mass wedding organized by Levon Hayrapetyan in 2008, consider invaluable the great benefactor’s contribution to the development of Artsakh, displayed by both sponsoring us and our children, and many other major projects,” The statement from the group read.

“Thanks to Hayrapetian’s sponsorship of the mass wedding, hundreds of families were formed in Artsakh, and in the six years’ time, around 1,200 children have been born. Being well aware of Levon Hayrapetian’s high human values, we are convinced that the accusations against him are groundless. We hope that the Russian law enforcement bodies will display an objective approach, in the result of which the great benefactor’s innocence will be proven. Considering the investigation process and revelation of truth as a matter of time, at this stage we demand that the preliminary investigation body should immediately release Levon Hayrapetian from custody. Once released, in addition to providing assistance to the preliminary investigation, he will have the opportunity to improve his health condition, about which we are most concerned,” reads the statement.

Hayrapetian, 65, was arrested by Russian Federal Security Service officials on July 15. Last Thursday, a Moscow court allowed the businessman’s two-month imprisonment while investigators conduct a probe into his alleged criminal connections and involvement in some illegal financial dealings. Official charges against Hayrapetian are expected to be brought on July 24.

Hayrapetian is considered to be one of the wealthiest Armenians in the world. He is known to have invested millions of dollars into developing Nagorno-Karabakh’s infrastructure and renovating the area’s historical-cultural monuments. His charity included a mass wedding for hundreds of Karabakh couples in 2008 and sponsorship of the construction of a military college in Martakert.

Karabakh Cease-fire: the information war rages despite two decades of truce

July 24, 2014 By administrator

By Siranuysh Gevorgyan ArmeniaNow

During the Karabakh war and 20 years of cease-fire that followed the war of information was a “buddy” constant conflict.

Angela Elibegova, a specialist in Azerbaijani studies based in Yerevan, said the winning side in the war Armenia has not paid attention to the confrontation of information for a long time, however, when the Azerbaijan began to intensively distortions of various facts about the conflict and the war and issued Armenia began to develop a wide range of policy tools at an official level.

Since 2009, a large group of multi-specialists began working in Armenia. They managed to coordinate information on the Karabakh conflict and present through books, websites and scientific work.

“For example, the draft xocali.net collected all the photos the Azerbaijani side has used in various brochures, posters and discovered that they have no connection with the events in Khojaly. Thus, Azerbaijan has not used photographs in their brochures and posters. In addition, the portal karabakhrecords.info was launched. It contains comprehensive information on the events of 1987-1992 in Azerbaijan and Nagorno-Karabakh and other programs as well, “said the expert.

Expert in business information Vrtanesyan Karen said there was little information in the early days of the conflict, and even before, during the Soviet years, mostly expressed through scientific articles. In recent years, pirate attacks on the Internet have become an important part of the information confrontation, which runs on some important days in the history of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict.

“After the war, the Armenian side has started to address its internal problems and the Azerbaijani side started to be active. Plus they have recovered more they acted proactively in the informational sphere. Thus, the more we started the war, more intensive campaign Azerbaijan has increased. If we follow the rhetoric it seems that the active war is not over yet, “says Vrtanesyan.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in his public speeches often uses military rhetoric – it is generally said that sooner or later will return Karabakh to Azerbaijan, he also likes to mention indices emigration from Armenia stressing that Azerbaijan exceeds Armenia by both the population and its natural resources, so they can easily conquer Armenia. The co-chairs of the Minsk Group of the OSCE on the peaceful settlement of the Karabakh conflict in all their ads do not encourage them to use the rhetoric of war, stressing that this creates additional tensions. Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian is normally reserved in his statements and most often on the international scene, he emphasizes Aliyev uses bellicose rhetoric, saying that the Azeri leader openly preaches hatred and animosity.

In February at the meeting of the Union of Yerkrapah Volunteers President Sarkisian turned to Azerbaijan with a detailed discourse. He spoke limits incidents, civilian and military casualties as a result of violations of the cease-fire and said that “it is murder and the Azerbaijani campaign presents it to their nation as a struggle for Karabakh” .

