Unbearable cruelty of being of Armenia tycoon - turned MP - turned Football Federation president & his entourage

News on cruel beating of military doctors by bodyguards or security personnel of the president of Armenia Football Federation, MP of ruling Republican party, tycoon homophobe Ruben Hayrapetyan, nicknamed ‘Nemets Rubo’, or as per this suggestion - 'Fascist Rubo', were shocking but unfortunately not unexpected.

Horrific details of the incident were provided by one of the victims in an interview with RFE/RL. Major Vahe Avetyan, another victim, is in critical condition.

The men, all of them military doctors, were hospitalized with serious injuries. One of them, Major Vahe Avetian, remained in critical condition on Tuesday. Avetian suffered life-threatening head injuries in a reported dispute with restaurant staff on Sunday.
Artak Bayadian, another doctor taken to a Yerevan hospital, told RFE/RL’s Armenian service (Azatutyun.am) that the violence was triggered by Avetian’s verbal argument with a waiter. Bayadian said he, Avetian and their three companions were told to leave the restaurant before being attacked by 10-15 other men. He said they were repeatedly punched and kicked.
Some Armenian media were quick to suggest that the attackers were security guards of the expensive restaurant belonging to Ruben Hayrapetian, a wealthy businessman affiliated with the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (HHK). He is also the chairman of the Armenian Football Federation.
Hayrapetian has faced opposition allegations of politically motivated violence in the past and is also notorious for insulting journalists. The tycoon has been accused in some media outlets and online social networks of possibly sanctioning or even ordering the beatings." [RFE/RL, picture - by Photolur] 

Although initial reports say that the beating was done by the direct order of ‘Nemets’, I have no doubts he will be spared of responsibility. Some may lose their job in a showcase of ‘punishment’. Like countless of times before, they will find a scapegoat among thugs who beat up doctors. He would claim ‘full responsibility’. Needless to say, there will be no mention of orders from the boss. Quite the contrary, they may even attempt at presenting the case as an “accident” and/or they will blame the victims. The main scapegoat will be arrested, tried. His family and himself will be supported financially and otherwise by the boss and perhaps some time soon, under whatever excuse, he will get out of the jail.

This is the scenario that will be put in place.

I mentioned at the beginning of this post that the incident is shocking but not unexpected. When you condone violence in one case, you do the same towards others too. This particular and similar incidents are reflection of "acceptable" and "justifiable" violent macho 'culture' still prevalent in the Armenian society and on a very high state level.

Reflecting recent firebombing of gay friendly bar DIY in Yerevan, ‘Nemets Rubo‘ said he “condemns terrorism” but “in favour of punishing gays and ready to do it myself”. “We should think of another way of punishing to eradicate them from our society.”

He said he does not support terrorism. Of course, he doesn’t. He never does. Why would he? He has entourage for such jobs: bodyguards, security personnel, you name it... See, if it comes to gays, he is ready to do it himself. For everyone else, there is his entourage. Perhaps, gays should feel lucky?!

But look who is voicing his support for ‘Nemets Rubo’. Yes, yes... Eduard Shamazanov, vice-speaker of the Armenian parliament, spokesman of the ruling Republican party. The very guy who supported terrorism in his own country. To remind, Sharmazanov dubbed terrorist act by firebombers against DIY bar a “rebellion”, “right and justified”.

What would you expect of him? Nothing less than unreserved support for his comrade. And he didn’t disappoint. He called him a “decent and moral person” at a time when at least three military medical officers/doctors (one in critical condition) are in hospital in a patient’s capacity, severely beaten up.

In the meantime, it’s been two days and there have been no statements from the MoD on beating of their officers/doctors.

Armenian Catholicos Garegin II: slap in the face to medical profession in Armenia?

Just to put it straight first. I wish good health and speedy recovery to Armenian Catholicos Garegin II.

Few days ago he underwent “laparascopic cholecystectomy” (removal of gall bladder) and reportedly feeling OK.

Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II has recently underwent a surgery in New York by the recommendation of doctors, Vahram Melikyan, the head of the Public Relations Department at the Holy See of St Echmiadzin, told Tert.am.

"The Catholicos has undergone a laparoscopic cholecystectomy," he said, adding that the patriarch was discharged from hospital a few days after the surgery and continues his meetings in the United States. Garegin II will reportedly return to Armenia later this month.

All sounds fine if only not for one ‘minor detail’. He underwent this surgery in... New York. This is a pretty routine procedure available in Armenia and does not require any complicated equipment or complex specialist treatment. So why Catholicos chose for his routine medical treatment New York, instead of, say, Yerevan?

