Author: Emil Lazarian

newBrainframes.org
KARABAKH: FIRST INDEPENDENT PAPER

Ashot Beglarian (01-05-2004)The first non-government publication in the
Armenian-controlled province aims to cover themes which previously went
unreported.

Setting up an independent newspaper for Nagorny Karabakh has long been a
dream of Gegam Bagdasarian, head of the Stepanakert Press Club. Now
it's happened, and Bagdasarian is editor-in-chief of a twice-monthly
paper called Demo.

The idea behind it was to create a newspaper that is not beholden to the
authorities or any opposition movement, but is a voice for the public at
large – hence the title Demo, as in “democracy”. The paper's 16 pages
are in Armenian and Russian.

“Every citizen should have the chance to know what is actually happening in
his motherland and not just from one source but from several,” explained
Bagdasarian. “We intend to become a really independent source.”

Founding an independent newspaper is a very delicate project in a society
which emerged from a devastating conflict ten years ago. Until now there has
only been one main newspaper, the government publication Azat Artsakh.

Bagdasarian says he is well aware of the sensitivities. “We understand what
a responsible mission we are undertaking, as there is virtually no precedent
in the Armenian information space,” he said. “Demo is trying to become a
free publication in the classic sense, meaning it depends only on the
reader. We are not forcing our views on anyone. When we have a free market,
the reader himself can choose what reason and conscience dictate.”

Karabakh president Arkady Gukasian, himself a former journalist, told IWPR
last month that he welcomed the project. “A free press is a sign of the
formation of civil society,” Gukasian said. “We are now facing the biggest
challenge – helping democracy to take root here.”

But the new paper will undoubtedly create controversy. The first issue
touched on sensitive issues such as the resignation of Karabakh deputy prime
minister Yury Gazarian and a property dispute over a collective farm in the
town of Stepanakert. A column by Boris Navadasardian expressed concern about
Armenian reactions to the recent murder in Budapest of Gurgen Markarian, an
Armenian army officer, by Azerbaijani officer Ramil Safarov.

Demo is supported by the British-based non-government organisation
Conciliation Resources, as part of a wider consortium which is beginning a
series of projects in both Armenia and Azerbaijan to engage with the Nagorny
Karabakh dispute, with funding from the British government's Conflict
Prevention Pool.

In this spirit, the paper has also set itself the goal of building bridges
across the ceasefire line with Azerbaijan. It is covering events in the
Caucasus as a whole, and is publishing a page of IWPR's Caucasus
articles in each issue.

“We will be publishing articles about events in Azerbaijan, Georgia and
Armenia, trying to fill the information gap that has formed,” said
Bagdasarian. “I hope this will help us find common points of agreement.”

So far, readers have responded positively to Demo. “The articles published
in the newspaper are not only interesting but relevant,” said Armen
Sarkisian, a civil servant. “The whole spectrum of socio-political life in
Nagorny Karabakh is reflected there.”

Albert Voskanian, a well-known local activist who heads Stepanakert's
Centre for Civic Initiatives, said, “It is a lively newspaper which touches
on and investigates topics which are not only interesting but also painful,
and which worry people. I have no doubt it has a future.”

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

The Scotsman, UK
May 2 2004

Gilded youth

by Kenneth Walton

Final of the BBC Young Musician of the Year

USHER HALL, EDINBURGH

IN AN awe-inspiring showcase of prodigious young talent at the Usher
Hall yesterday, 16-year-old Ayrshire violinist Nicola Benedetti beat
off stiff competition to win the grand final of the 2004 BBC Young
Musician of the Year award.

All five finalists showed remarkable presence and confidence before a
2,000 capacity audience and prestigious panel of judges. And each one,
from the pianist Benjamin Grosvenor, 11, to the 17-year-old
percussionist Lucy Beeson, displayed complete professionalism in the
way they handled their concerto roles with the BBC Scottish Symphony
Orchestra, under its principal conductor, Ilan Volkov.