“The killings follow another purpose – to intensify the situation regularly and maintain the fire of hatred to all Armenians. The anti-Armenianism is the idea around which they want to collect the new Azerbaijani nation and around which they want to train their so-called “national ideology”. Hatred towards Armenians becomes synonymous with patriotism, “said Sarkisian.

Armenian experts believe that Aliyev’s military rhetoric is very effective, especially for the internal public.

“I normally call it a campaign in wartime. Firstly, one of the objectives of the campaign is to keep them mobilized nation, led to the Armenians and Armenia. Each problem is explained in Azerbaijan by Armenians, even in internal struggles when they want to get rid of someone, they say that the mother or father of the person is an Armenian. The other purpose is to divert attention from domestic problems to the external enemy – the Armenians, “says Karen Vrtanesyan.

Elibegova also emphasizes that Aliyev’s military rhetoric is very effective for the internal public. “They have learned to their electorate to believe in everything, everything that comes from above, television and never analyzed. For 20 years, they said that they would soon liberate Karabakh, and all these 20 years, they believed in it. But, for example, the younger generation who has never met or known one Armenian Karabakh is quite indifferent to the question, “said the expert who closely follows the Azerbaijani media.

Experts consider a serious problem in the information war between Armenia and Azerbaijan is the fact that the Armenian media often reproduce false Azerbaijani information without checking the facts, without seeking information more valuable to a third source. However, Elibegova Vrtanesyan and say that this trend was more prevalent there a few years ago, today the Armenian media are more cautious.

“Our information field is very diverse, there is the media of different political orientations, there is the media for promotional purposes which do more harm to Armenia that Azerbaijan itself. Azerbaijani media often use the statements of Armenian politicians who are supposed to be directed to the internal public, but become very convenient for Azerbaijan. In particular, Azerbaijan is working very hard on the thesis of the devaluation of the Armenian victory in the war. One of these theories is that Russia fought for us, but for Russia, Azerbaijan would have won, and this thesis has recently been heard in the Armenian media as “said Vrtanesyan.

Vrtanesyan also note that, unlike the Armenian media there is a tight vertical supervision on Azerbaijani media. “The whole information field is carefully controlled, and it’s all done in a very coordinated manner, we feel that in the morning they receive a document that has everything to say and with a slight change the same thesis campaign is distributed. “

“In Azerbaijan, you can clearly see the hierarchy, how the orders come from above, how they get spread, what happens to journalists who do not agree with the rules of the game, as Rauf Mirkadirov (he was arrested on charges of spying for Armenia), Khadija Ismayilova (she was repeatedly blackmailed, and spied a video on his personal life has been found on the net). The rules are very clear – either you are either with the system or you are destroyed “said Elibegova.

According to the latest Freedom House report, Armenia and Azerbaijan remain among countries “not free press.” According to the report in 2014, the Azerbaijani indications seem very negative while the country is advertised as going in a wrong direction. It is especially important to silence independent voices, the voices that are heard on the Internet. The situation in Armenia is better. “

Karabakh: July 23 marks 21st anniv. of Aghdam (Akna) liberation

July 24, 2014 By administrator

Liberation of Shushi in 1992 decreased but didn’t eliminate the threat to the towns of Nagorno Karabakh Republic. Azerbaijani military-political leadership viewed its air force and heavy artillery as means of intimidating the Armenian population, rather than fulfillment of fire support tasks.

After the Shushi liberation, Azeri military leadership transported most artillery to Agdam province, with the enemy group posing constant danger to Martakert and Martuni defensive provinces of the NKR.

All the surrounding settlements including Stepanakert were shelled from Agdam; Armenian villages of Askeran, Martakert and Martuni provinces were destroyed, with Askeran almost entirely ravaged by Azeri artillery.

Hence, seizure of Agdam and suppression of firing points became a vital necessity. On July 23, Artsakh forces launched an offensive on both sides and seized the town, forcing out the Azeris.

