Poll Shows Armenians Cynical About Democracy, Independence

[08.10.2004]

Less than one in five Armenians believe that their country stands on the path to
democratization and is truly independent almost 13 years after the collapse of
the Soviet Union, according to an opinion poll released on Friday.


http://new.csi.am/eng/index1.php?goto=news&id=1833



Armenians ‘Vastly Ignorant Of Constitutional Reform’

[11.10.2004]

An opinion poll released over the weekend suggests that less than 10 percent of
the residents of Yerevan, which is home to at least one third of Armenia’s
population, are familiar with constitutional amendments prepared by their
government.

Vox Populi, an independent polling organization that conducted the survey, said
only 9 percent of over 600 respondents in the capital have decided to take part
in a planned referendum on the changes drafted by President Robert Kocharian and
his leading political allies.

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Armenia Legalizes Jehovah’s Witnesses

[12.10.2004]

The Armenian authorities have formally legalized activities of the Jehovah’s
Witnesses religious organization after years of criticism and pressure from
international human rights groups, it emerged on Tuesday.


http://new.csi.am/eng/index1.php?goto=news&id=1836

6 Month Imprisonment for Beating a Journalist

[11.10.2004]

On October 11 the First Instance Court of Kotayk District sentenced Gagik Stepanyan, the
defendant over the case of journalists Anna Israelyan and Mkhitar Khachatryan to
6-month-long imprisonment. Let’s remind that on August 24 this person seized a
memory chip from “Fotolur” Agency photographer Mkhitar Khachatryan cursing and
doing violence and outraged “Aravot” Daily correspondent Anna Israelyan. At
today’s trial the defendant cursed the journalists covering the trial.


http://new.csi.am/eng/index1.php?goto=news&id=1834

Council Of Europe Praises Yerevan, Backs Off From Sanctions

[08.10.2004]

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has praised the
Armenian authorities for their “excellent cooperation” with the human rights
organization less than six months after threatening to sanction them for their
controversial crackdown on the opposition.

In a resolution adopted in Strasbourg late on Thursday, the 45-nation assembly
said the authorities have stopped impeding anti-government rallies, released all
of their arrested participants and investigated human rights abuses reported
during the Armenian opposition’s spring drive for regime change.

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