Censorship alert: Armenia author persecuted for his book reflecting the army

Unbelievable. What ages are we living in?! Say your firm NO to attempts of taking back Armenia into dark ages of Stalinism.
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(via Facebook page: Signing of petition to support author Hovhannes Ishkhanyan)

Sign petition here:

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/hovhannes-ishkhanyan/

As writers, artists, intellectuals, and concerned members of the Armenian diaspora (and beyond), we add our names to this petition to express our outrage over the censorship of Hovhannes Ishkhanyan's novel Demob Day by the Military Police in Armenia and by various bookstores in Yerevan. Freedom of expression is the bedrock of any democracy; the interrogation of an author and the removal of literature from bookshelves harkens back to the primitive, brutal, unenlightened, and fearful days of Stalinism and Fascism.

Literature is one means by which an open society examines, discusses and debates the problems it faces. A celebration of the five hundred year anniversary of books in Armenia rings hollow at this time when even one book, dealing with a timely and crucial issue of Armenian society, does not have a chance of being read.

We urge the authorities involved, including the Ministry of Culture and the Central Military Prosecutor's Office of Armenia, to drop their pursuit of charging Ishkhanyan with Article 263 of the Criminal Code of Armenia (the illegal dissemination of pornographic materials or items). We stand behind our fellow writers in Armenia as they defend Ishkhanyan and will watch this case carefully to offer further support in keeping literature in Armenia free from blatant intrusions and threats from the government.

Sign petition here: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/hovhannes-ishkhanyan/
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/pictures - by Nazik Armenakyan, ArmeniaNow; emphasis mine/

For more on this case, read here:

Fiction?: Army pursues author as Armenia celebrates its status as “World Book Capital” (ArmeniaNow)

Armenian Writer Persecuted for ‘Vulgar’ Novel on Army (Epress.am)

Law-Enforcement Agencies Censor (Aravot)

Գրաքննության փորձ. ոստիկանները կարդացել են «Ուվալնյատի օրը» (Human Rights in Armenia)

Ռազմական ոստիկանությունն ինձնից վրեժ է լուծում. Հովհաննես Իշխանյան (Lurer.com)

Երիտասարդ գրողի նկատմամբ հետապնդումը կարող է Հայաստանում արտահայտվելու ազատությունը խոչընդոտելու նախադեպ դառնալ (Media.am)

Open letter to Orange Armenia re: homophobic short story shortlisted for their annual book prize

For Armenian version, see Unzipped: Gay Armenia

For more background info, read: #Fail: Homophobe writer shortlisted for Orange Armenia book prize 2011

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Dear Orange Armenia,

We wish to express our concern with one of the entries of the Orange Book Prize.

For the 2011 Orange Book Prize, as noted on Orange Armenia's official website, 130 creative works were submitted to the contest, 79 of which were in the short story category. The jury of "professional readers," according to Orange Armenia's description, selected 11 out of the 130 entries submitted, one of which — Paruyr Santrosyan's "Hours Before [Being Given] the Death Penalty" — contains hatred toward homosexual people. The author in his work, in particular, complains that the Republic of Armenia guarantees equality for all, including homosexual people, adding that if he were talk about homosexual people, he would be forced to do so using profanities.

We would like to express our concern to the aforementioned. Orange Armenia is one of those reputable companies in Armenia that embraces Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), acknowledging that it has a responsibility to the public, and always tries to uphold its reputation at the pan-Armenian and international level, which France Telecom also attempts to do on local, national and international platforms. Expressing a malevolent attitude toward marginalized groups and minorities through Orange Armenia, we believe, is first and foremost detrimental to the company itself. Apart from the fact that Orange Armenia might lose the trust of many of its customers and sustain losses on a PR level, this is also dangerous for Orange Armenia's LGBT customers and employees, because the author of this work affronts LGBT people and tramples their dignity. According to its website, France Telecom–Orange is "committed to ensuring transparency, quality and security for all its customers," while promoting diversity and equal opportunity for its employees: "France Telecom-Orange has a duty to set an example by promoting equal opportunity and combating all forms of discrimination."

It is incomprehensible how Orange Armenia allowed a story to participate in the contest and to be selected out of 79 entries in this category by a jury of "professional readers" which spreads hate toward a marginalized group — in this case, homosexual people. Would it be permissible, perhaps, for a story to be included in the contest that spread the same message of hate towards, for example, Jewish people or people of a different skin color or any number of other marginalized communities?

