Author: Ara Felekian

Parliament petitions Constitutional Court to delay examination of appeal relating to Kocharyan case

Ara Felekian

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 12:36, 3 July, 2020

YEREVAN, JULY 3, ARMENPRESS. The representative of the Armenian Parliament submitted a petition to the Constitutional Court requesting to delay the examination of the case scheduled on July 7 on determining whether Article 300.1 of the Criminal Code [2nd President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan is charged under this article] complies with the Constitution, Speaker of Parliament Ararat Mirzoyan said on Facebook.

“The representative of the Parliament to the Constitutional Court submitted a petition to the Court requesting to postpone the examination of the case scheduled on July 7, provide to the Parliament the Armenian translations of the ECHR and the Venice Commission advisory opinions, as well as give a reasonable timeframe for getting acquainted with these opinions”, the Speaker said.

On July 18, 2019, the Constitutional Court of Armenia made a decision to suspend the proceedings of the cases on determining the compliance of the Article 300.1 of the Criminal Code to the Constitution based on the applications submitted by the Yerevan Court of General Jurisdiction and Robert Kocharyan. The Court also applied to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) and the Venice Commission for receiving opinions. The two international structures have already provided their response.

The examination of applications of 2nd President Kocharyan and the Yerevan Court of General Jurisdiction on determining the compliance of the Article 300.1 of the Criminal Code with the Constitution is scheduled on July 7, at 11:00.

However, few days ago, Kocharyan’s attorney withdrew their application submitted to the Constitutional Court.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

Amman: Jordanian Intelligence foils a terrorist act targeting the Armenian Church and a commercial store

Ara Felekian

Al-Rai  (الرآي) , Hashemite
Kingdom of Jordan

 

Jordanian Intelligence foils
a terrorist act targeting the Armenian Church and a commercial store

المخابرات تحبط عملاً إرهابياً
لاستهداف كنيسة ومحل تجاري

 

[Translated from Arabic exclusively for the Armenian News
Network Armenian News by Katia M. Peltekian]

 

AMMAN – Ghazi Al-Mirayat.


 

The General Intelligence forces foiled a terrorist attack by
four suspects who had planned to target a church and a commercial store in
Amman and arrested them earlier this year. The attack was planned to show
support to the ISIS terrorist group.

 

The four defendants attempted to join the terrorist
organization by crossing the Jordanian border, but the tight security measures
along the Jordanian borders prevented them from sneaking out of the country. Thus,
they planned to carry out armed operations on the Jordanian territories.

 

For their plans, the four chose to carry out the terrorist
act with explosives and decided to blow up a church and a liquor store (a store
that sells alcoholic drinks). But because they found difficulty in manufacturing
explosive devices, they changed their plans to using automatic assault weapons.

 

The State Security Court held a public session headed by Military
Judge Brigadier Dr. Ali al-Mobaideen to look into the case. When the defendants
were asked how they would plead to the charges brought against them by the
State Prosecution, they responded that they were not guilty. Three of the defendants
are also facing charges of promoting the ideology of a terrorist group.

 

The details of the case, as stated in the indictment, reveal
that all the defendants are residents of the Al-Wehdat area in Amman, and they are
friends. Following the events in Syrian and Iraq, and the emergence of the ISIS
terrorist organization in 2014, the defendants began following the news and
reports on ISIS via the Internet and shared these contents with each other
until they became convinced that ISIS is the “true” organization that seeks to
implement Islamic Law. They soon pledged their allegiance to ISIS to obey its
teachings.

 

And because the defendants saw it necessary to support the
organization, they agreed in 2017 to join the ranks of the fighters and fight
for the organization. However, they were unable to do so due to the tight
security measures along Jordan’s borders.

 

By the beginning of 2018, as a result of the defendants'
inability to join the organization and fight with its elements in Syria, two of
the 4 suspects decided to carry out an armed operation inside Jordan to show
their support to ISIS. After they identified a few targets, they settled on two
specific ones: the Armenian [Apostolic] Church in the Achrafieh neighborhood of
Amman, and a liquor store in Al-Wahdat only by virtue of their proximity to
their place of residence.

 

The two main suspects then decided to form two separate
cells to carry out the terrorist. It was planned that the first cell would
include themselves and one of the other suspects to attack the liquor store in
Al-Wahdat. The second cell would include the original two and the fourth
suspect to carry out a terrorist attack on the Armenian Church.

 

In March of 2018, one of the suspects was arrested and referred
to the State Security Court for the crime of promoting the ideologies of a
terrorist group. He was sentences to 5 years in prison. However, this did not deter
the remaining three as they continued to formulate the right time and place to carry
out their terrorist attack. However, by the end of the year, another one of the
group was also arrested, thus exposing the two remaining suspects who were
also arrested last January.

