Kocharian Pledges Major Progress In Human Rights Protection

20 February 2006

Armenia’s Office of the Human Rights Defender formally resumed its activities on
Monday, with President Robert Kocharian saying that it should do a better job
under a new ombudsman loyal to his administration...


www.hra.am/eng/?page=issue&id=15763

Kocharian Adviser Elected Ombudsman

17 February 2006

The National Assembly elected a longtime aide to President Robert Kocharian as
Armenia’s new human rights ombudsman on Friday in a second vote in just over a
week that reaffirmed its loyalty to the head of state.


www.hra.am/eng/?page=issue&id=15768



www.hra.am/eng/?page=issue&id=15753


www.hra.am/eng/?page=issue&id=15749

European Parliament Strongly Condemns Azerbaijan's Destruction of the
Djugha Armenian Cemetery

17 February 2006

The European Parliament overwhelmingly adopted a resolution condemning the
Azerbaijani government's destruction of the Armenian cemetery in Djulfa, a
unique archaeological treasure located in the Nakhichevan autonomous republic
administered by Azerbaijan. The resolution, which was approved by a vote of 85
to 5, noted that, "serious allegations have been raised about the involvement of
the Azerbaijani authorities in the destruction of these monuments" and stressed
that " Azerbaijan has not provided answers [on this matter to] the former
special rapporteur of the United Nations." Based on these and other findings,
the European Parliament “strongly condemns the destruction of the Djulfa
cemetery […]” and “demands that Azerbaijan allow missions dedicated to surveying
and protecting the archaeological heritage on its territory, especially Armenian
heritage […].” The measure also asks Azerbaijan to “allow a European Parliament
delegation to visit the archaeological site at Djulfa.”...


www.hra.am/eng/?page=issue&id=15758

Violence in the Ranks: Army conscript says he was raped by comrades

17 February 2006

A conscript in the Armenian Army has come forward with charges that he was raped
by fellow soldiers, including an officer, while serving at a post in the Nagorno
Karabakh border village of Talish...


www.hra.am/eng/?page=issue&id=15759

"Azg" Editor-In-Chief Sees No Prospects of Development of Armenian Press

17 February 2006

"If the press hasn't regressed, it at least stamps at place." Hakob Avetikian,
the Editor-in-Chief of the "Azg" daily estimated in this way the state of the
Armenian press at the February 17 meeting at the National Press Club. He
emphasized that he sees no prospects of development. According to him, the main
reason obstacling development of the printed press is not being improved of the
system of spreading the press, and the second reason is that newspapers make no
primary large capital investments for their development...


www.hra.am/eng/?page=issue&id=15764

Vahe Grigoryan was released

16 February 2006

A human rights lawyer, who was controversially arrested last October after
helping evicted residents of Yerevan sue the Armenian government, was
unexpectedly released from a maximum-security prison late on Wednesday.

Vahe Grigorian was set free immediately after an appeals court ruled to put an
end to his pre-trial detention. The Review Court struck down a lower court’s
decision last week to allow the National Security Service (NSS) to keep him
under arrest for two more months.


www.hra.am/eng/?page=issue&id=15754


www.hra.am/eng/?page=issue&id=15751

Attacks on the Press in 2005 - Armenia

15 February 2006

Committee to Protect Journalists releases "Attacks on the Press report". Here we
present the section related to Armenia...


www.hra.am/eng/?page=issue&id=15744