Is this a reflection of his mistrust to the quality of medical profession, and particularly surgery, in Armenia?

Or is this a reflection of something else in line with “I go for shopping to Paris and London” - “I go for surgery to New York”?

In any case, ditching local doctors for such a routine procedure is pretty much a slap in the face to Armenian surgeons and medical profession in general.

*picture - via Tert.am

Real life horror: human rights experts uncovered systematic abuse in Armenia’s psychiatric hospitals

Since Soviet times, mental health institutions (or psychiatric hospitals) have always been associated for me with the word “repressive” where the notion of human rights is non-existent and clinical indications can be easily manipulated for non-medical purposes. One may have hoped that since the end of Soviet system things would change for better. One would be wrong.

As the report cited by the Open Society Foundations - Armenia blog indicates, human rights experts uncovered systematic abuse flourishing in Armenia’s psychiatric hospitals. “Their reports read like horror stories, detailing the lives of people left to the mercy of fate.”

This unacceptable and shameful state of affairs must end. Now.
***

Sanctioned Abuse in Armenia’s Hospitals

November 11, 2010 | by Anahit Papikyan

No one likes to be sick or go to the hospital, but sometimes it is unavoidable. Most people in Armenia are not familiar with the concept of “patient’s rights.” What they do know, however, is that when it comes to health care, everyone has the right to be treated in a safe environment, free of abuse, harassment, and neglect. Unfortunately, this doesn’t always extend to people living with intellectual disabilities or mental health problems.

Armenia ratified the United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment in 1993 and adopted a mental health law that is in line with international norms. Nearly two decades later, however, we see that what the government agreed to is far different from what is actually happening in psychiatric hospitals throughout Armenia.

The Open Society Foundations–Armenia supported a group of human rights experts to visit and monitor conditions inside psychiatric hospitals. Their reports read like horror stories, detailing the lives of people left to the mercy of fate:

“A male nurse beat a patient who tried to run away. Even in the presence of the monitoring group he continued to abuse the patient.”

“One of the patients was tied up for two days. The hospital staff informed us that they gave food and water to the patient, but the monitors didn’t witness it.”

“Many patients are subjected to physical abuse, they are forced to clean the rooms and wash toilets, take care of other patients… do the work that the clinic staff should do.”

“In the yard of a hospital, under heavy rain, a barefoot patient washed the car of a hospital employee.”

Listening to these reports, we have to ask: Are medical professionals causing more trauma for their patients rather than providing actual treatment? Do hospital employees see people with mental health issues as problems and not as patients?

The government of Armenia should take measures to close these abusive institutions. People with mental health disabilities should receive care within their communities, not be locked away as though they are criminals. Community-based housing is an affordable alternative to large, abusive institutions. And people are able to live in freedom near their families.

Our government leaders in Armenia need to get serious about their commitments and fulfill the promises they have made.

Breaking: Dozens of people from Armenian-American organised crime group arrested in New York and LA over major health insurance fraud

WOW. Just reported via @BreakingNews. I am, however, amused with the nickname of the detained "high-level organized crime figure from the former Soviet Union who allegedly gave protection to members of the group": "vor" (meaning "ass" - rude conversational in Armenian, or “thief"/"thief-in-law” - in Russian) - "The vor, Armen Kazarian, was based in Los Angeles."

*picture - Robert Terdjanian, by AP, via Voice of America / Armenian Service

Dozens Arrested in Medicare-Fraud Scheme

The Wall Street Journal

By MICHAEL ROTHFELD

An Armenian-American organized crime ring based in New York and Los Angeles allegedly bilked a federal health-care program for tens of millions of dollars using stolen doctor and patient identities, law-enforcement authorities said in indictments unsealed Wednesday.

Dozens of people were arrested including a "vor"—a high-level organized crime figure from the former Soviet Union who allegedly gave protection to members of the group. The vor, Armen Kazarian, was based in Los Angeles.

The group, known as the Mirzoyan-Terdjanian Organization, was taken down as part of a nationwide health-care fraud sweep that included arrests in Ohio, New Mexico and Georgia. In New York, prosecutors charged more than 40 people in schemes that allegedly fraudulently billed Medicare for more than $100 million and receiving $35.7 million in payments.

It was the latest in a string of Medicare fraud busts nationwide by the Department of Justice over the past three years. In July, authorities announced charges against 94 people in separate schemes, including one involving Russian immigrants in Brooklyn, that allegedly submitted $251 million in phony billings.

The Armenian group allegedly stole the identities of doctors and patients, including thousands from the Orange Regional Medical Center in upstate New York. The names were allegedly used to file reimbursement requests from Medicare for procedures that weren't performed at 118 nonexistent clinics in 25 states.

