Author: Chaltikian Arsine

ARMENIA MAY NO LONGER FOLLOW U.S. LEAD ON SOME ISSUES AFTER AID CUT-OFF
By Harut Sassounian

NT
15:45 – 16.06.2009

For more than a year, Armenia’s leaders have been operating under the
false impression that accommodating Washington on some issues would
provide economic and political benefits, shield them from accusations
of democratic shortcomings, and convince the West not to support
their domestic opponents.

Based on such wishful thinking, the Armenian government made repeated
efforts to please the United States. For example, last year, when
Marie Yovanovitch was nominated by Pres. Bush to become the next
Ambassador to Armenia, State Department officials asked Armenia to use
its contacts in Washington in order to facilitate her confirmation by
the U.S. Senate. They feared that she would suffer the same fate as
her predecessor, Richard Hoagland, whose nomination had been blocked
by the Senate at the urging of the Armenian-American community. The
Armenian government obliged, probably hoping that the new Ambassador
and the United States would reciprocate by showing goodwill towards
Yerevan on certain critical issues.

Another issue on which Armenia went to great lengths to accommodate
Washington was engaging in negotiations with its historic arch-enemy
Turkey in order to open the border and establish diplomatic
relations. While Yerevan believed that doing so was also in its own
best interest, U.S. officials were the driving force behind these
negotiations, particularly after it became apparent that the Turkish
government had no interest in carrying out honest discussions with
Armenia and no intention of opening the border. Both Turkey and the
United States benefited greatly from the false impression created by
these negotiations. Turkey managed to undermine Pres.

Obama’s campaign pledge to recognize the Armenian Genocide on April
24. In return, Washington was able to secure Turkey’s commitment
to support U.S. policies in Afghanistan, Iraq and the Arab-Israeli
conflict.

Armenia, on the other hand, received no tangible benefits. In fact,
its repeated optimistic pronouncements regarding the progress of the
negotiations helped both Turkey and the United States to look good
in the eyes of the world. Besides not gaining anything, the Armenian
government jeopardized the support of its powerful Diaspora and large
segments of its own population. Furthermore, the ARF — one of the
four parties constituting the Armenian government — left the ruling
coalition following a joint public announcement by Armenia and Turkey
on the eve of April 24. Pres.

Obama cited the supposed progress made in Armenian-Turkish negotiations
in his April 24 statement in order to avoid making an explicit
reference to the Armenian Genocide.

It is now clear to the Armenian government that Washington had no
intention of accommodating Armenia either on economic and political
matters or on its democratic shortcomings. The amount of foreign aid
recently proposed by the Obama Administration for Armenia is 38%
less than last year’s. Another U.S. aid program, provided by the
Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), was reduced by almost one
third — million — citing the country’s failure to comply with its
eligibility criteria. The MCC bases its aid decision on 16 different
indicators which recipient countries are committed to uphold.

It is distressing that such standards have to be imposed on Armenia
by a foreign country. Raising the living standards of the population
is in the Armenian people’s own interest. It is the obligation of
the Armenian government to make such improvements, without waiting
to do so, under the threat of losing foreign aid.

The most immediate impact of the cancellation of the MCC’s rural
road program will be felt by Armenia’s destitute farmers who need an
improved infrastructure to grow, transport and sell their produce.

It is not known what direction Armenia’s leaders will follow as
a result of the above setbacks. Will they strive to improve their
compliance with the MCC criteria or will they completely give up on
that program?

This latest development may have far reaching and unintended
consequences beyond Armenia’s farmers. Armenia’s leaders may conclude
that catering to the U.S. is going to neither provide a cover for
the regime’s sh ortcomings in the area of democratic governance nor
result in any tangible benefits to the country in terms of opening
the border with Turkey.

The negotiations with Turkey, already stalled due to unacceptable
pre-conditions advanced by Ankara, may now be completely disrupted.

The Armenian government may formally abandon its nominal policy of
complementarity between east and west and rely more heavily than ever
before on Russia and Iran.

Finally, it is unfortunate that the MCC decision comes on the eve
of Amb. Yovanovitch’s first trip to Armenian communities in the
United States, later this month. During her visit, she is likely to
encounter public resentment that the U.S. government is practicing a
double-standard by lowering proposed foreign aid levels to Armenia
and increasing those of Azerbaijan which enjoys huge oil revenues
and is in no need of U.S. handouts. There is also a double-standard
vis-a-vis Georgia, as the latter remains the recipient of MCC aid
despite its lack of compliance with several MCC criteria.

