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Thursday 16 February 2012

“Sorry” seems to be the hardest word for Oskanian & co. Preparations for 1-March-part-2 underway?

Ha! Vartan Oskanian's statement (via Civilitas Foundation): “Yesterday I submitted my application for membership to the Prosperous Armenia Party [...]"

The expected happens. No surprises here. Pro-notorious-ex-president-Kocharyan Armenia ex-FM Vartan Oskanian formally joins oligarch-lead pro-Kocharyan party to participate in upcoming parliamentary (and more?) elections.

As expected. No surprises... Civilitas and Oskanian 'rock'... in a very expected direction...

I already posted why Oskanian cannot be trusted in his ‘commitment’ to”free and fair” elections. [Re: Armenia ex-FM Vartan Oskanian and “free and fair” elections]

Here is a list of some of 1 March lies that Oskanian did not clear himself off. In fact, he did not even apologize. For a start. The very least he could have done. Sorry would not be enough, but apparently even “Sorry” is a very hard word for Oskanian.

And here is a video of interview with CNN where Salpi Ghazarian, director of Civilitas Foundation (then Asst. to Armenian Foreign Minister Oskanian), was effectively ‘justifying’ the use of force against protesters by putting forward the notion of “armed protestors”.



They should be ashamed of their actions. Instead, they are trying to play a democracy game.

Until they come clean re their role in 'rationalising' or 'justifying' previous election fraud (example - presidential election of 2003) and the 1 March post-election bloodshed, it will be impossible for me to believe their words and intentions re democracy, human rights, and free and fair elections.

It's pity, so many good people work for Civilitas... For example, CivilNet.TV is doing OK job in covering various important, including not so mainstream issues. However, with all these connections, I can’t help myself but wonder whether this is all part of a bigger game, and all those good guys who are currently part of Civilitas unwittingly became part of the 'game’...

If we add to the picture an introduction of the law in the Armenian parliament (adopted in its first readings) making the use of army “in case of emergency” effectively “legitimate” for internal affairs then... It is not impossible to suspect that this looks more like preparations for a version of 1-March-part-2.

Sunday 12 February 2012

'Armenian Activists Now' (trailer)

“If you are not majority, if you are not one of them, you suffer.” (Mamikon Hovsepyan, PINK Armenia)

This film - Armenian Activists Now! - (by Davidian Video Productions) is set to be released in the summer of 2012. It tells a story of some dedicated activists who work and aim at making the “Change” happen in Armenia.

People power? Yes, we can?

Here is hoping...



More about the film - here.

Sunday 5 February 2012

Top cop revenge? Prominent opposition journalist detained in Armenia for ... “traffic accident” related charges

Now that we have a very ‘sophisticated’ police chief in Armenia, if you get detained for your professional or social, political activities, you may be framed in a very ‘sophisticated’ way, indeed. No more drugs into your pocket (too cheap!), the whole scenario - for example, a “traffic accident” - may be directed to set you up. In this case, Hayk Gevorgyan - well known journalist of best selling pro-opposition daily Haykakan Zhamanak.

Sensing an outrage by journalistic, online, civil society and human rights circles, police.am issued a video to ‘defend’ their stance, including an interview with the alleged victim of the accident. A video that is so pathetic - with that ‘killing’ voice-over so in style of Soviet-like propaganda - that even if there is truth in police report, no one would believe them.

This brief humorous YouTube video uploaded after the detention of Hayk Gevorgyan shows just how believable many would consider police actions and ‘justifications’. Video was prepared by... “VovTV” (short of the name of police chief - Vladimir Gasparyan - “Vova”) and uploaded by... “ZimbabweFish”.



Ironically, only a week or so ago, as per Press Freedom Index 2011/12 released by Reporters Without Borders, Armenia significantly improved its rankings and considered the best in the South Caucasus and broader region.

Even if for a moment, just for a moment, we believe there could be ground in charges forwarded towards journalist, why on earth he has to be arrested awaiting trial?

True, it seems counter-intuitive and not in authorities’ interest to detain such a well known figure taking into account the very expected local and international reaction that would follow, as well as upcoming opposition rallies and parliamentary elections. So was this done, as many speculate, out of personal “vendetta” by police chief? In particular, as a consequence of the following articles published in Haykakan Zhamanak daily:

Եւ Աստված ասաց` Վովա
ԵԹԵ ԱՊՊԱ, ԱՊԱ ՊԱՊԱ
Մի կպիր, որ չկպցնես

In a press conference today, editor of Haykakan Zhamanak, prominent opposition figure Nikol Pashinyan said: "If you think that freedom of Hayk Gevorgyan is only a matter for Haykakan Zhamanak then your freedom is a matter for Haykakan Zhamanak too" ["Եթե դուք գտնում եք որ Հայկ Գևորգյանի ազատությունը միայն ՀԺ-ի հարցն ա, ուրեմն ձեր ազատությունը նույնպես ՀԺ-ի հարցն ա"]