Considering the aforementioned, we would like to suggest that Orange Armenia issue a statement reaffirming its unbiased and impartial approach toward its LGBT customers (also potential LGBT customers, which it might lose due to homophobia) and toward marginalized groups, in line with the company's own policies and Article 14.1 of Armenia's Constitution which guarantees equality for all, irrespective of personal or social circumstances (in this case, irrespective of an individual's sexual orientation). In particular, we ask that the aforementioned short story entry be removed from the competition.

We look forward to receiving your response.

Respectfully Yours,

Public Information and Need of Knowledge NGO (PINK Armenia)
Mika, author of the blog "Unzipped: Gay Armenia"
Women's Resource Center of Armenia
Sexual Assault Crisis Center, Yerevan
New Generation NGO
Guarantee Center for Civil Society NGO
World Independent Youth Union NGO
Society Without Violence NGO
Haykuhi Margaryan
Hamo Sargsyan
Narek Harutyunyan
Anna Grigorian
Armen Ohanyan
Tufenkian Foundation Women's Support Center
Diana Muradova
"Young Professionals Caucasus"
Ginosi.com LLC
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originally published here

Nationalists gone hysterical in Armenian sector of Facebook over Azeri Film Festival in Yerevan

It’s funny how Armenian nationalists, self-proclaimed propagandists or ‘defendants’ of Armenian interests (whether in Armenia or Diaspora) are all up in arms to express their “outrage” when Armenian writers, artists, or anything Armenia related get threatened, abused and discriminated against in Turkey or Azerbaijan. They are all up in arms to “protest” and “expose” discrimination and abuse directed at few brave Turkish or Azeri voices who express different to the ‘accepted’ views in relation to Armenia, Karabakh or the Armenian Genocide.

But look at the nationalist hysteria that was generated and going on after the event’s page was set up for the Azeri Film Festival in Yerevan, Armenia (see poster above and FB page). Many of the most vocal and repetitive haters are those born in/around early 90s, a so called ‘lost generation’, who probably saw this as a chance for self-affirmation or whatever.

I am not going to repeat totally sh*tty language they use to show off how ‘patriotic’ they are and how ‘treacherous’ the organisers or supporters/attendants of the film festival are.

I strongly believe that art, and culture, do not recognise borders. Even if countries are at the state of war. Art, and films, are the best way for ordinary people to get to know each other better, to break the ice, even or especially in case of closed borders. There is also internet, of course, and meetings outside the national borders.

I have no problem if there are people who protest the idea or the fact of the festival. It’s their right. But do it in a (at least remotely) civilised way, without engaging the lowest possible denominator of nationalist/racist crap, personal attacks and threats to individuals. There is a fine line when freedom of speech gets transformed into something that should be considered within the frames of legal/criminal code. Many have already crossed that line.

And they pour tons of hatred, slander, nationalist crap and threats towards (among others) one of the brightest and the bravest souls in contemporary Armenia, writer and activist, and dreamer Lusine Vayachyan, who happened to help the organiser to set up the event’s page in Facebook, and supports the idea of film festival. Vayach, you have my respects. If only we have more dreamers in Armenia...

It’s an unfortunate reality that ‘treacherous’ Armenians become heroes only after their death. R.I.P., Hrant Dink...

*Recommended reading:

Azerbaijan Film Festival in Yerevan Sparks Hatred and Xenophobia

Armenian Writer Threatened for Facebook Page on Azerbaijan Film Screenings in Yerevan

No Enemy Nations, Only Regressive Societies and Governments: Ara Nedolyan

Intolerance Hidden Under Veil of Patriotism is Dangerous: Opinion

Hatred and Xenophobia is Alive and Well

Terrorist-like threat to Armenian government: silence the writer

Group of Armenian ultra-nationalists, a copycat of Russia’s and others’ neo-nazi, united under the so called Hayrenik (‘Motherland’) movement, published a post on their website threatening the life of Armenian author writing under the name Dori An. Dori An is the author of award winning gay-themed short story in Yerevan. In one of his posts, he also touches the recently headlining issue of gay Charents (prominent Armenian poet). This outrages ultra-nationalists which call it a “war against Armenian nation, therefore against us”. Of course, according to them, all is planned from the “outside” to “demoralise” our society. [This is in line with the recent surge of homophobic and hate attacks in Armenia, including some local media and comments in Armenian sector of Facebook.]

They provide Armenian government with the ultimatum type message: either you silence Dori An, using “legal means”, or we will do it by our means and methods. ‘Message’ is accompanied by Al-Qaeda terrorist-like picture, or its poor copycat.

[...]