Amb. Yovanovitch may also face criticism from large segments of the
Armenian-American community, given Pres. Obama’s failure to keep
his campaign promise to recognize the Armenian Genocide. This is not
the Ambassador’s fault. However, given the fact that she represents
the United States, she will automatically become the target of all
criticism directed at the Obama Administration.

CASE BROUGHT UP IN PETROL MARKET

LRAGIR.AM
17:53:34 – 15/06/2009

Today, the session of the state commission for the protection of
economic competition, during of which a case was brought up in the
petrol market. A monitoring held by the experts of the commission
found out that the "Kagh Petrol Service" company enhanced the prices
for the petrol for the three times in the last one month. It is
interesting that the company informed the commission that it had
stopped its activities since April 1. No other leading company in
this field increased the prices for petrol but the monitoring is
being continued anyway.

REFUSAL OF LUKASHENKO TO TAKE PART IN CSTO CSC NOT TO AFFECT ORGANIZATION’S ACTIVITY: PRESIDENT OF RUSSIA

ArmInfo
2009-06-15 12:09:00

ArmInfo. Refusal of Alexander Lukashenko to participate in CSTO
Collective Security Council (CSC) will not affect the Organization’s
activity, President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev said at the final
press-conference of CSTO CSC.

‘I hope an individual stance of one or another state will not affect
the efficiency of CSTO activity. Each state has the right for an
independent stance with respect to the membership in one or another
organization. The most important is for us to learn to separate
bilateral problems from multilateral decisions’, the president
emphasized. ‘As for refusal of the Belarusian party not to participate
in today’s summit of CSTO, this its own decision and we treat it with
respect. However, this decision is somewhat unclear to me, as it is
incorrect to gear a multilateral format to one or another bilateral
problems’, Medvedev resumed.

To note, the Belarusian delegation did not attended CSTO summit
having explained its step by the ‘economic discrimination by one of
the member-states’. In particular, such demarche of Minsk was caused
by the restrictions imposed by Russia on supplies of the Belarusian
dairy products.

To note, in view of refusal of Belarus to take part in Moscow summit
of the Collective Security Treat Organization, Armenia has handed
over the temporary chairmanship in CSTO to Russia. To note, the
chairmanship in CSTO passed from Kyrgyzstan to Armenia in 2008. CSTO
members are seven states – Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,
Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

AGREEMENT ON CSTO RAPID REACTION FORCES SIGNED DESPITE THE "DAIRY HYSTERIA" OF BELARUS
Karen Ghazaryan

"Radiolur"
15.06.2009 12:33
Moscow-Yerevan

The sitting of the Council of Presidents of CSTO member countries
was held in Moscow on June 14. Belarus did not participate in the
sitting. Alexander Lukashenko pulled out of the summit as a protest
against Russia’s ban on Belarusian dairy products. Belarus had to
take up the presidency of the Collective Security Treaty Organization
after Armenia, but the Russian Federation temporarily assumed the
responsibility because of the absence of Belarus.

The Presidents of Armenia and Russia Serzh Sargsyan and Dmiytry
Medvedev summed up the results of the CSTO summit at a joint press
conference.

The CSTO summit yesterday discussed a wide range of issues connected
with military cooperation, the coordination of foreign policy,
resisting the threats and challenges. Assessing the activity of the
organization over the past year, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev
said great work had been done, as a result of which a whole package of
documents was signed. "I’d like to thank everyone for the effective
work and I do hope that the joint decisions will contribute to the
reinforcement of security in our countries," Mr. Medvedev said.

Uzbekistan had a special opinion on the package adopted. In particular,
its reservations concerned the agreement on20the creation of
rapid-reaction forces, more precisely, the statute of the commandership
of the collective forces and the principles of their functioning.

As it was expected, the signing of the agreement on the creation
of rapid-reaction forces became the main event of the recurrent
CSTO summit.

According to the Russian President, the establishment of the
rapid-reaction forces is of exceptional importance under the conditions
of the complex conflicts in the world and the most different regional
challenges.

According to Dmitry Medvedev, the fact that some countries are still
thinking of whether to join or not to join the agreement is not
a tragedy.

"None of the similar forces has been formed in a day and not all the
members have joined simultaneously," he noted.

