1. The use of administrative arrest as a tool of
political repression.

Persecution of dissenters.




    a.
European Principles Are Violated in Armenia


[20.05.2004]

”Justice” Bloc headquarters has released the list of studies, under which the
actions of Armenian Authorities run counter to N 1374 report by PACE made in
2004.

There are 4 planks introduced in the list proving the 9th point of PACE
resolution is violated. “The practice of administrative detention wasn’t
immediately stopped. New arrests were made. People taken in detention for
participation in rallies weren’t urgently released. Criminal cases were
instituted against 16 citizens for political purposes. 2-month-long preliminary
detention was set for 13 of them as a preventive punishment, 2 of them signed
not to leave the city. The case brought against 1 was ceased.

No transparent and trustworthy investigation for persons responsible for
violence and breaking human rights was launched. Administrative Code wasn’t
probably amended”, “Justice” Bloc statement says.


http://new.csi.am/eng/index1.php?goto=news&id=1710


http://new.csi.am/eng/index1.php?goto=news&id=1700


http://new.csi.am/eng/index1.php?goto=news&id=1707

    b. Surenyants to Start Hunger Strike Tomorrow

[19.05.2004]

Republic party member Suren Surenyants, who is kept in detention on charge of
making seditious calls and contempt of the authorities, announced Wednesday
about his intention to start hunger strike.

He told his lawyer the hunger strike was the last resort. After his failure to
find justice and vain motions filed to the authorities, Surenyants is left with
no option but to take such a step, his lawyer says.


http://new.csi.am/eng/index1.php?goto=news&id=1703

    c. It Turns There Is No Political Prisoner, There Is A Political Motive


[18.05.2004]

Armenian Ombudsman Larissa Alaverdyan avoids using “political prisoner” word. “I
always say there are cases with political components. You know, it is easy to
call those arrested as political prisoners. But in fact the cases consist of
political elements”, Larissa Alaverdyan said at the talk with us. ”We have
addressed to the General Prosecutor in written and expressed our standpoint that
the preventive punishment could be changed”, she says. According to her, the
report of Parliamentary Assembly of Council of Europe wasn’t seriously treated.
“That decision was to become a basis for dialogue. Unfortunately, it didn’t
happen. Controversial expressions followed each other. I call it lack of
practice for reappraisal of the dialogue and the international document”, Mrs.
Alaverdyan says. Ombudsman finds there is no political crisis in the country and
the police actions taken on April 12-13 weren’t equivalent. “I don’t accept
rushing into and breaking the party offices. I condemn it. Nothing made them do
it”, she says.


http://new.csi.am/eng/index1.php?goto=news&id=1701

2. PACE. Honouring of obligations and commitments by Armenia

Natalia Vutova: Realization of Political Dialogue between Armenian
Authorities and Opposition Most Important For CE

[20.05.2004]

The May 20 "round table" organized at Congress hotel was dedicated to Apr 28
PACE resolution N 1374 regarding the fulfilment of obligations assumed by
Armenia, legal consequences proceeding from it and the position of Armenian
political forces in relation to it.

The power representatives didin't participate in the discussion organized by
"Partnership for Open Society" initiative uniting more than 40 NGOs of Armenia.
The organizers expressed a hope that the authorities are absent not because of
ignoring the invitation, but beacuse of "having nothing to say yet."

According to Karen Bekarian, Chairman of "European Integration" NGO, the general
part of the above-mentioned resolution unequivocally, without attempts of
"plastering" fixes the situation of Armenia, the anxiety in connection with
which has been also expressed in mass media for many times. In essence, PACE
demands that the Armenian authorities should fulfil the assumed obligations and
the opposition is asked to act within the framework of the Constitution.
Touching upon the legal consequences proceeding from the resolution, the speaker
said that one of them lays in the basis of the resolution in the form of a
subtlest threat. The matter is about the possibility of reconsideration of the
authorities of the Armenian delegation if no improvement is registered till
September in connection with the demands mentioned in the resolution.

According to Aghasi Yenokian, Chairman of the "Armenian Center of Political and
International Researches" NGO, different estimations about the winners and the
defeated followed adoption of the resolution, but it's unequivocal that the
people was defeated in the respect of Armenia's stepping aside from democratic
values. The speaker isn't optimistic about the issues of realization of the
dialogue between the opposition and the authorities, as well as about the
prospect of fulfilment of the demands of PACE by the authorities. According to
him, the authorities once more display "shrewdness" taking no serious step
except "imitation of beginning a dialogue" during the previous month after
adoption of the dialogue.

Vardan Poghosian, Chairman of the "Democracy - Center of Political-Scientific
and Legal Researches" NGO, assures, that everybody independent of political
views should treat fulfilment of PACE demands seriously.

Shavarsh Kocharian, a member of the Armenian parliamentary delegation in PACE, a
member of Ardarutiun NA faction, is sure that the prospects of future
development of democracy in Armenia mainly depend not on the conduct of
authorities or their willingness, but on public demands. According to him, the
fact that NGOs have already united aroud this idea is already reassuring.

