Los Angeles Rally for Justice at April 24 2016 #ArmenianGenocide

February 25, 2016 By administrator

LOS ANGELES—Community organizations have come together once again to call for justice for Armenian Genocide. On Sunday, April 24, at 1 p.m., a community-wide RALLY FOR JUSTICE will be held in front of the Turkish Consulate at 6300 Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles to commemorate the 100+1 anniversary of the Armenian Genocide as we continue to fight for a just resolution and against denial of this still unpunished crime against humanity.

All leading religious, political, youth, and advocacy organizations of our community have come together once again after last year’s unprecedented Centennial March for Justice to organize the 2016 Rally for Justice. Strengthened by our unity, we call upon all segments of our community to join the Armenian Genocide Committee in making our collective voice heard as one Nation for one Cause.

Although traffic will be lighter this year on Sunday, bus transportation will be provided from churches, schools and community centers throughout Southern California. Pick up/Drop off locations will be announced soon.

Rally for Justice t-shirts are on sale at Jons Marketplace locations in Glendale, Hollywood and Valley Village and are also available online at Amazon.com and Ebay.com. Proceeds from all sales will go entirely toward funding the Rally for Justice. Please purchase and start wearing your t-shirts now and help us spread the word.

Mark your calendars. Further details will be forthcoming.

Armenian Genocide Committee
Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America
Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church
Armenian Catholic Church of North America
Armenian Evangelical Union of North America
Armenian Revolutionary Federation
Armenian Democratic Liberal Party
Social Democrat Hunchak Party
Armenian General Benevolent Union – Western District
Armenian Relief Society – Western USA
Armenian Youth Federation
Armenian Assembly of America
Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region
Armenian Council of America
Armenian Rights Council
Armenian Bar Association
Organization of Istanbul Armenians

SWEDEN Shooting sidelines of a pro-Kurdish rally in Stockholm, one seriously injured

February 14, 2016 By administrator

arton122113-480x270 A man was shot and critically wounded on the sidelines of a pro-Kurdish rally that was held in the suburbs of Stockholm, have we learned Sunday from the police.

“The incident took place yesterday in Fittja. The victim, who was there in connection with the rally, was injured by bullets, “he told AFP a police spokeswoman Ewa Nilsson.

The person, whose identity was not revealed, was in critical condition, she said. The assailant fled by car and had not been arrested early Sunday afternoon.

According to local press, the victim was in a minibus covered with Kurdish flags which followed the demonstrators.

According to the organizers of the rally, the shooting a “political” reasons.

“This is a direct attack against the demonstration against the Kurds,” said one of their representatives, quoted by Swedish news agency TT.

According to TT, the intelligence agencies involved in the investigation.

Sunday, February 14, 2016,
Stéphane © armenews.com

Armenian Genocide Committee Plans Rally for Justice on April 24

January 29, 2016 By administrator

12524207_10153336407013201_8207091778319964090_n We call upon all segments of our community to join together in a RALLY FOR JUSTICE on Sunday, April 24, 2016, at 1:00 p.m. at the intersection of Wilshire Boulevard and Crescent Heights in Los Angeles in front of the Turkish Consulate as we continue to fight for a just resolution and against denial of the Armenian Genocide.

As we enter the second century of denial of the Armenian Genocide, and following the worldwide uprising of the Armenian People on the occasion of last year’s Centennial, including the 166,000 thousand who marched through the streets of Los Angeles, organizational leaders in Southern California call upon the Armenian-American community to remain vigilant and active as we continue to voice our collective demands for justice.

It is our belief that our voices are most loudly and effectively heard when they are unified, and to that end, we proudly announce the continued cooperation of community organizations to organize and execute the commemorative activities for this year under the banner of the newly formed Armenian Genocide Committee (“AGC”) consisting of the organizations and entities listed below.
Further details will be forthcoming in the coming weeks.