Asked to comment on the one year of Armenia’s presidency of the CSTO,
Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan said: "I think a great work has
been done. First of all, it is the creation of the rapid-reaction
forces and the closer coordination of the foreign political actions. I
believe that only these two achievements evidence that a serious work
has been done over the past year."

As for the behavior of Belarus, it is not very clear to Dmitry
Medvedev, since the disputes between two countries, including the
"dairy" issue should be solved through consultations. According to him,
it’s a technical matter, which can be s ettled very quickly. "I’m
confident that this "meat and dairy hysteria" will not disturb the
activity of the rapid-reaction forces, since the advantages are obvious
and taking political decisions is the most important," Medvedev said.

TIME HAS WORKED FOR AZERBAIJAN FOR 11 YEARS, SAYS FORMER ARMENIAN DEFENCE MINISTER VAGHARSHAK HARUTYUNYAN

168 Zham
May 12 2009
Armenia

Interview

[168 Zham] Last week Samvel Babayan, a former army commander of
Nagornyy Karabakh, said: "The NKR [Nagornyy Karabakh republic] is no
longer a military-political unit and factor in the region. It has
been detached from the negotiation process after I was neutralized
by a decision from Yerevan in 1999." He also said that the second
president of Armenia, Robert Kocharyan, had nothing to do with all
this. These issues were decided at the Security Council (SC) session
on 15 December 1999. You were Armenia’s defence minister and a member
of the SC from 1999 to 2000. Were such questions discussed at that
session? Or was there a link between Nagornyy Karabakh’s detachment
from the negotiation process and Samvel Babayan’s dismissal?

[Vagharshak Harutyunyan] No, there was not. Babayan was dismissed
in December 1999. The NKR was detached from the process at the end
of 1998 when Robert Kocharyan was elected president. He thought that
Karabakh had exhausted its potential for the negotiation process. Thus
Kocharyan-Aliyev meetings started. The meetings without the NKR’s
participation lasted nearly 18 years. As to the SC meeting at the end
of 1999, Nagornyy Karabakh’s domestic policy issues were discussed at
that meeting. Moreover, the NKR had been isolated from the negotiation
process before that session and my appointment.

[168 Zham] If Nagornyy Karabakh had not been detached from the
negotiation process, would it have become a fully fledged negotiating
side? In general, there is a view that the NKR policies and official
appointments are decided in Armenia.

[Vagharshak Harutyunyan] When the Republic of Armenia started to
talk about the liberated territories, international organizations
regarded Armenia as an aggressor. The liberated districts are Nagornyy
Karabakh’s territory and the NKR was supposed to talk about them. There
should be clarity as to who is responsible for the negotiations and
what they negotiate about. In this case, the Republic of Armenia is
also a conflicting side: it has territories and communications that
have been occupied, and there are refugees living in Armenia. These
are the issues directly related to Armenia, which is supposed to have
talks about them. Armenia should also be the guarantor of Artsakh’s
[Nagornyy Karabakh’s] security.

I think that [Nagornyy Karabakh president] Bako Sahakyan’s statement
about the NKR’s participation in the talks as a negotiating side is
right and timely.

[168 Zham] Yesterday a co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, Matthew
Bryza, said that the NKR and other occupied territories will be
returned to Azerbaijan step by step and that Azerbaijani refugees
will go back to those territories. The Armenian and NKR presidents,
Serzh Sargsyan and Bako Sahakyan, say that they also recognise the
territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, but that independent NKR has
never been part of independent Azerbaijan. What is hidden within
these contradicting statements?

[Vagharshak Harutyunyan] Armenian-Turkish relations, opening of the
[Turkish-Armenian] border, the genocide and NKR issues are interrelated
regional processes. Turkey will not treat these issues separately
from each other. And if there is no precondition in the talks or
the road map, and as [Armenian Foreign Minister Edvard] Nalbanyan
has said there is nothing there, then why do they not publicise
that document? If they do not publicise the document, that means
that there is something there on the genocide, the border opening,
the Kars treaty, the NKR issue and the return of the five liberated
districts. Simply, the implementation of this programme has been
divided into several phases, but its purpose is evident, that is to
strengthen this or that superpower’s influence in the region. And if
we agree on the NKR delayed referendum and return five districts to
them [Azerbaijan], then we will go back to the status of 1988. We
will start from scratch and from the worse starting point. And the
superpowers are interested in deploying peacekeeping forces in the
region. Depending on what forces they are going to be, the influence of
the superpowers [in the region] could be predicted. Of course, Turkey
will also want to be represented in those forces. For the superpowers,
this issue is much more important than Nagornyy Karabakh’s status.

