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Jailed editor’s early release tentatively approved. AZG and NOVOYE VREMYA say that an Administrative Commission has approved an appeal for the early release of Arman Babajanian, the jailed editor of pro-opposition daily Zhamanak Yerevan. The decision has been passed on for further consideration by an independent commission. Babajanian was sentenced to over three years for draft evasion. He is reported to have a brain tumor, and is rumored to be growing blind. Previous appeals made by the editor for his release had been rejected. In fact, Babajanian had recently said that he did not wish the prison’s Administrative Commission to consider further appeals.
82 Congressmen accuse Turkey of lack of good faith on roadmap. Eighty-two Members of Congress have signed a letter delivered to President Obama in which they accuse Turkey of failing to fulfill its obligations in normalizing relations with Armenia without any preconditions. "We write to you [Mr. President] with our concerns about Turkish backpedaling on the agreed upon roadmap to normalize relations between Turkey and Armenia," the letter reads. "While the Government of Armenia remains committed to this roadmap and has long offered to establish ties with Turkey without preconditions, Turkey's public statements and actions since April 24th stand in sharp contrast to this agreement and undermine U.S. policy that normalization take place without preconditions.” The letter goes further, charging that “It would appear that Turkey, in an effort to block U.S. recognition of the Armenian Genocide, agreed to a roadmap it did not intend to uphold.” As such, the letter’s signatories “urge your Administration to separate the issues of normalization and genocide recognition.” The letter was signed by both Democratic and Republican members of Congress. / HAYOTS ASHKHAR, GOLOS ARMENII, HAYASTANI HANRAPETUTIUN/
Daily blames former FM Oskanian for ex-Armenian Consul scandal in Los Angeles. GOLOS ARMENII refers to the arrest of former Armenian Consul in Los Angeles Norayr Galumian and several others on charges relating to the selling of official letters to illegal immigrants in order to help them avoid deportation. The newspaper speculates that Galumian did not return to Armenia upon the end of his diplomatic mission because he preferred the hundred thousand dollars he "earned" in the United States as compared to his “miserable” salary back home. The author criticizes former Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian for the disgraceful situation in Los Angeles and concludes: "What else will we inherit from Oskanian, other than the traitorous Madrid Principles, for which Matthew Bryza expressed his deep appreciation?”
Armenian diplomat criticizes lack of democratic debate in Azerbaijan. According to HAYOTS ASHKHAR, Third Secretary of the Armenian Permanent Mission to the European Council Arman Hovhannisyan, while commenting on a statement made by the Azerbaijani Ambassador to the Council of Europe said: “I think that the Azerbaijani Ambassador, even in his wildest dreams, could not imagine much democratic diversity, a great number of opinions, or internal political debate in Azerbaijan."
Heritage MP calls for jailed Frenchman’s release. Opposition Heritage Party MP Stepan Safarian has sent a letter to President Serzh Sargsian urging him to release Sargis Hatspanian, a French national of Armenian origin, who was arrested in Armenia on charges of libel. Safarian writes in the letter that Hatspanian needs to visit his dying father in France and that it is necessary to contact authorities in the “Nagorno-Karabakh Republic” in order to confirm Hatspanian's participation in the Nagorno-Karabakh war. Safarian writes that if Hatspanian did indeed participate in the war, then the recently declared amnesty is applicable in his situation and he should be released immediately. / ARAVOT
Republic Party rejects idea of returning territory. According to ARAVOT, Republic Party Representative Smbat Ayvazian believes that Nagorno-Karabakh should be involved in the peace process and if not, Armenia should recognize N-K’s independence. Ayvazian believes that the Armenian side should not cede any territory to Azerbaijan. On the contrary, he says Armenia should be given back its territories currently under Azerbaijani control - Getashen, Martunashen, Kamo, Shahumian.
Court of Appeals upholds guilty verdicts of freed (and not freed) opposition members. Armenia's Court of Appeals has upheld verdicts given to top opposition figures Aleksandr Arzumanyan, Suren Surenyants, MP Myasnik Malkhasian, MP Hakob Hakobian and MP Sasun Mikayelian. All of them were convicted in connection with the March 1, 2008 post-election riots, and all but Mikayelian have been released. |