It was, we were told, the youngest set of finalists in the
competition’s 26-year history. Highlighting that, the diminutive
Grosvenor gave a technically assured account of Ravel’s G major Piano
Concerto on a concert grand lent to him by the makers Bösendorfer,
specially adapted to accommodate his size. Grosvenor is scheduled to
appear next season, playing Mozart and Britten, in the Scottish
Ensemble’s High Flyers tour. Each of yesterday’s finalists chose
challenging, rather than predictable repertoire. Lucy Beeson’s
cool-headed performance of Joe Duddell’s percussion concerto Ruby
revealed music of immense beauty. Welsh 15-year-old Daniel de
Gruchy-Lambert chose the Armenian composer Alexander Arutiunian’s
excitable Trumpet Concerto to display his buoyant virtuosity. The
Manchester flautist Adam Walker produced exquisite variances of tone in
a bristling performance of Neilsen’s Flute Concerto.

But there was one clear winner. Nicola Benedetti’s performance of
Szymanowski’s First Violin Concerto was utterly captivating. It was
technically outstanding, and the charisma and musicianship of her
performance was that of the accomplished artist we know her to be. This
was playing soaked in delicacy, subtlety and sheer virtuosity. Her star
is very much in the ascendent.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Guardian, UK
May 2 2004

Scientists to search for Noah’s ark on Turkish mountain

Expedition will study ‘man-made object’ shown by satellite photos

Nick Paton Walsh in Moscow

The CIA calls it the “Ararat anomaly”. Mountaineers call it the peak of
the unforgiving range on the Turkish-Armenian border. But some
scientists think it might hold a far greater historical significance as
the great archaeological mirage – the remains of Noah’s ark.
Ten explorers and scientists from the US and Turkey will embark on an
expedition on July 15 to scale Mount Ararat, 4,700 metres (15,000ft)
above sea level, to determine what is behind the image that has been
picked up by spy satellites in the past two decades.

New satellite pictures suggest a huge 14-metre-high structure that was
exposed when the heatwave that hit Europe last summer melted the
snowcap that had obscured it for years.

The expedition will be led by Ahmet Ali Arslan, an English professor at
Seljuk University in Turkey. An experienced mountaineer, he has already
scaled Mt Ararat 40 times and grew up around the mountain range.

“The slopes are very, very harsh and dangerous on the northern face –
it is extremely challenging, mentally and physically,” said Mr Arslan,
who was once a prime-ministerial aide.

The expedition can only occur with the consent of the Turkish
government, and Mr Arslan will meet the prime minister next week to
discuss the proposed trip. The estimated cost is £500,000 and will be
met by Daniel McGivern, a businessman and Christian activist from
Hawaii.

At a press conference to announce the trip this week he said: “We are
not excavating it. We’re going to photograph it and, God willing,
you’re all going to see it.”

“These new photos unequivocally show a man-made object,” he added. “I
am convinced that the excavation of the object and the results of tests
run on any collected samples will prove that it is Noah’s ark.”

Mr McGivern’s Trinity Corporation last year used Quick Bird, the
world’s highest resolution satellite, to photograph the anomaly.

He has said he is 98% sure that the object is the ark, because of beams
of wood he said were visible in the images.

The Bible says that the ark, packed with either seven or two of each
creature, male and female, on earth, came to rest on the mountains of
Ararat after the great floods – thought to have occurred in 5,600BC,
when the Mediterranean flooded into the basin where the Black Sea now
sits.

Sceptics have pointed out that Noah would have had to load 460
organisms a second to fill the ark with two of each species in 24 hours
as the Bible suggests.

The object on Mount Ararat was first noticed by the CIA in 1949 from a
spy plane.

Turkish pilots saw it again 10 years later, and the pictures began to
reinforce the myth around the vessel, giving Christians apparent
archeological evidence that part of Genesis could be physically
substantiated.

The region was off limits until 1982 because of Soviet complaints that
explorers were spying. Since then, teams of explorers have tried to
reach the ark, but failed to substantiate what the object is.