According to one of the indictments, some of the fraudulent Medicare billings were from a forensic pathologist, who normally does autopsies, supposedly for office visits; an ophthalmologist billing for bladder tests; an obstetrician billing for skin tests.

The charges filed Wednesday include allegations of racketeering, health-care fraud, identity theft, money laundering and bank fraud. Prosecutors said members of the Armenian group allegedly used threats of violence to collect money they were owed. One alleged leader of the group, Robert Terdjanian, allegedly threatened to "disembowel" someone who owed him money.

FBI agents arrested 20 people in New York early Wednesday and others were taken into custody around the country, said Richard Kolko, a spokesman for the agency's New York office. Lawyers for the defendants could not be immediately identified.

Ara Darzi and Larry Gagosian among London's 1000 most influential people in 2009

London's Evening Standard puiblished its list of 1000 most influential people in Britain's capital in 2009. At least two of them, prominent representatives of medical profession and art, are of Armenian origin.


Lord Darzi - Imperial College, professor of surgery
Shocked Westminster by quitting as health minister and “GOAT” — member of Gordon Brown's government of all the talents. Darzi wanted to return to his first love, surgery, which he performs while listening to Pink Floyd. (read also - here)

Larry Gagosian - Art dealer
Legendary Manhattan art figure who launched two galleries in King's Cross and Mayfair in past five years. Now spending more time back in Big Apple, he still has fingers in London market. Has been dubbed “the art world's greatest businessman”. (read also - here)

*pictures - via Evening Standard and BBC

They say Armenia is “prepared” to face a possible swine flu outburst. I do not think so

This is beyond my understanding. How on earth Armenian health officials can state they are “prepared” for dealing with the swine flu cases, if they cannot even diagnose it in Armenia? I am not even going into other aspects of "preparedness". We have 3 suspected cases of swine flu, as officially reported. However, to confirm the diagnosis, analyses were sent to London, and will come back in 20-25 days (!!) Truly, a sign of ‘great preparedness’ in the face of possible outburst.

P.S... and in Ukraine

*pictures - (1) by Photolur, via ankakh.com; (2) by AFP/GETTY, via Telegraph

Yerevan diaries: Seatbelts... and more

I knew, I heard and I read it before, but you have to see it to believe it. The sight of Armenian drivers wearing seatbelts was the most striking change in Yerevan. Who knew that it would be possible to see this day coming? Even though I noticed few drivers not using it, but overwhelming majority does so. Despite stories that some taxi drivers (or those in old cars not having seatbelts) instead of wearing actual seatbelts imitate them, despite the fact that still some in Armenia do not comprehend its safety message in full, my first impressions were that for now at least this policy imposed by Armenian government works. I have to commend for that prime minister Tigran Sargsyan. When praise is due, praise is due.

And to cheer you up even more, this hilarious cartoon with an important 'safety message', via Armenian Comedy.

Yerevan diaries: Flight menu, ‘public health’ paper, mysterious Armenian in-flight-travel-non-magazines

I liked seeing three-language (English-Georgian-Armenian) menu on a BMI flight to London. This might not be something new, and may be available on other foreign flights too, but for me it was the first time to be able to read an on-flight menu in Armenian on a foreign aircraft flying to Yerevan. I have to admit, that although translation was done OK, if I were to read only Armenian version of the menu, I would have been confused as to quite a few important ingredients on offer as we do not normally use those Armenian equivalents in our every-day conversation. So this was a learning experience too :)
***
They distributed a ‘public health’ paper on board. I knew that it was related to swine flu, but almost no one including flight attendants could provide any clarifications as to what that paper was about, they just mentioned that this is for “public health”, and asked people to sign. It was very poorly constructed one-page document, which did not even ask if anyone has any symptoms or so. They simply ask for contact numbers so that Department of Health in Armenia will contact passengers in case they determine a case. No wonder, many did not fill it in, and upon arrival no one asked me to hand the paper in. Only accidentally someone noticed a paper I was holding, when passing a passport control, and was surprised that no one upstairs collected it. So much about ‘strict’ swine flu prevention measures at Yerevan airport.
***
Although I’ve heard from others, including friends, that (contrary to my experiences) Armenian magazines are available on BMI flights, I could not see any this time too. No sign of In-flight or other magazines telling passengers about Armenia, travel guides etc. If they were there, they were very well hidden indeed...

Armenian teenagers are the 'winners' of the latest European survey on alcohol, smoking and drug use

The European School Survey Project on Alcohol and other Drugs (ESPAD) is being conducted each 4 years from 1995. For the first time, Armenia participated in this survey in 2007, which was the latest round of it. The ESPAD has just published its results.

