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Friday 30 July 2010

Armenia: Quote of the Day (AM)

"Հայաստանում կան առնվազն երկու պետական կառույցներ՝ Պաշտանության նախարարություն եւ Ոստիկանություն, որոնց ներս մուտք գործելով, ՀՀ քաղաքացիները պարբերաբար ինքնասպանություն են գործում:"

*source: Հրանտ Տէր-Աբրահամեան Ինքնասպան լինեք դո՛ւք

Related to: “Suicide”... or evidence of abuse and ill-treatment in the Armenian army?

and Armenia police: shoot to kill?

Wednesday 28 July 2010

“Suicide”... or evidence of abuse and ill-treatment in the Armenian army?

This morning many Armenian users of Facebook (myself including) were shocked (read also here) by learning of yet another "suicide" in the army. Artak Nazaryan, contract service officer/commander in Armenia’s Tavush region, brother of local journalist Tsovinar (currently studying in the US), died of what the Ministry of Defense wants us to believe a “suicide”. A Facebook group was set up demanding the truth to this story Չի´ կարելի լռել.

It was shocking... not because it was the first such incident. There has been quite a few similar cases over the past years (and not only in the army), and relatives of those died regularly protest in front of the government building demanding justice for what they believe a cover-up of abuse and ill treatment in the Armenian army.

It was shocking... not only because he was a brother of journalist, friend of many Facebook users, although this fact certainly added a very personal touch to the tragedy.

It was shocking... because IT IS SHOCKING. Any single “suicide” case in the army is shocking.

Mother and relatives mentioned of “tensions” they lately noticed and that Artak did not fit in.

“Mom, I want to be a different commander for soldiers. I do not want to be like them”. He was considered a “weak commander” because “he did not beat up soldiers”.

Reports (via Lragir, + picture above) indicate on traces of physical violence found during the autopsy. Reports suggest they were left six hours before Artak Nazaryan’s death. The Ministry of Defense officials did not offer immediate condolences. Instead, they were quick to present this case as a “suicide” which reminds a very recent similar attempt by the Armenia police chief. (+ Forced suicide is a murder)

How long this culture of abuse and ill-treatment will continue in the Armenian army?

Below are few similarly shocking cases of “suicide” in the Armenian army from the archives of Helsinki Association (2007 reports, Armenia and Karabakh). Apparently, nothing much has since changed.

This should be a wake-up call for Armenia Defense Minister and the authorities to clean up this horrific and disgraceful state of affairs still prevalent in the army. In fact, they should have acted yesterday. Time is running out.

[language below as in original]
***
Investigator to the case – It’s a murder for 99 percent


On 07 July 2007 Hovhannes Meltonyan, a soldier performing his compulsory military service in No. 27229 military unit of the Defense Ministry of Armenia, was killed. According to an official version, unable to endure beatings and scoffing by his co-servicemen, he entered the armory-room of the company shot himself by the machine-gun assigned to him.

However, both the parents of H. Meltonyan and his representatives claim that the official version is false and groundless. Both the facts and the reliable statements made by the injured party show that H. Meltonyan was killed by three co-servicemen. This is stated orally by prosecutors belonging to military prosecutor office, who, still insist on the version they find suitable – SUICIDE. According to the medical examiner’s report, traces of beatings and torture were found on the body of the deceased. Seven days after the incident, the father of the killed solider went to the prosecution office and evidenced as soldiers who were witnesses to the case of his son’s death, were tortured and intimidated. This allows us to come to a conclusion that the investigation needs “good evidence” to this case.

Discontinue or not?


On 10 August 2005 at 06:45 the corpse of Private Robert Hovhannisyan, an Armenian national, was found in one of the military posts of the artillery battalion belonging to the No. 36534 military unit of the Defense Ministry of Armenia (Nagorno-Karabakh Republic), with firearm wound in the head. According to the medical examiner’s report, the corpse bore many traces of torture. A. Krkyasharyan, an investigator to the case, brought charges against several persons by adopting the version of suicide. However, unable to reason his false approach to the incident, he suspended the case due to the impossibility to find those who committed the crime.