“The population didn’t want us to defend them. They all fled the town,” an Azeri officer recollected.

Agdam liberation ensured Askeran civilians’ security. Moreover, the operation eliminated the threat to systematic shelling of NKR capital, as well as attacks against Askeran and neighboring provinces.

In November of 2010, the NKR government ruled to rename the town of Agdam to Akna, with a status of a province. Akna, which currently has a population of 360, may in future regain the status of an independent settlement.

Smbat Tsakanyan kidnapped by Azerbaijani saboteurs – NKR Prosecutor’s Office

July 18, 2014 By administrator

The investigation conducted by the NKR law enforcement bodies has revealed that 17-year-old Karabakh citizen Smbat Tsakanyan was kidnapped by the members of the Azerbaijani commando group who entered the territory of NKR’s Karvachar region, the press service of the NKR Prosecutor’s Office reports.

Smbat Tsakanyan’s body was found in the forest near Karvachar and Manashid villages in NKR’s Shahumyan region on July 15. Gunshot wounds were found on his body. Tsakanyan was reported missing on July 8.

Smbat Tsakanyan was kidnapped by Azerbaijani citizens Shahbaz Jalal Ogli Guliyev, 46, Dilham Gardashkhan Ogli Askerov, 54, and a third member of the commando group who was eliminated while showing resistance, the NKR Prosecutor’s Office said.

The criminal case opened over the murder of Smbat Tsakanyan has been sent to the NKR National Security Service, to be joined with the criminal case filed earlier.

Komandos sees ‘Azeri scheme’ behind top Armenian businessman’s arrest in Moscow

July 17, 2014 By administrator

Major-General Arkady Ter-Tadevosyan

Karabakh war hero Arkady Ter-Tadevosyan believes Azerbaijan may have bribed some top officials in Russian special services to prosecute wealthy Armenian businessman and philanthropist Levon Hayrapetyan.

The native of Karabakh known for his investments and charity projects in his homeland was detained in Moscow on Tuesday over alleged links with a notorious Russian criminal gang. Reports in the Russian media suggest Hayrapetyan is suspected of ‘illegal financial machinations’ in an oil company purchase deal.

Major-General Ter-Tadevosyan, also known as Komandos, issued a statement later on Wednesday, describing Hayrapetyan as one of the most active advocates of Russian-Armenian friendship and a great patriot of Armenia and Russia. He accused Azerbaijan of scheming against the businessman.

“Naturally, the Armenian people cannot remain indifferent to the fate of Levon Hayrapetyan. I am sure that people not only in the Armenian states, but also in Russia will stand up for his defense,” Ter-Tadevosyan said.

Meanwhile, according to the Rosbalt news agency, the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation has asked a Moscow court to remand the Armenian businessman into custody.

Routes from Azerbaijan to Karvachar to be mined: Defense Minister

July 17, 2014 By administrator

All the possible routes from Azerbaijan to Karvachar region of Nagorno Karabakh will be mined, Armenian Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan said today.

“The Defense Army of Nagorno Karabakh is taking the appropriate measures to discover the possible routes of penetration from Azerbaijan into Karvachar, including work on mining of those paths,” Ohanyan said at the government session Thursday.

In his words, the members of the Azerbaijani commando group who made an incursion into the territory of Nagorno Karabakh were found and rendered harmless.

“The alert level on the frontline has been raised. The commanders of the NKR Defense Army are taking all necessary measures. Work is being done with the population,” the minister said.

According to him, the Azerbaijani diversionist who was the last to be detained is suspected of killing Smbat Tsakanyan, a 17-year-old resident of Nor Erkedj village in Karvachar region, Nagorno Karabakh.

source: Aysor.am

Karabakh: More civilian deaths reported as authorities start prosecution of Azeri saboteurs

July 16, 2014 By administrator

GOHAR ABRAHAMYAN
ArmeniaNow reporter

According to the most recent reports from Nagorno-Karabakh, an Armenian villagers was killed by sniper fire when working on the land, while the body of a 17-year-old resident of the Karvachar district, who had been missing since July 4 and whose disappearance was linked to the recent sabotage activities of Azerbaijani forces, was found quite a long distance from his community.