Geologists have discovered evidence of a flood in the region known as
Mesopotamia in Sumerian times (6,000 years ago), yet have maintained
that it is not possible for a ship to have made landfall at an altitude
as high as that of Mt Ararat.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Azer Tag, Azerbaijan State Info Agency
May 3 2004

AZERBAIJAN-GEORGIA RELATIONS DEVELOPING
[May 03, 2004, 14:50:44]

Minister of Foreign Affairs Elmar Mammadyarov met with Foreign Affairs
Minister of Georgia Mrs. Salome Zurabishvili, in Baku, on May 1,
AzerTAj correspondent learnt from the Ministry’s press-center.

The Minister appreciated Mrs. Zurabishvili’s visit as continuation of
the relations between the two countries. He noted that further
development of relationships in economic, political, trade and other
spheres has importance significance for both countries.

Having thanked for warm reception, Mrs. Zurabishvili noted that she had
supported development of relations in all spheres. Touching on
commercial-economic issues between the two countries, she emphasized
that her country was keen in dynamic development of the relations. She
stressed the importance of coordination in the upcoming NATO summit to
be held in Istanbul, in July 2004, as well as membership of Georgia in
Asiatic International Bank.

Having stressed his satisfaction with the growth of trade turnover
between the two countries, Minister Mammadyarov noted that reciprocal
reduction of tariffs on Great Silk Road to increase turnover of goods,
improvement of infrastructure might positively influence on welfare of
both countries, as well as Azerbaijanis, residing in Georgia. The
Minister expressed confidence that the Georgian side would promote in
examination of issue regarding Embassy of Azerbaijan in Georgia.

The Minister noted that he would be pleased to meet with his colleague
at the upcoming regular sitting of GUUAM Council of Foreign Ministers
due in Tbilisi, on May 17. The Minister stressed the importance of
solution of Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorny Karabakh conflict based on
joint efforts of international community, adding that the conflict
exert negative influence on regional cooperation.

The sides discussed other issues of mutual interest.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Gulf News, United Arab Emirates
May 1 2004

Man shares crime blame to be with friend

By Bassam Za’za’

Staff Reporter

Dubai: Two friends demonstrated what loyalty is all about when the
Dubai Court of First Instance gave them both four months in jail for
stealing video cameras worth Dh6,000.

The court heard that on March 3 a manager of an electronics company at
Jebel Ali Port reported to police that two video cameras were missing
from the warehouse.

Police probe revealed that the thieves, both Armenians, had taken a
regular customer to the company showroom to look at the goods. While
there, D.J., 32, stole the cameras but the equipment was recovered at
the gates on their way out.

Under questioning, D.J. confessed to the crime. He admitted hiding the
two cameras under his clothes without his friend’s knowledge.

However, bizarrely, his friend, A.S., 31, also a visitor to Dubai,
admitted that he, too, had been involved in the theft. He insisted he
should face similar punishment as he did not want his buddy to stay in
jail alone.

The court found the two men guilty of attempted theft.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Anadolu Agency, Turkey
May 3 2004

Fifth International Black Sea Littoral States Theatre Festival To Start
On Tuesday

TRABZON – Fifth International Black Sea Littoral States Theatre
Festival will start on Tuesday.

Directorate General of State Theatres traditionally holds the
International Theatre Festival every year.

Turkey, Albania, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bulgaria, Armenia, Georgia,
Moldova, Romania, Russia and Ukraine join the festival.

William Shakespeare’s ”Twelfth Night” will be displayed in the first
day of the festival.

The festival will end on May 14.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Le Monde, France
29 Avril 2004

Chirac repousse à dix ans l’adhésion de la Turquie

Au cours de sa conférence de presse, jeudi 29 avril, à l’Elysée,
consacrée à l’élargissement de l’Union européenne, le 1er mai, le
président de la République, Jacques Chirac, évoqué l’ensemble des
sujets liés à la construction européenne, de la ratification du traité
portant sur la Constitution européenne à la candidature de la Turquie à
l’Union, via l’Europe sociale et la puissance économique européenne
dans le monde avec le passage à une Union à 25 membres.
Le président Jacques Chirac s’est adressé directement aux Français,
jeudi 29 avril, lors d’une conférence de presse, à l’Elysée, devant
près de 200 journalistes. En ouvrant la conférence sur sa vision de
l’Europe, le président Chirac a insisté sur le moment historique que
vont vivre les Européens avec l’élargissement à vingt-cinq membres de
l’Union européenne.