It is clear that the investigator is not willing to uncover the murder. In April 2007 the injured party applied to Prosecutor General of Armenia with a request to consult with the case-file. Right after the request was submitted, the military prosecutor cancelled the suspension order and remitted the case to an additional investigation. The injured party filed a challenge against the investigator in charge of the case and the other day received quite an unexpected reply – the case has been suspended once more.

Suicide is the only way out

According to the papers presented by the prosecution office, on 07 July 2007 at 6:30 a.m. Garik Mikayelyan, an Armenian national, who was performing compulsory military service as Liaison Platoon Commander at No.75937 military unit located in Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, suffered a power shock from a power supply station located in the military unit. He received third-degree burns of the upper extremities and as a result had both his arms amputated. A criminal case No. 90603507 was opened into the incident led by investigator Gnel Manukyan.

From the information that we possess and the statements made by G. Mikayelyan it can be drawn that the attempted suicide was prompted by a number of senior military officers of the military unit, who had regularly beaten, abused and demeaned the soldier. Some time after the incident they kept G. Mikayelyan in the military unit without medical aid hoping that he would die and never tell the truth. Besides these facts, it becomes evident from the way the investigation is carried out that the investigation is not concerned to conduct an impartial investigation and to find those guilty.

Private Arsen Simonyan commited suicide by shooting himself 8 times


Arsen Simonyan, an Armenian national who was performing his military service in N.36534 military unit of the Defense Ministry of Armenia (Republic of Nagorno Karabakh) died on 7 July 2005. Officials state that he committed suicide. Investigation says A. Simonyan’s “suicide” was prompted by constant abuses he was subjected to by his co-servicemen, namely Junior Sergeant M. Mkhitaryan and Sergeant G. Barseghyan.

Eight cartridge cases were found in the area where the incident took place. Both witnesses and accused alleged during the trial that the prosecution investigators obtained evidence under torture. Soldiers that happened to serve with the late A. Simonyan in the same military platoon were taken to the Military Prosecution Office of Hadrut Region of Nagorno Karabakh Republic where they were kept for 20 days. During that time the investigation was “getting” necessary evidence from them in the presence of G. Mailyan, Commander of the battalion they all belonged to.

Thursday 15 July 2010

Bizarre story: Swedish model, his ex-lover Saudi Arabian princess and her Armenian chauffeur


'Gold-digger': Swedish model Patrick Ribbsaeter is alleged to have attacked his (Saudi Arabian princess) ex-girlfriend's chauffeur in a drunk and drug-fuelled rage after she caught him having a three-some with two other women in her flat in London.


Trial: Sarkis Tokatlian (chauffeur), left, was attacked while trying to protect Saudi Arabian princess Sara Al-Amoundi, right, it has been claimed.
***

This is a bizarre story. It started last year, and trial is currently underway in London.

Daily Mail reports that Swedish model Patrick Ribbsaeter had met Saudi Arabian princess Sara Al-Amoudi on holiday in Thailand and the pair became lovers. "The relationship offered the promise of unimaginable wealth to Ribbsaeter, 30, who has modelled for a host of household names, including Calvin Klein, Armani, Gucci and Christian Dior.

But his hopes of a gilded future promptly disappeared when she caught him with the [two] other women in her flat in Victoria, Central London, the court heard."

The circumstances of the alleged assault are not that clear and pretty bizarre, in fact. Reportedly, last September, after Saudi princess found out about cheating, the couple went for a dinner. Then Tokatlian drove them "to a series of nightclubs [Unzipped - !], including the Ministry of Sound, before the couple returned to her flat in the early hours of Sunday." According to the British tabloid, it was only after that night of clubbing the princess "realised" that "Patrick was, after all, not the man for her".

"Mr Tokatlian returned to the flat after dropping off the car and it became apparent that Ribbsaeter and Miss Al-Amoudi had split up. The trio talked until Miss Al-Amoudi fell asleep. But Ribbsaeter is then said to have lunged at her, prompting the chauffeur to respond."