Failing to produce any ‘results’ by ‘fighting external enemies’, and failing on all fronts, these ultra-nationalists try to create ‘internal enemies’ to justify their very own existence.

This is a direct threat to person’s life and the right for free speech, the very basic human rights protected under Armenian constitution. After all, this is effectively a terrorist-like ultimatum to Armenian government, and law enforcement agencies in Armenia should take up the case for further proceedings.

For more and comments - see Unzipped: Gay Armenia

*photo of Russia's neo-nazi, via San Francisco Sentinel

Orhan Pamuk visits family of murdered Turkish Armenian journalist Hrant Dink at their home in Istanbul

Truly, Quote of The Day by Orhan Pamuk, via Hurriyet:

Turkish author Orhan Pamuk visited the family of murdered journalist Hrant Dink at their home in Istanbul yesterday, stopping to make a few statements to reporters on exiting the Dink home.

Pamuk, who told reporters that words could not even describe his sorrow, said "In a sense, we are all responsible for his death. However, at the very forefront of this responsibility are those who still defend article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code. Those who campaigned against him, those who portrayed this sibling of ours as an enemy of Turkey, those who painted him as a target, they are the most responsible in this. And then, in the end, we are all responsible."

*Thanks to L.P. for the link.

James Russell’s commentary on Charents homoerotic poetry and more

... We are lucky that never before published homoerotic poetry by Armenia’s cultural icon Yeghishe Charents did not reach Soviet style 'Charents specialists', and thanks to James Russell and some others we now have Charents unzipped. (For more background info, read Yeghishe Charents unzipped – nation’s favourite gay poet)

There were stormy discussions in Armenian literary circles following a publication by Inknagir magazine of gay-themed poems by Charents. In response to this ‘controversy’, with the kind permission of the author, I posted on Unzipped: Gay Armenia a copy of James Russell’s letter to the readers of Inknagir magazine. James Russell is a professor of Armenian Studies at Harvard University. He is the author of number of Armenia related works, covering history, religion and literature. He has a special interest in the great Armenian poet Yeghishe Charents.

Read it here.

Alekper Aliyev: "I defend homosexual romanticism over war romanticism"

I defend homosexual romanticism over war romanticism. It is acceptable when two men kill each other, but is it a sin when they sleep together?

Alekper Aliyev, author of Armenian-Azeri gay love story Artush and Zaur (Hurriyet)


*Other selected quotes - Unzipped: Gay Armenia
**Original article - Hurriyet

Celebrity news – Chris Evans and Natasha Shishmanian

British golfer, journalist, writer and model Natasha Shishmanian of Armenian descent married BBC Radio 2 DJ Chris Evans in August 2007. Natasha is a daughter of British Armenian Aram Shishmanian, non-executive director of Resolution plc (UK insurance company) and board member of Britannic Group.

OK magazine reports that the couple’s first baby together is due in January. “Not one to remain tight-lipped about his life, Chris has been keeping his Radio 2 listeners in the picture – in the early days he said: “Mother and 6cm human are both officially rockin!”

The baby is Natasha’s first. Chris Evans has a 21-year-old daughter from a previous relationship.

*photo – via BBC

Yeghishe Charents unzipped – nation’s favourite gay Armenian poet

One of the greatest, most prominent, nation’s favourite Armenian poet… These are only few of epithets widely used to describe Yeghishe Charents.

Armenians are proud of their famous representatives. They are proud of Parajanov, they are proud of Charents...

Still, only minority is aware of Parajanov’s sexuality. Even less people, very few in fact, are aware that their favourite poet is gay. It’s not ordinary Armenians’ fault. They simply do not know. It’s a classic example of hypocrisy of those in literary circles or so who for decades shut out this fact from his biography. Luckily, we have taboo breaking literary Inqnagir magazine (editor Violet Grigoryan), and we have taboo breaking journalists/writers like Vahan Ishkhanyan, who never shy away from tackling ‘difficult’ subjects, minority issues, alternative scene. I would also add here Armeniapedia which was the first Armenian online publication to post a list of famous LGBT Armenians.

Vahan Ishkhanyan is working with ArmeniaNow. Recently he started blogging on Tert.am. I recommend his blog (in Armenian).

In his latest entry, Vahan Ishkhanyan writes about hypocrisy in Armenian literary circles and gay Charents posting an extract from never before published in Armenia gay-themed poem by Yeghishe Charents. Full story with gay-themed poems by Charents are available in Inqnagir literary magazine (5th edition). It’s not available online yet, but you may get its printed copy.

*For more details - Unzipped: Gay Armenia

**Portrait of Yeghishe Charents by Martiros Saryan