Lors de la conférence de presse, le président Chirac a déclaré qu’il
était “prématuré” de choisir entre la voie parlementaire et la voie
référendaire pour adopter la Constitution européenne. Il fallait
d’abord “procéder par étapes”. Le Conseil européen des 17 et 18 juin
devra se mettre d’accord sur le projet, puis les Etats devront le
signer. Enfin, une fois en conformité avec la Constitution, selon
l’article 54, qui impliquera une révision de la Loi fondamentale, “il
reviendra aux Français de décider par voie référendaire ou voie
parlementaire de l’adopter”.

Sur la Turquie, dont l’adhésion est rejetée par l’UMP, le parti du
président, et l’UDF, le président a affirmé que la question est
“importante”. “La Turquie a une vocation européenne depuis plusieurs
siècles”, a-t-il poursuivi. Mais il a rappelé que plusieurs éléments
étaient nécessaires avant d’arrêter une position. La candidature turque
soulève “deux questions : l’adhésion de la Turquie est elle souhaitable
? Et cette adhésion est-elle possible ?”. Pour la première question, la
réponse du président est “non”. “La Turquie doit respecter les
conditions d’adhésion. Ce n’est pas le cas”, a-t-il déclaré. “La
Turquie a déjà fait de profondes réformes pour s’adapter aux critères
de Copenhague”, selon le chef de l’Etat. “Mais encore faut-il les
appliquer sur le terrain”, a-t-il souligné.
Le président a rappelé la procédure d’adhésion : “La Commission
européenne remettra son rapport au Conseil européen, qui devra prendre
une décision. Soit le Conseil européen jugera qu’il est prématuré
d’ouvrir des négociations et qu’il faudra attendre encore quelque temps
avant de les engager. Soit il estimera que la Turquie remplit les
critères de Copenhague et que les négociations pourront commencer dès
2005. Mais la vraie question est celle qui sera posée à chaque peuple
de l’Union. Le dernier mot leur reviendra, soit par voie référendaire,
soit par voie parlementaire.” Mais pour la Turquie, le président a
déclaré que les négociations pouvaient durer dix à quinze ans.

A propos de l’Europe sociale ou l’Europe libérale, le président a
estimé que “suivre à fond l’une des deux dynamiques conduirait à une
impasse. Il faut être réaliste”. La France, a-t-il rappelé, est en tête
du mouvement en faveur d’une Europe sociale, en matière de défense des
services publics, de dialogue social, d’échange entre les partenaires
sociaux et de coordination des politiques d’emploi. Le président a
rappelé que “la France n’est pas suivie pas tous”, notamment la
“Grande-Bretagne”, dont l’approche est plus libérale.

S’agissant de l’Irak, l’Union européenne fait confiance aux
propositions de l’envoyé spécial de l’ONU, M. Brahimi, sur la
reconstruction politique et économique du pays. Il a plaidé pour un
transfert de souveraineté “urgent” en Irak “sous le contrôle effectif
des Nations unies”. Le président français a estimé qu’une solution
fondée “sur une ambiguïté” concernant le partage des pouvoirs entre les
forces de coalition et l’ONU serait “désastreuse”. “Nous estimons qu’il
est urgent, aujourd’hui, de rendre leur souveraineté aux Irakiens”,
a-t-il dit. Aujourd’hui, a souligné le président, “l’heure n’est plus à
la fracture de l’Union européenne”, mais il constate “l’émergence d’une
conscience européenne à l’échelle des populations”. Il se dit persuadé
que les vingt-cinq membres de l’Union européenne approuveront à
l’unanimité les propositions du représentant des Nations unies en Irak.

Sur le calendrier de l’élargissement, le président a insisté sur la
détermination de l’Europe, notamment de la France, à respecter
l’engagement d’accepter la Roumanie et la Bulgarie à partir de 2007
dans l’espace de l’Union.

Quant à la force de l’euro et au rôle économique de l’Union, Jacques
Chirac a rappelé qu’il était favorable au texte de la Convention et
hostile à tout changement en matière de politique monétaire, financière
et économique.