"At this point her driver Sarkis Tokatlian stepped in to stop him, giving him a bloody nose, but Ribbsaeter smashed a wine glass and stabbed the driver six times in his face before beginning to strangle him, a jury was told".

"After the alleged glass attack, the pair struggled on the floor by the dining table until Ribbsaeter climbed on top of the victim. He grabbed his throat with both hands, and began to strangle him, stopping only when Mr Tokatlian pushed his thumbs into his attacker's eyes, the court heard."

"The jury was told Ribbsaeter has a previous conviction in Sweden for strangling a different ex-girlfriend. Ribbsaeter told the jury that Mr Tokatlian was the aggressor and that he had only defended himself. He said he had been drinking and had taken a tiny quantity of ketamine and an ecstasy tablet while the two others had taken much more."

The case continues.

*Info and pictures - via Daily Mail

Wednesday 14 July 2010

Watching football in 3D


For the first time, selected cinemas in London were showing World Cup matches in 3D. This followed successful trials in pubs across country of 3D broadcasting few English Premier League games couple of months ago.

I was curious and wanted to experience football in 3D and thought that World Cup is a perfect and exciting opportunity to do so.

It was an interesting experience, a different one. Stadium full of people looked a bit surreal in 3D. Players looked smaller than usual. At times, it was as if I was watching a toy game instead of real football.

The quality of picture was not as good or clear as in High Definition TVs. 3D was great in close-up scenes, but the nature of televised football does not allow for getting much close-ups. Also, to be honest, it did not feel that there is necessarily need for a 3-rd dimension there. In films, it’s different. Animations or selected other films (but not all), like Avatar, are great in 3D. But wearing additional glasses and focusing on dimensions could be pretty inconvenient or distracting too.


Verdict: Good to experience it, but for now I prefer watching football on HDTV (high definition).


*In picture: Spanish football fans went crazy after semi-final win over Germany and took over London’s Piccadilly circus (7 July 2010) - Piccadilly Español :)

Friday 9 July 2010

National Cinema Center of Armenia and... Constitutional Court

As a big film fan, I am all excited with the launch of “promising” cinema related online projects. And it was with the excitement that I started exploring the website for the National Cinema Center of Armenia.

Boy, I was in for a surprise.

Have a look at this screenshot and remember which website you are looking at. Spotted anything bizarre or unusual for the occasion? I thought so too.


Why on earth under the Links section are links... to the president’s, parliament’s, government’s and constitutional court’s (!) websites is beyond me.

I understand that the website is still ‘under construction’. But would not you expect to see cinema and art related links when you enter the National Cinema Center of Armenia? You would not necessarily search for the Constitutional Court of Armenia there, would you?

Interestingly, they were in such a hurry to put those websites in, that they forgot the most relevant one - Ministry of Culture’s. Oh my...

Monday 5 July 2010

Armenia: Constitution Day, or is it?

“On 5 July Armenians mark Constitution Day.”

Well, sort of. Officially, that is. In order to celebrate or mark something, you have to feel it.

And I feel nothing. No, it's not because I now live in London and suddenly started feeling detached from the Armenian realities. It’s simply there is absolutely nothing to celebrate today, although it’s always good to have legitimate reasons for a day off.

Constitutions, including Armenian, may contain lots of nice words and articles. But the content per se is not that important. In order for the Constitution to withstand the test of time, it has to be a viable foundation during crisis times.

Two years ago, during 1 March bloodshed, it failed spectacularly. It did not help in averting the crisis, nor did it help in the aftermath. Do not get me started about the so called Constitutional Court joke in Armenia.

For me, the question is: Does the Constitution provide a basis for mechanisms in place that will work regardless of personalities? Mechanisms that will ensure democracy and human rights. If the answer is “Yes”, then Cheers! to the Constitution. For now, however, it all depends on who and how wants to implement it.

Read also Կեցցե՜ Սահմանադրության Օրը (AM) by Lusine Vayachyan.