1. "Civic Will - Pro and Against" forum

    a. Human Rights Violation Derails Democratization


[ 11.05.2004 ]

“Violence and election fraud have become dangerously commonplace in our country
and all illegalities are being committed amid growing informational blockade”,
said participants of "Civic Will - Pro and Against" forum held by 40 organizations
on Tuesday in Yerevan.

Karen Hakobyan, a member of Hope organization, is convinced the time came, when
each citizen must feel himself guilty for the situation created.

Chair of Armenian Helsinki Association Avetik Ishkhanyan says the community let
the authorities ruin the whole nation.

Today, the forum came up with a statement saying human rights violation derailed
democratization process in Armenia and illegalities committed by the authorities
created the atmosphere of impunity in the republic.

In their statement, the forum participants demanded to release all political
prisoners, to prosecute all those officials, who violated constitutional law,
provide right for receiving information to citizens and to return broadcasting
license to A1+ TV Company.

Each participant of the forum had to go through barbed wire to get in the hall.


Armenian Helsinki Assembly member Isabella Sargssyan says: “When I passed
through the wire, some sense of freedom from fear and victory over lawlessness
came over me”.


http://new.csi.am/eng/index1.php?goto=guest&id=46

    b. Where A Citizen Is Unprotected, Statehood Is
Endangered

[10.05.2004]

"Civic Will - Pro and Against" initiative group on forum of social organizations
has today made a statement, which particularly says irrespective of results of a
possible dialogue between Opposition and Authorities violence and breaches of
human rights and basic freedoms in Armenia are beyond political bargaining:

”We, the representatives of Armenia’s civil society not being for political
struggle and not laying claims to power, demand the Authorities:

1. to promptly release all the political prisoners;

2. to punish the persons having applied violence to journalists;

3. to punish the state officials having broken the Constitutional rights and to
condemn the phenomenon;

4. not to use the state and social institutions as tools for home political
struggle;

5. to make changes to the Law on “Meetings, Rallies and Marches”, bringing it in
correspondence with spirit and letter of human basic freedoms;

6. to provide the basic right of a citizen to get free information, particularly
to grant frequency to “A1+” TV Company”, the statement says.


http://new.csi.am/eng/index1.php?goto=news&id=1685

    c. Political Prisoners Must Be Released From
Detention

[13.05.2004]

"Civic Will - Pro and Against" forum organizers staged a protest action outside
Prosecutor’s Office. The action handcuffed participants stretched a symbolic
barbed wire and were collecting signatures for political prisoners’ release.

They intend to hold the protest every day at 10:00 until all those detained for
their political views are released.


http://new.csi.am/eng/index1.php?goto=news&id=1693


http://new.csi.am/eng/index1.php?goto=news&id=1696

2. Freedom of Media and Broadcasting

"Aravot” On Air

[13.05.2004]

On May 10, after the technical break announced due to the change of the owner
and the title, “Aravot” TV company went on air. As it has been reported, after
the sale of “Kentron”, the TV company, renamed to “Aravot”, was headed by Aram
Abrahamian, also the Chief Editor of “Aravot” daily (see YPC Weekly Newsletter,
April 23-29, 2004). Despite the assurances of Aram Abrahamian that he will
continue to assist the return of “A1+” TV company on air (Abrahamian hosted
“PostScript” program on “A1+”), his consent to head “Aravot” TV encountered very
negative response from “A1+” management. (Two years ago, by the decision of
National Commission on Television and Radio the opposition channel “A1+” lost
the competition for its frequency to “Kentron”, presently “Aravot” TV.)

On its behalf the Board of opposition party Armenian National Movement (ANM)
announced that it refuses to appear on the air of “Aravot” TV. On May 6, with a
reference to anonymous source in the ANM Board, “Haikakan Zhamanak” daily
reported that the governing body of the party does not want to participate in
the imitation of freedom of speech.

In an interview to “Chorrord Ishkhanutyun” newspaper of May 7 Aram Abrahamian
expressed his perplexion at the fact that “a political force refuses to state
its position on live air out of fear that it will be an imitation of freedom of
speech”. “In any case I regret that this part of the political spectrum will not
be represented on our channel, however, I am positive that this is temporary”,
Aram Abrahamian added.


http://new.csi.am/eng/index1.php?goto=news&id=1694


http://new.csi.am/eng/index1.php?goto=news&id=1686

3. International organizations about situation in Armenia

OSCE Is Not Indifferent

[12.05.2004]

The Head of the OSCE Office in Yerevan, Ambassador Vladimir Pryakhin, today
welcomed the resumption of contacts between the authorities and the opposition
in Armenia.

"I encourage both sides to engage in a meaningful and genuine dialogue in order
to resolve, within the constitutional framework, the continuing difficulties,"
Ambassador Pryakhin said.

He said the participating States of the 55-nation OSCE were following political
developments in Armenia closely: "Dialogue is the best means to achieve a common
understanding, settle differences and promote political stability."

Vladimir Pryakhin called on the Armenian authorities to review the cases of all
those detained during recent demonstrations.

He also urged the authorities to continue their efforts to reform the
Administrative Code in order to eliminate the practice of administrative
detentions.

"This practice is incompatible with European human rights standards," he said.