Natalia Vutova, a special representative of Secretary General of CE in Armenia,
who was present at the discussion, was asked by a Noyan Tapan correspondent if
there is progress by authorities and opposition in the issue of fulfilment of
demands of the resolution. Mrs Vutova mentioned that realization of the
political dialogue between the Armenian opposition and authorities is the most
important thing for the Council of Europe. "Today we attentively follow the
events taking place in Armenia and look forward to the account regarding the
implemented steps that will be submitted to PACE by the Armenian authorities in
June," she said. Mrs Vutova didn't exclude that two reporters of Armenia in PACE
will also visit Armenia till the June session for getting acquainted with the
process on the spot.


http://new.csi.am/eng/index1.php?goto=news&id=1705

3. Freedom of media and Broadcasting

    a. Opposition Activists in Alaverdi

[20.05.2004]

Opposition MPs Vardan Mkrtchyan and Tatul Manaseryan toured Armenian remote town
of Alaverdi on Wednesday to meet with its residents and inform them about recent
events. The thing is that the town residents are deprived from receiving
information, because only state-owned TV channels and radio stations are
available to them.

The lawmakers also spoke on copper-molybdenum plant in Alaverdi that is
constantly polluting environment with its poisonous wastes.

People voiced regret at the fact they couldn’t afford come to Yerevan for
rallies because they lived in reduced circumstances.


http://new.csi.am/eng/index1.php?goto=news&id=1706

    b. Azatutyun Broadcast Interrupted

[21.05.2004]

Broadcast of Azatutyun radio station, having broadcasting hours on state-owned
Public Radio, about the opposition rally was interrupted just after the
broadcaster said the live report from the correspondent on the scene is expected
in five minutes.

Music was heard on the radio channel till the very end of Azatutyun broadcasting
time. The Public Radio broadcaster said Azatutyun’s newscast was interrupted
because of satellite connection problems.


http://new.csi.am/eng/index1.php?goto=news&id=1711



4. Poverty issues

Overcoming Poverty

[18.05.2004]

”No policy is worked out for rural manpower in “Poverty Reduction in Armenia”
strategic program”, Hranush Kharatyan, head of Governmental Department on
National Minorities and Religion, announces.

Mrs. Kharatyan was instructed to make an analysis on occupation and unemployment
of villagers in particular, the reasons and volumes in Armenia.

Hranush Kharatyan has today introduced her study during the seminar on
“Implementation of Projects Supporting Job Increase and Revenue Rise for Poverty
Reduction and in Armenia”.

The analyst stated there are about 200.000 unemployed in the Armenian villages.
She says occupation issue is rather passively represented in “National Program
on Poverty Reduction in Armenia”.

”Unemployment will hardly decrease soon, on the contrary, it may grow”,
Kharatyan forecasts.


http://new.csi.am/eng/index1.php?goto=news&id=1702

5. Army issues

Is Army Improving?

[20.05.2004]

National Civil Initiative headed by Raffi K. Hovannisian has today held a
seminar on “Army and Society”.

Representatives of social and legal organizations, ex Defense Minister Vazgen
Manukyan, ex Deputy Minister Gegham Harutyunyan, party chairs, Army officers,
Defense Ministry department heads were present.

Colonel Vardan Avetisyan, Head of Training Department of Defense Ministry
introduced the legislative field on Army. He said everyone is equal for law. He
announced those serving in the Army have no right to conduct business.

Helsinki Committee Chair Avetiq Ishkhanyan made a report. He said under the
information he possesses 61 soldiers died, by data of Military Office of
Prosecutor – 48, and Defense Minister says 40 servicemen perished at peace in
2003. This proves Defense Ministry either doesn’t control the situation, or
releases false information.

Army officials announce murders are committed in all the armies. “Yes, but the
latest murder at peace in USA was committed during the exercises in Nevada in
1996”, Ishkhanyan said.


http://new.csi.am/eng/index1.php?goto=news&id=1704



6. Religious Minorities Rights

Team Project Of Armenian Journalists

[20.05.2004]

On May 15 and 16 two national dailies “Azg” and “Aravot” and during subsequent
days the local newspapers “Loru Marz” (Lori region), “Talin Ashkhar” (Talin,
Aragatsotn region) and "Kumayri” (Gyumri, Shirak region) were published with an
insert “Religious Minorities”. The special issue was prepared by the
London-based Media Diversity Institute (MDI) with the support of European
Commission and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands under the MDI
South Caucasus project “Empowerment of Minorities and Media Development”, the
Armenian partner of which is Yerevan Press Club. The team project for reporting
on religious minorities in Armenia was implemented by a group of 8
representatives of national and regional media of the country on May 1-14 and
was the practical follow-up to MDI seminar in Yerevan “Covering Diversity:
Making the Difference” (see YPC Weekly Newsletter,
April 30 - May 6, 2004). With the
guidance from the international and local editors Alistair Crington (Deputy
Chief Editor of “Cyprus Mail” newspaper) and Tatul Hakobian (observer of “Azg”)
journalists prepared a series of articles on various religious communities of
Armenia.


http://new.csi.am/eng/index1.php?goto=news&id=1708