They are pretty encouraging for Armenia, which reportedly has the lowest prevalence of alcohol consumption, smoking and drug use among teenagers of 35 European countries participating in the survey. However...

As much as I am pleasantly surprised, say, with the low smoking rates, this apparently does not get transformed into the life style changes. One recent data suggest that "with more than 70% of the population smoking, Armenia ranks sixth in the number of smokers in the world and number one in Europe." Truly, a gigantic transformation to the worse. The question is what makes no smoking teenagers become heavy smoking adults?

Below are key ESPAD results for Armenia (plus Figure, above):

Overall, alcohol and drug use in Armenia is very limited in comparison with other ESPAD countries. The key variables are all well below average, making Armenia the lowest-prevalence country in this study. Although about two-thirds (66%) of the students had been drinking alcohol during the past 12 months, less than one-tenth of them (8%) reported that they had been drunk in that period. The consumption volumes on the latest drinking day are very moderate (1.6 cl alc. 100%). Smoking is also rare, with low 30-days prevalence (7%), and the lifetime prevalence of cannabis use is low (3%). Moreover, very few (2%) of the Armenian students had used any drug other than cannabis, and non-prescription use of tranquillisers or sedatives is almost non-existent, as is use of pills in combination with alcohol.

For full comparative results of all participating countries, visit the ESPAD website.

Armenian Surgeon Ara Darzi Appointed a Health Minister by British PM Gordon Brown

World famous surgeon of Armenian origin, professor Sir Ara Darzi has been appointed by British PM Gordon Brown a health minister in charge of improving patient care.

Ara Darzi has pioneered innovative work in the development of minimally invasive surgery - the technique that allows surgeons to operate through small incisions.

According to The Times and Wikipedia, professor Darzi, 46, was born in Armenia, other sources suggest that he is from Iraq-born Armenian family. He spent much of his childhood in Ireland. In 2003 he became a British citizen. He was awarded a knighthood in 2003 for his services to medicine and surgery.

As BBC reported, Sir Ara will combine his ministerial duties with his research and clinical commitments, including the supervision of students.

Sir Ara, 47, said: "It is a great honour and privilege to be asked by the Prime Minister to continue that work for patients across the country."

"I am not a politician by profession. My working life has, is and will continue to be centred on patient care."

BBC reminded that Sir Ara is internationally respected for his innovative work in the advancement of minimal invasive surgery and in the development and use of allied technologies including surgical robots and image-guided surgery.

Mr Bernard Ribeiro, President of the Royal College of Surgeons, said: "I am delighted that a practising surgeon, who deals with patients on a regular basis, has decided to take such a high position.

"It is an opportunity for government to engage directly with the profession."

The prime minister's spokesman said Professor Darzi would work Monday to Thursday as a minister - being paid for three days - and continue to work as an NHS surgeon, unpaid, on Fridays.

Any income from his international private practice will be paid direct to Imperial College to fund research, the spokesman said.

Armenian heritage

The following extract is from the AGBU article published in 2003 by David Zenian:

Dr. Darzi’s father, Vartkes, is a retired civil and structural engineer who was the first Iraq-born Armenian to study at the University of California in Berkeley in the late 1940’s.

The son of a Genocide survivor, Vartkes (Terzian) Darzi settled in Dublin after graduation and started a family in a city which did not even have an Armenian community.

“I used to travel a lot, working in many countries in the Middle East, while Ara and his sister stayed home with my wife. But we were a very close-knit Armenian family and I have raised Ara as an Armenian,” Vartkes Darzi said.

“Unfortunately, we did not have a large circle of Armenian friends, something which I want my son to start doing. I have retired, and London is our home now, and it is such an advantage to be involved with the Armenian community,” he said.

“The reports in the British press said my son Ara is an Irish national. That is correct, but he is also an Armenian, and is the first Armenian to become an honorary Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (KBE),” said Vartkes Darzi.

While not involved in things Armenian, Dr. Darzi remains greatly interested in Armenian issues.

Growing up in Dublin, Dr. Darzi’s closest ties to his heritage was through his parents.

But in a recent interview, Dr. Darzi said he would “really like to take my knowledge to Armenia. I would love to visit and do something constructive there.

“I have not had the chance until now, but I hope to get more involved in the coming years. I want to go to my roots. I have served in many countries around the world. Why not also Armenia?” he said.

“I would like to volunteer and even take some essential equipment to Armenia to train other doctors there. All I need is the right opportunity.” he said.