ARMENIAN GENOCIDE COMMITTEE

Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America
Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church
Armenian Catholic Church of North America
Armenian Evangelical Union of North America
Armenian Democratic Liberal Party
Armenian Revolutionary Federation
Social Democratic Hunchakian Party
Armenian General Benevolent Union – Western District
Armenian Relief Society – Western USA
Armenian Youth Federation
Armenian Assembly of America
Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region
Armenian Council of America
Armenian Rights Council
Armenian Bar Association
Organization of Istanbul Armenians

Armenia: Rally against constitutional reform kicks off in Yerevan

October 30, 2015 By administrator

YEREVAN. – The rally of “No” front that is fighting against constitutional amendments has kicked off Yerevan’s Liberty Square. (photos)

Representatives of political parties, among them Heritage leader Raffi Hovannisian, member of Founding Parliament Zhirair Sefilyan, ANC group deputies, are in the square.

Several dozens of citizens have gathered in the square despite heavy rain, the Armenian News-NEWS.am correspondent reported.

The front has been joined by the representatives of Heritage party, the People’s Party of Armenia, Armenian National Congress and Founding Parliament opposition group.

The civic group held the first rally in Gyumri, Armenia’s second largest city.

The referendum on constitutional amendments will be held on December 6.

Turkey “State is the killer banner” Some 10,000 People Rally in Istanbul After Ankara Terror Attack

October 10, 2015 By administrator

Turkish citizens took to the streets of Istanbul condemning twin blasts in Ankara.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Almost 10,000 Turkish citizens took to the streets of Istanbul on Saturday condemning twin blasts in Ankara, which claimed the lives of at least 86 peace protesters, local media reported.
The protesters patrolled by numerous police officers marched down Istanbul’s central street, according to the Turkish IMC television channel.
Some people carried banners reading “the state is a killer” and “we know the killers”, blaming the Turkish government for the deadly attack.
Rallies were also carried out in other Turkish cities, including Batman and Diyarbakir, where the police used tear gas to disperse the protesters.

Criminal case opened over police violence while dispersing Yerevan rally #ElectricYerevan

July 3, 2015 By administrator

YEREVAN. – Armenia’s investigation service has opened a criminal case in connection with impeding impeding journalists’work, abuse of power combined with violence.

According to investigation service, after studying media reporters it was revealed that during the special action to disperse the demonstration organized at Baghramyan Avenue and a sit-in on June 23, the representatives of law enforcement agencies abused power and used violence against demonstrators and journalists that were covering the events.

On June 22, numerous people—led by the “No to Plunder” initiative—staged a protest at Baghramyan Avenue, and demanded the revoking of the decision to raise the price of electricity in the country. In the morning of June 23, however, the police forcibly dispersed this sit-in. Since the evening of the same day, however, the demonstrators have resumed the sit-in at the avenue.

President Sargsyan, however, stated that the government will cover this price hike until an audit is conducted at the ENA, which supplies electricity to the country’s residents. Part of the demonstrators left the avenue after the decision, while the rest continued a sit-in.

Yerevan, Over 200 detained after electricity hike rally dispersed in Yerevan

June 23, 2015 By administrator

Over 200 people, including journalists, have been taken to police stations following the dispersal of a demonstration in downtown Yerevan, Union of Informed Citizens NGO said in a statement, according to Panorama.am.

Some of the citizens were taken to police stations of the cities of Abovyan and Ashatrak as Yerevan police stations are overcrowded, the statement notes.

Reporters of GALA TV, Haykakan Zhamanak daily, and websites News.am, PanARMENIAN.Net and Hetq.am are among those taken to police stations. Many citizens received injuries, with some of them being hospitalized, according to the statement.

In the last two hours the rapid response group of Armenian Ombudsman Office has been visiting various police stations and Yerevan hospitals where protesters were taken.

Also, twenty-five people were taken to different medical institutions of Armenia in the wake of the overnight clashes that followed the protest against the power hike.

Following the overnight clashes that saw the police officers use force against young activists campaigning against the power hike, Tert.am has sought comments from parliamentarians as to the proportionality and adequateness of the measures taken.

Tevan Poghosyan, an opposition MP from the Heritage party, says he regrets a lot that the police had to use water spraying cars and resort to physical violence amid the massive protest that continued until midnight.

“The entire process should have pursued a different course. Regretfully enough, the young [activists] were wonderful people, so I hail them and their campaign, as well as their skillfulness to stand up for their rights,” he said.

Poghosyan said he was under the impression that the police behavior was adequate and balanced up until a certain point when the events took an aggressive turn. “They were very disciplined and balanced – at least until the evening – and showing a demonstrated respect for one another. I don’t know what happened or changed that necessitated the use of force. But I really regret.”