Sur les autres sujets, comme la reconnaissance du génocide des
Arméniens en préalable à l’entrée de la Turquie ou le plan Sharon dans
les territoires palestiniens, le président Jacques Chirac a souligné
qu’il ne fallait pas que “les problèmes bilatéraux interfèrent dans les
critères d’adhésion” et qu’il se réjouissait que “de nouvelles
perspectives s’ouvrent entre l’Arménie et la Turquie”. A propos du plan
Sharon, le président français a estimé que toute initiative
unilatérale, comme le retrait de Gaza proposé par le premier ministre
israélien, était “vouée à l’échec”.

Lemonde.fr

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Le Monde, France
30 Avril 2004

Les Arméniens de France répondent vivement au chef de l’Etat

Interrogé, mercredi 29 avril, pour savoir s’il ferait de la
reconnaissance du génocide arménien une condition préalable à l’entrée
de la Turquie dans l’Union européenne, Jacques Chirac a répondu qu’il
s’agissait, selon lui, “d’un problème qui concerne les relations entre
la Turquie et l’Arménie”. “J’observe avec satisfaction qu’il y a dans
ce domaine une évolution positive et je m’en réjouis, a-t-il ajouté. On
ne peut pas non plus, sur le plan bilatéral, juger de tout l’avenir en
fonction exclusivement du passé.” Cette phrase n’a pas été du goût des
associations arméniennes.

Le Conseil de coordination des organisations arméniennes de France
(CCAF) s’est ainsi “étonné” des déclarations du chef de l’Etat,
rappelant que les autorités françaises avaient elles-mêmes – sous sa
présidence – reconnu le génocide arménien. “Si cette question relative
à un crime contre l’humanité ne concerne que les relations bilatérales
entre ces deux pays, pourquoi le président a-t-il promulgué, le 29
janvier 2001, une loi votée à l’unanimité au Parlement et par laquelle
la France reconnaît publiquement le génocide arménien ?”, s’est
interrogé le CCAF, redoutant que M. Chirac “se lave personnellement les
mains de l’extermination des Arméniens de Turquie, dont une partie a
trouvé refuge en France”.

Parmi les responsables politiques, le président de l’UDF, François
Bayrou, qui avait demandé, au mois de mai 2000 au Sénat, la
reconnaissance officielle du génocide arménien, a, lui aussi, critiqué
les propos de M. Chirac : “J’ai été troublé et je n’ai pas approuvé les
déclarations du président de la République sur le génocide Arménien”,
a-t-il déclaré. M. Bayrou a estimé qu’invoquer un simple “problème
bilatéral” sur la question arménienne revenait à juger que “les
exterminations ne concernent que les communautés ou les ethnies qui en
sont les victimes”.

LE 24 AVRIL 1915

Dans un récent ouvrage – intitulé 24 avril (Cherche Midi) -, Alexis
Govciyan, qui présidait le CCAF jusqu’en 2002, a relaté étape par étape
la longue hésitation, de 1998 à 2001, du Parlement français devant les
menaces de rétorsion turques. La date du 24 avril renvoie au début des
opérations génocidaires en 1915. Le préfet de police d’Istanbul donna
ce jour-là l’ordre à ses hommes de rafler les notables arméniens de la
capitale ottomane, qui seront déportés puis assassinés à l’instigation
du gouvernement nationaliste des “jeunes Turcs”. Le nombre des victimes
varie selon les estimations, les Arméniens revendiquant un million et
demi de tués. C’est à partir de la commémoration du cinquantième
anniversaire du génocide, en 1965, marquée par une grande manifestation
à Paris, qu’a émergé, en France, la revendication d’une reconnaissance
du génocide.

La communauté arménienne s’est toujours montrée particulièrement
sourcilleuse face à toute position qualifiée de “négationniste”. C’est
ainsi qu’elle intenta un procès à l’orientaliste américain Bernard
Lewis, qui fut condamné en juin 1995. Elle obtint moins de succès dans
son opposition à l’élection au Collège de France, en janvier 1999, de
l’historien Gilles Veinstein, spécialiste de la Turquie, qui jugeait
que les intentions criminelles du gouvernement turc de l’époque
n’étaient pas bien établies (Le Monde du 27 janvier 1999). Le 9 février
1999, M. Chirac confirmait, par décret, la nomination de
l’orientaliste.