The Head of the OSCE Office noted that other international organizations were
also very concerned about this practice, as reflected in a Council of Europe
Parliamentary Assembly Resolution of 28 April.


http://new.csi.am/eng/index1.php?goto=news&id=1690

4. Freedom of Information

HCA Vanadzor Branch Wins Suit versus Municipality

[13.05.2004]

The Vanadzor branch of the Helsinki Citizens Assembly won a case versus the
administration of Vanadzor city at the court of primary jurisdiction of Lori
region. The reason for the suit was the refusal of Mayor Samvel Darbinian to
provide HCA Vanadzor branch copies of all the resolutions passed by the
municipality and the Senior Council of the community in 2002-2003. According to
the head of HCA Vanadzor branch Artur Sakunts, the Mayor referred to the
provision of the RA Law “On Legal Acts”, by which the legal acts for internal
use and personal purpose are only provided to their addressees. The remaining
documents, as the Vanadzor administration head said, were published in the
periodical books of communal legal acts. The human rights activists were unable
to find them even at the municipality itself. Thinking that the representatives
of the local authorities violated the RA Law “On Freedom of Information" the HCA
Vanadzor branch filed a suit. During the hearing the respondent did not have
objections on the essence of the case but he noted that out of 2,614 resolutions
a part cannot be provided as it contains information not to be publicized. To
get the remaining documents the plaintiff must pay a local duty of 1,000 drams
(about $ 2) for each copy. At the session of April 30 the suit of HCA Vanadzor
branch was secured. The court obliged the municipality to provide the
organization with copies of all the resolutions of city administrations and the
Senior Council of the community for 2002-2003 except those constituting a
secret. The total amount of duty to be paid for the documents was defined to be
only 1,000 drams.


http://new.csi.am/eng/index1.php?goto=news&id=1695

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

Persecution of dissenters.

    a. Authorities Once More Refused to Meet Pace Demand to
Quickly Release All the Political Prisoners

[14.05.2004]

Robert Grigoryan, Advocate of Suren Surenyantc, member of “Republic” Party
political board, had appealed in the Review Court against 2-month-long
preliminary detention for Surenyantc set by the First Instance Court. Court had
rejected the claim.

Robert Grigoryan had applied to the Appeal Court, too. The case consideration
has been postponed for unknown reasons.

This morning Robert Grigoryan has been phoned by the Appeal Court and asked to
appear before Court 15 minutes later since the appeal would be heard. The appeal
was reviewed and rejected in a hurry.

Thus, Authorities once more refused to meet PACE demand to quickly release all
the political prisoners.


http://new.csi.am/eng/index1.php?goto=news&id=1699

    b. There Will Still Be Political Prisoners in
Armenia

[14.05.2004]

Today the Appeal Court has heard the claim of the advocate of Aramazd Zaqaryan,
member of “Republic” Party political board, arrested during a rally.

Court decided to leave unchanged the decision over 2-month-long preliminary
detention.

Let’s remind that Aramazd Zaqaryan is accused of calls for power seizure and
outraging the Authorities.


http://new.csi.am/eng/index1.php?goto=news&id=1698

6. Freedom of Speech

Two Men To Face Trial For Attacking Journalists

[12.05.2004]

Armenian prosecutors said on Wednesday that they have identified and will put on
trial two men on charges of attacking journalists during an opposition rally in
Yerevan on April 5.

A statement by the Office of Prosecutor-General said the suspects have been
questioned and “confessed” their participation in the unprecedented rampage
widely blamed on the authorities.

The unsanctioned street protest staged by the opposition National Unity Party
(AMK) was nearly disrupted by about two dozen men who hurled eggs at its leader
Artashes Geghamian and set off firecrackers. Photojournalists covering the rally
filmed the attempted disruption only to have their video and still cameras
smashed by the well-built thugs.

Eyewitnesses, among them an RFE/RL correspondent, say scores of police officers
led by General Hovannes Varian stood nearby and looked on as the ugly scene
unfolded. Their conspicuous refusal to intervene prompted speculation that the
violence was engineered by the Armenian authorities. Some media reports have
described the attackers as bodyguards of prominent government-linked
businessmen.

The authorities, faced with a domestic and international outcry, have denied any
involvement and vowed to investigate the incident. Police and prosecutors have
already questioned most of the journalists attacked by the thugs.

The two suspects were identified as Ashot Avetisian and Hrair Harutiunian. The
latter has been recognized by a correspondent for the “Aravot” daily, Anna
Israelian, as the man who stole her camera and knocked her to the ground.

Yerevan’s chief prosecutor, Hrachya Badalian, told RFE/RL that Avetisian and
Harutiunian will likely be charged under an article of the Armenian Criminal
Code that deals with “hooliganism.” The charges will carry up to five years in
prison. Badalian said they will not be kept in detention before the trial.

By Karine Kalantarian


http://new.csi.am/eng/index1.php?goto=news&id=1689

7. Penitentiary System Reforms

Observers to Jails

[14.05.2004]

To make the legal field democratic on October 20, 2003, a change was made to the
47th article of Law on “Keeping Arrested People”, under which a group of social
observers is set up. The group has the right to visit the jails of Armenia
without informing beforehand. Justice Minister David Harutyunyan announced the
social control is important to improve the system. The group of 11 members of
social defense organizations will function 3 years. Then the staff will change.
Minister handed the certificates to the observers and advised them to hold the
first sitting and to determine the further actions.


http://new.csi.am/eng/index1.php?goto=news&id=1697

8. Ethnic Minority rights

Ethnic Minorities’ Opinion to Be Decisive

[13.05.2004]

A seminar was held Thursday in Armenia Hotel, Yerevan, on initiative of
Strategic and National Research Center to discuss key provisions of the Ethnic
Minorities Bill.

There are two approaches to the issue. Many find the new law adoption a
necessary step. Others think the existing law is able to provide current
problems solution.

Ethnic Minorities State Agency Chief Hranush Kharatyan says ethnic minorities’
opinion will be taken into account. It should be decisive, she says.


http://new.csi.am/eng/index1.php?goto=news&id=1692