According to official reports, Arvid Danielyan, a resident of the Askeran district of the NKR, was operating a tractor in the field when he was fatally shot in the head. A criminal case has been instituted in connection with this killing.

It also became known that the body of 17-year-old Smbat Tsakanyan, from the village of Nor Erkej of the Karvachar district, was found. His parents think their son was kidnapped and then killed by Azeri commandos. Talking to reporters on Tuesday, Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan did not rule out a connection between the teenager’s disappearance and the Azeri infiltration in Karvachar.

An Azeri reconnaissance-sabotage group attempted to penetrate into the Armenian-controlled territory last Wednesday, but its movement was spotted by frontline Karabakh units that managed to thwart the raid. Some of the group members were captured, others fled, according to the report. Later, one of the members of the group that managed to penetrate into Karvachar attacked a car, killing 42-year-old officer Sargis Abrahamyan and wounding the wife of another serviceman, 37-year-old Karine Davtyan. The attacker was later killed by Armenian forces. Two other members of the group were apprehended by Karabakh forces that reported the “neutralization” of all saboteurs on Monday afternoon.

The arrested saboteurs were identified as 46-year-old Shahbaz Guliyev and 56-year-old Dilham Askerov. According to the NKR Prosecutor’s Office, both of them were armed with automatic weapons, pistols with silencers, as well as hand grenades that were used in the reconnaissance-sabotage activities and espionage operations.

It said that a third person, whose personal data were being specified, was killed after showing resistance at the time of his arrest.

Earlier on Tuesday, Armenia’s defense minister also spoke about the criminal case against the Azeri saboteurs, saying that they will answer for their actions according to both Armenian laws and the requirements of international norms.

In response to claims in Azerbaijan that the arrested Azeris should be given prisoner of war status, which means that they are subject to repatriation, the Armenian side said it had ‘irrefutable evidence’ that they were members of a ‘criminal group’ recruited by Azerbaijani authorities for the purpose of carrying out sabotage activities.

Armenian Defense Ministry spokesman Artsrun Hovhannisyan, in response to the Azeri application to the International Committee of the Red Cross, said that the order of communication with the members of the Azeri sabotage group would be specified after the publication of the charges brought against them as part of the criminal case.

Meanwhile, the latest Karvachar incidents fueled more speculation in Armenia about the possibility of renewed hostilities in Karabakh. But Deputy Director of the Yerevan-based Caucasus Institute, political analyst Sergey Minasyan said the events in Karvachar are not an indication of a planned full-scale war, as at this moment there is only “a psychological battle of nerves between the two sides” and “these are common signs of military activity, after which there will be a period of relative calm.”

According to political analyst Tigran Abrahamyan, Azerbaijan has made some tactical changes in its steps on the frontline and now the Karabakh resettlement process has become the target for Azeri forces.

“It is known that at various international structures Azerbaijan has constantly raised the issue of Artsakh’s resettlement, stating that the process is contrary to the logic of the negotiations. Realizing that these arguments are devoid of logic and that the war rhetoric does not prevent the resettlement process, Azerbaijan has resorted to unacceptable steps as it uses terrorist actions to intimidate the people who have either settled down or have a desire to live in Artsakh,” the analyst said.

Karabakh army thwarts Azerbaijan’s infiltration attempt

July 10, 2014 By administrator

July 10, 2014 | 14:05

STEPANAKERT. – The adversary carried out an intelligence-diversionary infiltration attempt on the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR)-Armenia state border, in the direction of Karvachar city.

As a result of operative actions by the NKR Defense Army vanguard units, however, the adversary’s intelligence-diversionary team was detected in time, some of its members were detained, and the rest have fled, the NKR MOD press service informed.