[168 Zham] Matthew Bryza also mentioned that Nagornyy Karabakh’s
status will be based on the principle of autonomy rather than
self-determination.

[Vagharshak Harutyunyan] These are completely different notions:
Self-determination is an international right, and autonomy is a
type of administration. Karabakh used to have autonomy as part of
Azerbaijan. The difference is too big.

[168 Zham] This version of referendum and the return of five of the
liberated districts were also discussed during Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s
presidency.

[Vagharshak Harutyunyan] That was a suggestion that Ter-Petrosyan put
on the table for discussion in Nagornyy Karabakh’s parliament. It
was presented to the public, as well and opinions were voiced. And
now there exists a document with unknown content.

[168 Zham] Yesterday Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan said that his
country had closed the border with Armenia because of the occupation of
Azerbaijani territories by Armenia. He said: "Return the territories
and we will open border." But President [Abdullah] Gul has a milder
position. Is this a conflict of positions or diplomacy?

[Vagharshak Harutyunyan] They have divided the directions: While
Erdogan is speaking for domestic consumption and Azerbaijan, and Gull
is speaking for Armenia, the USA and Europe. I would like to mention
that they have gained from this negotiation process, but Armenia has
not. The USA has delayed the recognition of genocide. They got their
short-term programme dividends. And how did all this start? Last year
on 8 February, Turkey made a statement that if the newly-elected
Armenian president proposed them to improve their relations, then
this would be accepted. It becomes clear that this was a preliminary
agreed plan and the USA was the God Father of it. All the steps,
including the football diplomacy, were the points of that plan. I
think that wrong calculations were made on responses from Armenia,
Karabaklh and our compatriots from Diaspora.

[168 Zham] Could you specify the mistakes the Armenian side has made
in the talks on the Nagornyy Karabakh issue and Armenian-Turkish
relations?

[Vagharshak Harutyunyan] The mistakes are not new. They have been
accumulated since a long time ago. I repeat that the first and
biggest mistake was the detachment of the NKR from the negotiation
process. Second, the authorities have not explained why the opening
of the border in this political situation is favourable for Armenia
economically, military and politically. It is apparent that the border
opening is unequivocally linked to the NKR issue and the interests
of the superpowers in this region. It is not clearly seen that the
authorities have calculated their steps. Of course, the border should
be opened but we should be ready for it. I feel that our country is not
ready for it. The existing level of corruption in our country will give
the Turks a nice opportunity to solve many economic issues by bribing
our civil servants. We should not have doubts that Turkey will support,
at the government level, its businessmen to invade our economy.

[168 Zham] Mr Harutyunyan, which side has time worked for after the
signing of the ceasefire in May 1994?

[Vagharshak Harutyunyan] I think that our wrong policies started from
the moment when the NKR was pushed out of the negotiation process in
1998, and the Aliyev-Kocharyan negotiations started. And time started
to work for Azerbaijan.

PRESS OFFICE
Fund for Armenian Relief
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Contact: Garnik Nanagoulian
Tel: 212-889-5150
Email: [email protected]

His Eminence Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate
The Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)
and
The Fund for Armenian Relief
Cordially invite the public to
A reception honoring
Her Excellency
MARIE L. YOVANOVITCH
United States Ambassador to the Republic of Armenia
Monday, June 22, 2009
Seven o’clock in the evening
The Diocesan Center
Haik & Alice Kavookjian Auditorium
630 Second Avenue (at 35th Street)
New York City
The event is free and open to the public
If you are in the Tri – State area, please join us for this unique event
630 Second Avenue, New York City | 212.686.0710 |

Fund for Armenian Relief | 630 Second Avenue | New York | NY | 10016

Interfax, Russia
June 11 2009

Washington interested in Nagorno-Karabakh settlement – U.S. diplomat

BAKU June 11

Washington is resolved to assist the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement,
U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Philip Gordon told journalists in
Baku on Thursday.

Gordon said that he intends to discuss Nagorno-Karabakh with Azeri
officials and inform Baku on the U.S. aspiration to resolve the
conflict.

At the current stage there is a historic chance to promote peace and
security, and the United States is ready to offer comprehensive
assistance in this area, he said.

Noting that he cannot say definitely when the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict will be resolved, Gordon said that there is certain progress.

