Author: Adrine Hakobian

Azeri human rights activists, journalists and political dissidents have been the targets of a fraudulent and sustained ‘spear phishing’ campaign using emails and Facebook chat, apparently aimed at gaining access to their personal information and private communications, said Amnesty International in a new report launched today.

The investigation reveals that the attacks, which can compromise passwords and contacts, have been directed at various government critics for the past 13 months. Victims told Amnesty International they believed the Azerbaijani authorities are behind the attacks.

“Our research reveals that a targeted and coordinated cyber campaign is being waged against critical voices in Azerbaijan, many of whom are long-time victims of government repression,” said Claudio Guarnieri, Senior Technologist at Amnesty International.

“The malware used has been designed with the express intention of gathering as much private information as possible about a target. Given the profiles of those targeted, it is not hard to see why victims believe the authorities are responsible.”

The report, , details how victims have been targeted using a practice known as ‘spear phishing’, which involves an email with an attachment containing a virus – known as malware – being sent to a target from a fake address.

Foreign Minister of the Hellenic Republic Nikolaos Kotzias visited the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial today.

The Minister laid a wreath at the memorial to Armenian Genocide victims and paid tribute to their memory with a minute of silence.

Accompanied by Director if the Armenian Genocide Museum Institute (AGMI) Hayk Demoyan, Minister Kotzias toured the Museum and left a note in the Memory Book.

Hayk Demoyan presented him the English translation of the book titled “Armenian Genocide: Front page coverage in the world press.”

On February 20, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic Karen Mirzoyan received deputies of the European Parliament, President of the Friendship group with Artsakh in the European Parliament Frank Engel (Luxembourg) and member of the Group Jaromir Stetina (Czech Republic), who are in Artsakh with an observation mission.

At the meeting, the mutual ties with the European Parliament were touched upon. The sides in particular, discussed a range of issues related to the activities of the Friendship group aimed at further strengthening and deepening of bilateral ties.

Armenia Media Inc. reports that French-Armenian singing legend, Charles Aznavour will perform in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth as part of a “Farewell Tour” in June 2017.

Promoter VisionMax International has announced three Concert dates on June 17 (Perth), June 21 (Melbourne) and Jue 24 (Sydney).

Charkes Aznavour (born Shahnour Varinag Aznavourian) on 22 May 1924, is known for his unique tenor voice: clear and ringing in its upper reaches, with gravelly and profound low notes.

He has written over 800 songs and recorded over 1,200, sung in eight languages and sold more than 180 million records.

In 2009, he was appointed ambassador of Armenia to Switzerland, as well as Armenia’s permanent delegate to the United Nations at Geneva.

Aznavour is the longest standing “A list” star, still filling major venues all over the world. He started his most recent tour in 2014.

The Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia keep the situation at the border under control, Armenian Minister of Defense Vigen Sargsyan told reporters today.

“Cases of tension at the border are simple attempts on the part of the rival to destabilize the situation, and our task is not to allow these provocations reach the target,” Minister Sargsyan said.

Speaking about the Talish family’s request for asylum in Armenia, Minister Sargsyan said “it’s yet another proof of discrimination and inhumane treatment of ethnic minorities is part of state policy in Azerbaijan.”

“As soon as we received a request from the citizen of Azerbaijan, we discussed it and concluded that there were no grounds to refuse asylum,” Vigen Sargsyan said.

“We’ll work in cooperation with international organizations to do our best to protect the man’s rights and find a permanent asylum for him,” the Defense Minister said.

Reuters – Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy will stand trial over allegations of illegally financing his failed 2012 re-election bid, a judicial source said on Tuesday.

The source added that 13 others would also face trial over the so-called ‘Bygmalion Affair’, which has involved charges of spending overruns and funding irregularities.

The decision to put Sarkozy on trial comes as French politicians face growing scrutiny over their personal finances in the build-up to this year’s presidential election in April and May.

 

 

 

“The infiltration attempt undertaken by the Azerbaijani forces comes to reinforce the importance of implementation of the investigation mechanism at the line of contact,” Deputy Director of the Caucasus Institute Sergey Minasyan told a press conference today.

“The talks about the need for the mechanism intensified especially after the April military actions,” he said. “The Minsk Group Co-Chairs and Armenia have similar approaches towards the issue,” Minasyan added.

“Azerbaijan’s position on the OSCE platform is rather vulnerable, and this incident can serve as a reason for a stricter attitude towards the country,” he noted.

Sergey Minasyan does not rule out that Azerbaijan will again be trying to ignite tensions parallel to the devaluation of Azerbaijani manat and aggravation of the social-economic conditions. Therefore, he says, the Armenian side should be ready to make more effective use of the restraining mechanisms should Azerbaijan try to undertake non-standard military or military-political actions.

As for the Azeri claims that the soldier captured by the Armenian forces had been expelled from the armed forces, Sergey Minasyan says “Azerbaijan has thus put itself in a hard and ridiculous position.”

The Azerbaijani forces undertook an infiltration attempt in the northeastern (Talish) direction of the line of contact with the Karabakh forces at about on February 1.

An Azerbaijani soldier was captured after the Karabakh forces repelled the attack.

The Azeri side announced later that the soldier identified as Elnur Huseynzade had been expelled from the army.

Expert of Azerbaijani studies Taron Hovhannisyan has studies the publications in Azerbaijani media and social networks and revealed that the reactions there are also contradictory.

The Armenian Government plans to sign air communication agreements with the governments of Singapore and Canada.

The agreements are aimed at the full regulation of relations with Singapore and Canada, the practical implementation of principles of the “open skies” policy and establishment of a free competitive field for air companies.

The conclusion of the agreements is expected to contribute to the development of relations in the fields of tourism and economy.

The CSTO Secretary General’s statement on the incident at the Armenian-Azerbaijani border was very clear, Armenian Defense minister Vigen Sargsyan has said.

The comments come after CSTO Secretary General Nikolay Bordyuzha issued a on an Azeri infringement attempt at the Armenian border. “We consider these actions on the territory of a CSTO member state as a provocation, especially against the background of a rather serious incident in the Nagorno Karabakh Republic with application of heavy weapons and armored vehicles in April this year,” the then Secretary General said, in part.

“The CSTO member states gave their assessment of the Karabakh issue in a statement adopted during the summit in Yerevan,” Vigen Sargsyan said, adding that “the Secretary General’s statement on the incident was quite clear.”

“The Secretary General is one of the most important institutions of the CSTO and expresses the opinion of the organization between summits,” the Defense Minister added.

Speaking about the appointment of a new Secretary General, Minister Sargsyan said the issue will be discussed at the next summit.

Armenian Weekly—The situation in the Armenian neighborhoods of Aleppo has remained relatively calm, according to the Consul General of Armenia in Aleppo, Tigran Gevorgyan.

“The recent events have provided hope for the Armenian community of Aleppo, that the end of the war has arrived. This marks the beginning of the reconstruction process of [the Armenian] neighborhoods,” Gevorgyan told the Armenian Weekly’s Ani Avetyan.

According Gevorgyan, Armenian schools and community organizations have continued to operate normally despite ongoing violence.

While Gevorgyan noted that it is still too early to discuss the return of Aleppo-Armenians, he said that many will want to return once peace and stability are established.

“I believe that once there is stability and peace in the region, many will want to return,” Gevorgyan said.

The Armenian Consul in Aleppo is one of the only foreign representatives that remain in the war-torn city. Consul General Gevorgyan has been in Syria since the start of the Syrian Civil War—initially he was stationed in Damascus and later in Aleppo, where he has been for the last three years.