 

 

The
original in Arabic: http://alrai.com/article/10542479/%D9%85%D8%AD%D9%84%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%AA/%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%AE%D8%A7%D8%A8%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D8%AA%D8%AD%D8%A8%D8%B7-%D8%B9%D9%85%D9%84%D8%A7-%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%87%D8%A7%D8%A8%D9%8A%D8%A7-%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%AA%D9%87%D8%AF%D8%A7%D9%81-%D9%83%D9%86%D9%8A%D8%B3%D8%A9-%D9%88%D9%85%D8%AD%D9%84-%D8%AA%D8%AC%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%8A?fbclid=IwAR0AM2K_OdXoC7RK2N0ayBEWXybr2iuwUaiHI6Hjt4N_tm3kpX03JZOjaXY

UAE Foreign Aid Policy: Strengthening the Global Humanitarian System

Ara Felekian

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 15:17,

YEREVAN, JUNE 24, ARMENPRESS. To realize its foreign assistance policy, the UAE has contributed to responding to several humanitarian crises, whether through the cooperation with international organizations or through direct assistance. More than 40 UAE government entities, humanitarian and charitable organizations and private companies have provided assistance and response to many crises and disasters, the UAE ministry of foreign affairs and international cooperation said in a statement.

The humanitarian crises have recently witnessed an unprecedented increase. Each year, the world faces about 20 major emergency crises, as well as hundreds of minor crises and disasters, many of which suffer from poor funding or inadequate response efforts. In particular, our region has faced a large number of these crises: in recent years, the region has accounted for more than half of the world's refugees and displaced persons. In addition, the region has experienced recyclic natural disasters at an abnormal rate. 

The UAE will continue intensifying its humanitarian relief efforts in the years to come to support people in need around the world. The UAE has committed to allocating 15% of its total foreign aid to the humanitarian response, making it one of the most generous donors in the humanitarian aid arena.

The Novel Coronavirus Crisis

This crisis is a good example of the UAE's pioneering role and efforts in strengthening the global humanitarian system and mobilizing efforts for a global response to the COVID-19 crisis to protect and save lives through our strategy of providing medical supplies including for personal protection, logistical support and supporting multilateral organizations to enhance the capacity and efficiency of the health sector in the beneficiary countries. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Deputy Chief Commander of the Armed Forces, stressed the importance of promoting a consistent and effective international response in dealing with the corona virus and addressing its negative repercussions. HH stressed that the UAE’s stand is supportive to international action, global solidarity and coordination of efforts with the rest of the world. We welcome the action taken by the key actors in the international humanitarian and development community, particularly the World Health Organization and the United Nations in general. We welcome the innovative uses of multi-donor mechanisms to address this unprecedented crisis and more investments are needed to support the existing tools that can offer a fast and flexible response. However, this response will require more than just funding. There is a need for sustainable actions by multiple actors to addressing the public health crisis and provide the necessary investments to boost and restart collapsing economies. There is also a need for new policy approaches to help fixing the current damage and ensure that we are better prepared for similar shocks in the future.


Tiran Khachatryan appointed first deputy chief of General Staff of Armed Forces

Ara Felekian

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 16:59,

YEREVAN, JUNE 15, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian signed a decree on appointing Tiran Khachatryan first deputy chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, the Presidential Office told Armenpress.

According to another presidential decree, Komitas Muradyan has been relieved from the position of first deputy head of the general operative department of the General Staff.

Karen Abrahamyan has been appointed head of the general operative department of the General Staff – deputy chief of the General Staff.

The President signed the respective decrees based on the prime minister’s proposal.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

Armenian President addresses letter to Sheikha of Qatar

Ara Felekian

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 13:01,

YEREVAN, JUNE 15, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian addressed a letter to leader of the Qatar Foundation, chairwoman of the Education Above All, Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, welcoming her personal efforts on declaring September 9 as the “International Day To Protect Education From Attack”, the Presidential Office told Armenpress.

“It’s very vital for schools to be safe and conflict-free places. As a country that ratified the Safe Schools Declaration, Armenia reaffirms its commitment to the global efforts aimed at the constant education and security for educational facilities and their whole staff during conflicts.

I am confident also that we will be able to ensure the safety of school environments only with joint efforts at this difficult period facing the humanity”, the Armenian President said in the letter.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

Administrative fines for not complying with anti-epidemic rules will not be annulled: Armenia’s PM

Ara Felekian
Aysor, Armenia
Read Aysor.am inTelegram

Many citizens fail to comply with anti-epidemic rules, Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said at a briefing today, stressing that information is being circulated that the administrative fines against citizens applied till now will be annulled.

“These hopes are in vain. The administrative fines for not complying with the anti-epidemic rules will not be annulled. They must be paid, though, I repeat that our issue is not to fine but to make people obey the rules,” he said.