In the sporadic march that followed the three-day sit-in in Yerevan’s Liberty Square, police officers negotiated with the protesters for over eight hours, trying to explain the legal ban on sporadic actions lasting more than six hours. The activists, for their part, were urging policemen to switch on the street lighting to prevent a possible provocation. As early as at 5:20 am, the police brought water spraying canons to the scene, and some 237 activists subsequently held.

Nikol Pashinyan of the opposition Armenian National Congress said earlier today (June 23) that the law enforcement authorities have instituted a criminal case to probe into further details.

In a statement issued on Tuesday morning, the Armenian Police tried to justify the reasons behind their actions, citing the law “On Freedom of Assemblies”, as well as the activists’ somewhat indifferent attitude to their repeated calls and requests for accepting the president’s proposal for a meeting.

According to Vahram Baghdasaryan, the leader of the ruling Republican faction in parliament, the police calls and the response by the Presidential Office could have averted the major clashes.

“But the protesters did not want that; hence, naturally, the tough measures could not have been avoided. And the situation was not desirable either for the policemen or the demonstrators or even the presidential administration. But in certain situations, it is impossible to act otherwise,” he said.

Tert.am: ԱԺ-ում մթնոլորտը թեժ է. ընդդիմադիրները պահանջում են բերման ենթարկվածներին ազատ արձակել

Panorama. Over 200 taken to police stations after police disperse demonstration in Yerevan

Tert.am. Power hike protest: Could police have avoided violence?

4 քաղաքացի շարունակում է մնալ վերակենդանացման բաժանմունքում.Panorama.am

Electricity blackout is Erdogan modern tools Blast blamed on electrical fault hits HDP rally in Diyarbakır

June 5, 2015 By administrator

The venue of the rally after explosion. (Photo: Cihan)

An explosion on Friday that appeared to be caused by an electrical fault injured several people at an opposition party rally in Turkey’s mainly Kurdish city of Diyarbakir, television footage showed.

The footage showed people being carried out on stretchers as the rally’s organisers announced on loudspeakers that the explosion had been caused by a fault in a power generator and urged people to stay calm.

At least seven people were founded in the explosion, initial reports said.

The incident comes amidst increasing attacks targeting the party. Most recently, unidentified assailants fired on a campaign minibus of the HDP in eastern Turkey on Wednesday, killing the driver, only days ahead of a crucial general election.

Also last month, simultaneous bomb blasts hit offices of the HDP in two southern cities in the provinces of Adana and Mersin, wounding six people only three weeks ahead of the June 7 parliamentary election.

Argentine Armenians Rally En Mass for Genocide Centennial

April 29, 2015 By administrator

Argentine Armenians march in Buenos Aires to commemorate and demand justice for the Armenian Genocide on its centennial anniversary

BUENOS AIRES, CORDOBA, Argentina (Agencia Prensa Armenia)—The Armenian community in Argentina, along with a large number of human rights organizations and political parties, marched on Friday in Cordoba and on Tuesday in Buenos Aires to commemorate and seek justice for the Armenian Genocide on its centennial anniversary.

Tuesday’s march in Buenos Aires gathered more than 10,000 people and was attended by Adolfo Perez Esquivel, human rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize, Archbishop of the Armenian Apostolic Church Kissag Mouratian and Buenos Aires Legislator Pablo Ferreyra, along with all the leaders of the institutions of the Armenian community and scores of young people, children and elderly people carrying candles, flags and posters.

Adolfo Perez Esquivel, who was part of the judges of the Permanent People’s Tribunal, an organization that recognized the Armenian Genocide in 1984 and promoted its subsequent recognition by other international organizations, said that “memory can’t stay in the past; memory has to illuminate the present,” in reference to the Armenian Genocide centennial.

“In a few days, I will travel to Rome and I will meet with Pope Francis. I’ll tell him about this rally,” he concluded, receiving the cheers from everyone.

“Once again we are marching to the residence of the Ambassador of the State of Turkey, as part of the struggle we have been carrying out a century ago the descendants of the victims, for the recognition, repair and conviction of those responsible: the Turkish state, and all those countries who collaborated before, during, and after the genocide,” said Razmig Nalpatian, representing the Commemorative Commission of the Armenian Genocide Centennial on behalf of all institutions of the Armenian community.