Gordon also noted that there is a profound agreement on basic
settlement principles and expressed hope that such a settlement will
be secured soon.

ar rp

Three films become finalists in contest announced by Armenian Dramatic
Arts Alliance

LOS ANGELES, JUNE 12, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Three films are
the finalists of the Biennial Lillian & Varnum Paul 2009 Screenwriting
Award announced by the Armenian Dramatic Arts Alliance (ADAA): Music
for Strangers by Eric Nazarian (U.S), Moskvitch, My Love by Levon
Minassian (France), and The Bedouin by David Deranian and Anthony
Zanontian (U.S). ADAA reported this on June 8.

Screenplay submissions were received from across the United States,
Europe and Armenia. The films should be based on Armenian themes and be
written in English.

The three finalist films will be evaluated by an honorary jury
including filmmaker Atom Egoyan, Producer and Vice-President of
Development at Alcon Entertainment, Steve Wegner, and director Michael
Peretzian.

The winner, whose name will be announced in Los Angeles on August
28-30, will get 000.

The Armenian Dramatic Arts Alliance’s mission is to make the Armenian
voice heard on the world, which the organization accomplishes by
supporting playwrights, screenwriters and producers as far as possible.

Besides the Lillian and Varnum Paul Screenwriting Award, ADAA also
administers the William Saroyan Prize for Playwriting, the deadline for
which is February 15, 2010. For more information please visit the
website

RUSSIAN POLITICAL SCIENTIST SAYS TURKEY DOOMED TO BECOME ONE OF PARTICIPANTS OF NAGORNO KARABAKH CONFLICT SETTLEMENT STRATEGY

Today.Az
cs/53097.html
June 12 2009
Azerbaijan

Turkey’s involvement into the process of the resolution of the
Karabakh conflict as a fourth co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group is
quite a realistic script, said Stanislav Belkovski, famous Russian
political scientist and founder of the Institute of National Strategy.

"Turkey, which is ruled by Islamists, seeks to play a greater role
in the region. In particular, Turkey is rapidly improving its ties
with Armenia", noted the political scientist.

According to him, this also reflects its attempts to become a moderator
in the resolution of the Karabakh conflict.

"Turkey is doomed to become one of the participants of the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict settlement strategy", concluded Belkovski.

URGENT APPEAL – THE OBSERVATORY

IRN 001 / 0609 / OBS 082

Sentencing / Arbitrary detention

Iran

June 12, 2009

The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint
programme of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the
World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), requests your urgent intervention
in the Islamic Republic of Iran:

Brief description of the situation:

The Observatory has been informed by reliable sources about the ongoing
arbitrary detention of Ms. Silva Harotonian, an Iranian citizen of Armenian
origin and resident of Armenia, arrested on June 26, 2008 in Tehran. Ms.
Harotonian is employed as an administrative staff under the Child Health
Education and Exchange Program (MCHEEP) of the International Research &
Exchanges Board (IREX)[1][1]. She has been implementing a maternal and child
health programme between Iran and the United States, aiming to improve
health conditions for mothers and children.

According to the information received, on May 7, 2009, Ms. Harotonian lodged
an appeal to the Supreme Court challenging the legality of her detention. As
of issuing this urgent appeal, a decision had yet to be issued by the
Supreme Court, and Ms. Harotonian remained under detention in Evin prison,
in Tehran.

Ms. Silva Harotonian was arrested on June 26, 2008 by the Iranian
authorities, during a work trip to Iran in the framework of a project to
organise a visit of Iranian experts to the United States. She was
subsequently accused of plotting a soft revolution against the Islamic
Republic of Iran.

On December 31, 2008, the first hearing took place in Chamber 15 of the
Tehran Islamic Revolutionary Court, which sentenced her on January 19, 2009
to three years’ imprisonment in Evin Prison, for "acting against the
security of the country". The sentencing is based on Articles 500 and 508 of
the Islamic Penal Code[2][2].

Ms. Harotonian lodged an appeal against the decision. On March 18, 2009, she
was informed of the decision of the Chamber 52 of the Tehran Province Court
of Appeals rejecting her appeal and denying her release. Her attorneys filed
a second appeal before the Supreme Court on May 7, 2009. The appeal is
founded on a series of violations of the right to fair trial accompanied
with procedural and judicial errors and based on false confessions. In
addition, agents of the Ministry of Information attended the hearing in
December 2008 and were even granted permission to submit materials in
violation of Article 193 of the Penal Procedural Code. The Observatory
further notes that the accusation upheld against Ms. Harotonian at the lower
Court was the "cooperation with an enemy State", despite the fact that the
Iranian authorities were informed well in advance of the project and the
activities planned of IREX.