He also said that police officers in civilian wearing will be engaged in the oversight works. He said they will not fine the people who violated the rules but we call the police officers nearby.

Serbia to send medical supplies worth $1 million to Armenia

Ara Felekian
Panorama, Armenia

Serbia will send medical supplies and equipment to Armenia to help the country combat the coronavirus outbreak, the president’s office reported. The equipment will be sent through two charter flights expected to arrive in Yerevan in the comings days.

The assistance comprises of 10 lung ventilation devices, 10 monitors controlling the patients’ condition, 500 thousand surgical and 100 thousand respirator masks, 25 thousand protective eye-wears, 25 thousand protective medical uniforms and other equipment. The total amount of the assistance is $1 million.

According to the press statement, the medical assistance has been initiated by President Sargsyan and supported by President of Serbia Aleksandr Vučić.  President Sargsyan held also a phone conversation with his Serbian counterpart and thanked him and the friendly people of Serbia for the continuous warm attitude toward Armenia and the Armenian people.

Turkey Is Trying to Convince Trump That the Kurds Are Behind America’s Protests

Ara Felekian 
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2020/06/turkey-protests-ypg-kurds-antifa.html__;!!LIr3w8kk_Xxm!8v2kMnVWdIoHRcqkTdNdPtPmio8Ij6SjNFCQtbYJ8FdzCXGB_UwljvC5qPYX1w$
 



By Joshua Keating
June 08, 20206:18 PM

Move over, George Soros: There’s a new nefarious mastermind behind the
ongoing political turmoil in the United States. Turkish President
Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke with U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday
and, according the state-run Anadolu Agency, told him,“Those behind
the recent violence and looting during protests in the U.S. are
working with the YPG/PKK, a terrorist group operating in northern
Syria.”

The Turkish government has spent the past few days blaming the YPG for
instigating violence during the massive protests against police
brutality in the U.S. Last week, Matthew Petti of the National
Interest reported on a graphic released by the Turkey Directorate of
Communications, tying antifa—the loose movement of militant activists
that Trump has threatened to designate as a terrorist organization—to
the Kurdish YPG rebels.

 What is going on here? While completely preposterous, the theory has
a certain logic. But it requires some understanding of the strange
bedfellows in this conflict.

The YPG, the Kurdish rebel group that controls a large swath of
northern Syria, has been the U.S. military’s main ally against ISIS.
It is also an offshoot of the PKK, the Turkey-based group that has
fought the Turkish government for decades and whom the U.S. considers
a terrorist organization. The YPG follows the ideology of the PKK’s
imprisoned founder, Abdullah Öcalan, which is heavily influenced by
the American anarchist philosopher Murray Bookchin and his writings on
“libertarian municipalism.” Some number of American leftists and
anarchists have traveled to Syria to fight with the YPG. It’s not
inconceivable that some of these Americans may have put in time with
antifa as well.

Does this mean that the YPG is coordinating with antifa—which by all
accounts is not a formal organization—or orchestrating acts of
violence and vandalism in America? Of course not. (One American YPG
volunteer hilariously told the National Interest, “Are we meant to
believe that YPG had the time to train people on how to [defecate] in
a fish pond or how to draw penises on the side of a church building?”)

 It does, however, make complete sense that Erdogan would try to push
this narrative into Trump’s brain. (Erdogan, like many other world
leaders, has condemned the killing of George Floyd, though Turkish
police dispersed and arrested activists taking part in a
Floyd-inspired rally against police violence in Istanbul last week.)

In another phone call last October, Erdogan convinced Trump to pull
back U.S. troops ahead of a planned Turkish military invasion into
Kurdish-held territory in Syria. In the ensuing days, Trump dismissed
the Kurds as “not angels” and “more of a terrorist threat in many ways
than ISIS,” seemingly parroting the Turkish government’s talking
points.

After seeing Trump railing against “terrorists” and “anarchists” of
antifa in recent days, why wouldn’t Erdogan try to tie the two groups
together? It’s not crazy for him to hope Trump might take the bait
again.

Armenian, Russian healthcare ministers discuss situation over COVID-19

Ara Felekian

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 14:50, 6 June, 2020

YEREVAN, JUNE 6, ARMENPRESS.  Healthcare Minister of Armenia Arsen Torosyan and Healthcare Minister of Russia Mikhail Murashko discussed the situation over coronavirus, ARMENPRESS was informed from the press service of the Health Ministry of Russia.

''Health Minister of the Russian Federation Mikhail Murashko  held discussions with Health Minister of Armenia Arsen Torosyan. The situation over the spread of the novel coronavirus, as well as medical care and medication issues were discussed'', reads the press release.

Murashko informed Arsen Torosyan about the new proposed methods of COVID-19 treatment, as well as about the registration of the new Russian-made medicines.

Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan