The Criminal Case Instituted

[03.12.2004]

General Office of Prosecutor released a statement, under which a criminal case
was instituted over burning “Niva” car belonging to “The Armenian Times” Daily.
Let’s remind that the car was burnt down on November 22, at 8:40 PM near the
editorial office.


http://new.csi.am/eng/index1.php?goto=news&id=1872

"Investigative Journalists” Win the Case against the Yerevan Municipality


[03.12.2004]

On December 1 the RA Court of Appeals secured the suit of "Investigative
Journalists" NGO versus the Yerevan municipality. The court obliged the
municipality to provide the resolutions passed by the city administration in
1997-2003 on construction of the green zone around the National Opera and Ballet
Theater, necessary for the journalistic investigation. The demand of the
plaintiff had previously been rejected by the courts of primary and secondary
jurisdiction, and in late October the RA Court of Cassation redirected the case
for the consideration of the Court of Appeals in a new composition (see YPC
Weekly Newsletter, October 29 - November 4, 2004).


http://new.csi.am/eng/index1.php?goto=news&id=1873

Doctors Against Government Decision To Widen Medical Draft

[06.12.2004]

Armenia’s leading medical association criticized on Monday the government for
scrapping exemptions from military service enjoyed until now by physicians with
doctoral degrees.


http://new.csi.am/eng/index1.php?goto=news&id=1874

Ombudsman's Representative Not Permitted To Speak

[06.12.2004]

It was reported earlier today that president Kocharyan’s veto on the law on
ombudsman institution was approved by National Assembly and the law was amended
despite objections from the ombudsman Larissa Alaverdyan and her colleagues.

Parliamentary commission head Rafik Petrossyan said they failed to present
convincing arguments against that.

Jora Khachatryan, member of ombudsman institution staff who was present at the
parliamentary session, told our correspondent he had been barred from saying a
word. In his words, Rafik Petrossyan interrupted him saying “your objections
will be submitted to the president” and “we are now discussed veto issue”.


http://new.csi.am/eng/index1.php?goto=news&id=1875

Stepan Danielyan, Collaboration for Democracy NGO president

Regarding registration of Jehovah Witnesses

[ 06.12.2004 ]

The noise around registration of the "Jehovah Witnesses:" religious organization
may cause the society or, at least, its capable to think part, which
continuously becomes a decreasing minority, to consider this issue from the main
standpoints.

Questions can be formulated in the following way:

-Which clauses of the church ideology justify the concept of the Armenian
Apostolic Church as a national religion?

- What is the mission of the Armenian Apostolic Church in the Republic of
Armenia?

- How the Jehovah Witnesses or other "anti-national sects" "destroy" the
national portrayal, and in general, what can be considered as a national
description of Armenians?

- Is the concept "Armenian" a religious, genetic or political category, and how
it relates to the concept of "citizen of the Republic of Armenia"?

Answers to these questions are associated not only with the church but with our
self-identification, in general: our vision of the world, perception of the
world, and, consequently, what we see as our future.

Our historiography links up adoption of Christianity with political reasons.
Today the Church considers itself as a "national" structure. It engages in
"preservation of Armenians" and avoids explanation of its positions from the
religious standpoints. Therefore, the role and tasks of the church should be
looked for in the field of politics.

Find full text of the article:


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