The Armenian side did not suffer casualties during the operation.

Volodya Khachatryan “the Turks (Azerbaijanis) Mardakert see that lives and grows”

June 28, 2014 By administrator

City Mardakert (north of the Republic of Nagorno Karabagh) recently celebrated the June 27 anniversary of its liberation from Azerbaijan in 1993. A military parade was held in a festive atmosphere and hundreds of flags Karabakh fluttering. After the parade and ceremony at the memorial to the Armenian soldiers killed in battle during the liberation Mardakert, many cultural and sporting festivities were held in the city in the presence of guests from Armenia and the abroad. In the evening a concert was given then the fireworks lit up all the colors of the sky Mardakert. According Volodya Khachatryan, the prefect of the region Mardakert, the city became a permanent site with new structures that emerge from the earth.

“We have an efficient and well-trained army defending our borders. In our region, are three common border. These Mardakert, and Madaghis Täliche. These three cities are growing, “said Volodya Khachatryan. It also stressed the importance of road construction Mardakert-Vardenis funded Hayastan. “Fund Many socio-cultural projects are underway. Rooftops forty martyrs fighters will be renovated with a budget of 45 million drams, “he said.” If people live here in Mardakert is that they know that here is their land and water. They will continue to maintain and develop their legacy for generations homes “said V. Khachatryan. He added that “the Turks (Azerbaijanis) see qu’étendue 1.5 kilometers, the city Mardakert lives and grows.”

Krikor Amirzayan

Armenia wary of Turkey’s role after the incident at the border of Nakhichevan

June 27, 2014 By administrator

Some new elements have appeared in the issue of Karabakh and Yerevan officials have acknowledged. In particular, they talked about the attempts of direct involvement of Turkey in the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict and the ability to recognize the independence of Nagorno-Karabakh in case of an escalation of the conflict. Apparently, these two trends are related.

On June 5, an incident was reported at the border between Armenia and Nakhichevan, an Azerbaijani enclave which is confined to the southwest of Armenia and, unlike Azerbaijan this “territory” has a short border with Turkey. Two Armenian soldiers were killed in the incident. In this respect, the Armenian Defense Minister Seyran Ohanian made two remarkable statements. He stated that if she continued escalation would have serious serious consequences for Azerbaijan and stated bluntly that there are units in the Turkish army separated from Nakhichevan. In support, information was posted on the latest Turkish-Azerbaijani joint military exercises.

The same day, commenting on the incident, Deputy Foreign Minister of Armenia Shavarsh Kocharian said that if climbing did not stop there would be only one way – the recognition of independence of Karabakh. “In my opinion, the pursuit of such a policy, openly racist, militaristic, I could tell a medieval policy could still lead to the recognition of the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh by the international community. Because there is no other way in this situation, “he said.

In an interview with RFE / RL, Head of the Centre for Regional Studies Richard Giragosian said the French President François Hollande and the OSCE Chairman-in-Office Didier Burkhalter have introduced new proposals in the negotiations on Karabakh. In particular, according Giragosian, the issue is the creation of mechanisms to investigate the incidents and the return of Nagorno-Karabakh in the negotiation process. Shavarsh Kocharian stated that the border provocations were the response of Azerbaijan to these proposals.

Turkey has never hidden his interest in the victory of Azerbaijan in the Karabakh conflict, in addition, since 1993, Turkey has kept the border with Armenia closed, cutting off Yerevan major regional projects. Turkey has not made any secret of the fact that it supports the modernization of the Azerbaijani army. However, the direct involvement of Turkey in the conflict, and not in the territory of Karabakh, but Armenia itself, can become an opportunity for Armenia to seek the help of international blocs. Armenia can either turn to the Organization of the Collective Security Treaty, a defense pact led by Russia which she is a member, or call in NATO, of which Turkey is a member.

It should be noted that British and American military experts group advising Armenia on its second Strategic defense was in Yerevan these jours. it.

By Naira Hayrumyan

ArmeniaNow