“In our country, human rights organizations, led by our Madres and Abuelas de Plaza de Mayo, who fought relentlessly for nearly four decades for memory, truth and justice, gained victories that put us at the forefront in the matter of human rights,” he said in his speech.

“We are aware that Turkey is not alone in carrying out the last stage of genocide: denial. Its main partner is the Republic of Azerbaijan,” he added. “We wonder how different would have been the history of the twentieth century if the genocide against the Armenians had not gone unpunished.”

“Our country has recognized the Armenian Genocide by all three branches of government,” said Aram Ter Akopian, member of the Armenia Youth Federation of South America, one of the organizers of the march. “In 2006 the Congress passed Law 26,199 declaring all April 24 as ‘Day of Tolerance and Respect among Peoples’ and in 2007 the executive branch, headed by President Nestor Kirchner promulgated it. On the other hand, in 2011 the judiciary established that the Turkish State ‘committed the crime of genocide against the Armenian people,’” added Ter Akopian.

Andrés Ohanessian, member of Liga de Jovenes of the Armenian General Benevolent Union, said that “the force that had the recognition of Pope Francis led many people to mobilize worldwide.”

The main event at the Luna Park stadium will be held on Wednesday, April 29, with the leading of the renowned journalist Alejandro Fantino and a presentation of the artist Jairo, who will perform songs of Charles Aznavour.

A few days before the rally in Buenos Aires, on April 24, over 10,000 people marched in the center of the city of Cordoba, Argentina, for the Armenian Genocide centennial. The rally ended with a “Concert for Peace” with the presentation of the renowned band Bersuit Vergarabat.

The march was attended by the Deputy Mayor of the City of Córdoba, government officials, politicians and journalists. “We feel the company of all the people of Cordoba,” said Eduardo Torossian, President of the Armenian Community of Cordoba. “All political youth is represented here today,” he added.

Ruben Avakian, one of the organizers of the march, said that “it is a day of reflection, a day of action for tolerance, a day of awareness to the whole society and the States to assume the commitment to prevent so that this does not happen again, as well as to commit themselves to the struggle for human rights and condemn the crimes against humanity.”

In addition, Avakian remarked that “the courage of Pope Francis to set a position for us is invaluable, calling the Armenian Genocide as the ‘first genocide of the twentieth century’ while opening the Vatican archives as evidence of what truly happened.”

Israel: Tens of thousands of Israelis take part in anti-Netanyahu rally

March 8, 2015 By administrator

Protesters have flooded into the center of Tel Aviv to voice their unhappiness with the current government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, currently tied with the center-left Zionist Union ahead of a general vote.

Around 25,000 Israelis rallied against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday in Tel Aviv, 10 days ahead of the country’s general election, to call for “change.” Report DW

The protest was orchestrated by the group Million Hands, a grassroots organization dedicated to a peaceful resolution of the conflict between Israel and Palestine and the creation of a Palestinian state. The demonstrators gathered in Tel Aviv’s Yitzhak Rabin Square, named after the first native-born premier of Israel and Nobel Peace laureate, who was assassinated in the square at a peace rally in 1995.

“This is a demonstration by Israeli citizens who are demanding a change of politics, a peace agreement,” said one of the organizers, Dror Ben Ami, speaking with French news agency AFP.

“The current government has failed on the social and economic fronts and has not improved the security situation, the country has broken down…We hope that the left will return,” Ben Ami said.

The demonstration was one of the largest anti-Netanyahu protests to be held in the run-up to the March 17 election and shows the growing discontent with right-wing leadership. Netanyahu’s Likud party is neck and neck with the center-left Zionist Union in opinion polls.

The current government has remained staunchly opposed to the creation of a Palestinian state.

Meir Dagan, former head of the Israeli spy agency Mossad, delivered a fiery speech against the prime minister to the crowd of thousands.

“Israel has enemies but I do not fear them. What scares me is the current leadership of the country,” Dagan said to wild applause. “Bibi go home!” the crowd shouted back, calling Netanyahu by his nickname.

es/cmk (AFP, AP)