The Observatory denounces Ms. Silva Harotonian’s arbitrary sentencing, which
seems to merely sanction her professional activities to promote health
rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The Observatory further wishes to remind that Iran made a commitment to
"uphold the highest standards in the promotion and protection of human
rights"[3][3] by presenting its candidacy to the Human Rights Council 2006
election, and had insisted in this regard that the country has "continuously
put great efforts into safeguarding the status and inherent dignity of the
human person as well as the promotion and protection of human rights and
fundamental freedoms"[4][4]. However the conviction of Ms. Silva Harotonian
is unfair and prejudicial as she has never acted with harmful intentions
towards Iran. Besides the processes leading to the conviction, such as her
eleven month detentions, contradict such a commitment and undo such efforts.

Actions requested:

Please write to the authorities in Iran urging them to:

i. Guarantee in all circumstances the physical and psychological integrity
of Ms. Silva Harotonian;

ii. Release Ms. Harotonian immediately and unconditionally as her detention
is arbitrary since it only aims at sanctioning her human rights activities;

iii. Put an end to all acts of harassment – including at the judicial level
– against Ms. Silva Harotonian as well as against all human rights defenders
in Iran;

iv. Comply with all the provisions of the United Nations Declaration on
Human Rights Defenders, in particular with Article 1, which provides that
"everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to
promote and to strive for the protection and realization of human rights and
fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels", as well as
with Article 12.2, which states that "the State shall take all necessary
measures to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of everyone,
individually and in association with others, against any violence, threats,
retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or any
other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of
the rights referred to in the present Declaration";

v. Ensure in all circumstances the respect for human rights and fundamental
freedoms in accordance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and
with international and regional human rights instruments ratified by the
Islamic Republic of Iran.

Addresses:

* Leader of the Islamic Republic, His Excellency Ayatollah Sayed Ali
Khamenei, The Office of the Supreme Leader, Shoahada Street, Qom, Islamic
Republic of Iran, Faxes: + 98.21.649.5880 / 21.774.2228, Email:
[email protected] / [email protected] / [email protected];

* President, His Excellency Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the Presidency, Palestine
Avenue, Azerbaijan Intersection, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran, Fax: +
98.21.649.5880, E-mail: [email protected];

* Head of the Judiciary, His Excellency Mr. Mahmoud Hashemi Shahrudi,
Ministry of Justice, Park-e Shahr, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran, Fax:
+98.21.879.6671 / +98 21 3 311 6567, Email: [email protected];

* Minister of Foreign Affairs, His Excellency Mr. Manuchehr Motaki, Ministry
of Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Abdolmajid Keshk-e Mesri Av, Tehran, Islamic
Republic of Iran, Fax: + 98.21.390.1999, Email: [email protected];

* Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Chemin du
Petit-Saconnex 28, 1209 Geneva, Switzerland, Fax: +41 22 7330203, Email:
[email protected];

* Ambassador Mr. Aboutalebi, Embassy of Iran in Brussels, avenue Franklin
Roosevelt, 15 A. 1050 Bruxelles, Belgium, Fax: + 32 2 762 39 15. Email:
<mailto:[email protected]> [email protected].

Please also write to the diplomatic mission or embassy of Iran in your
respective country.

***

Geneva-Paris, June 12, 2009

Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in
your reply.

The Observatory, a FIDH and OMCT venture, is dedicated to the protection of
Human Rights Defenders and aims to offer them concrete support in their time
of need. The Observatory was the winner of the 1998 Human Rights Prize of
the French Republic.

To contact the Observatory, call the emergency line:
E-mail: [email protected]
Tel and fax FIDH + 33 (0) 1 43 55 20 11 / +33 1 43 55 18 80
Tel and fax OMCT + 41 (0) 22 809 49 39 / + 41 22 809 49 29

_____

[1][1] MCHEEP is an exchange programme for healthcare professionals from the
United States and Iran.

[2][2] Article 508 states that: "Any person or group who cooperates with an
enemy Government against the Islamic Republic of Iran, if not charged as a
mohareb (waging an armed battle against the State) will be sentenced to one
to ten years in prison".

[3][3] In accordance with GA resolution A/RES/60/251 establishing the Human
Rights Council.

[4][4]