Christiane Chombeau et Nicolas Weill

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Azat Artsakh – Republic of Nagorno Karabakh (NKR)
May 1, 2004

ARMY-SOCIETY RELATIONSHIPS

On April 27 the meeting with the NKR minister of defence Seyran
Ohanian took place in the hall of Artsakh State University. At the
meeting which was organized according to the joint program of the NKR
ministries of culture and defence the vice minister of culture Slava
Asrian was present. ArSU rector Hamlet Grigorian addressed the
participants mentioning that the meeting organized on the eve of the
May holidays inspires us with the belief that the Defence Army of NKR
is in reliable hands. In the name of the commandment of the Defence
Army the minister of defence greeted the guests and mentioned that
meetings with the students are one of his important duties. At the
same time S. Ohanian mentioned that this meeting once again testifies
to the fact that the relationships army-society are becoming firmer.
In this reference the cooperation of the Defence Ministry with the
Ministry of Education, Culture and Science is mainly directed at the
aim of educating the youth on the idea of patriotism. “The University
is a center where the basis is laid for science, creation,
progressive ideas. The University is a place where ideology is being
rooted. Here the youth is educated to continue the mission of the
senior generation, i.e. the Artsakh struggle and building of
statehood. The more knowledge the youth has, the more significant the
progress will be. Today the young people will be practically able to
link the past to the present and understand that the Armenian land
has always given birth to geniuses of mind and spirit. The biggest
achievement of independence is that we got rid of alien ideas, false
values, idols,” said Seyran Ohanian. Then the minister of defence
provided detailed information on the process of army building. The
minister mentioned that the Armenian army is noted in the region for
efficiency and everything will be done to defend the borders of the
country. In his address NKR vice minister of education, culture and
science Slava Asrian, stressing the importance of the meeting,
mentioned that the cooperation between the two ministries will
facilitate the solution of problems which the two systems face, in
particular the preparation for conscription.

LAURA GRIGORIAN

Reporters without borders, France
May 3 2004

Azerbaijan – 2004 Annual Report

Azerbaijan
Area : 86,600 sq.km.
Population : 8,096,000
Language : Azeri
Type of state : republic
Head of state : President Ilham Aliev

Azerbaijan – 2004 Annual Report

The hoped-for wave of reform after Ilham Aliev, son of longtime leader
Heidar Aliev, became president in October 2003 did not come. Opposition
media remained under broad pressure, there was no diversity in
broadcasting and the regime did not fulfil its international
commitments.

President Heidar Aliev’s son Ilham took office as president on 31
October 2003 after an election denounced as a setback for democracy by
European monitoring organisations. The elder Heidar, who died in a US
clinic on 12 December aged 80, had prepared for the handover by naming
Ilham prime minister during the summer. When his father’s health
worsened, Ilham became acting president and on 2 October his father
withdrew as a candidate for reelection. Media that dared to mention the
old man’s health were punished.
The election campaign, the vote itself on 15 October and the
post-election period brought many press freedom problems. Journalists
were beaten and the government monopolised radio and TV, broadly
harassed opposition and independent newspapers and failed to keep its
international promises to respect press freedom. Journalists were
physically attacked from the summer on while covering election meetings
in Baku and the provinces and more than 50 were set upon during violent
clashes on 15 and 16 October between demonstrators and security forces,
who arrested more than a dozen of them.
Journalists organisations monitoring the campaign, as well as the
Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in a report,
said the four privately-owned nationwide TV stations all strongly
backed ruling party candidates, as did the state-run AzT, which should
have been turned into an independently-run public body as promised when
Azerbaijan joined the Council of Europe in 2001.
A council was set up on 24 January 2003 to see that radio and TV obeyed
the electoral law but its nine members were appointed by the president.
A public TV bill was given a second reading by parliament on 24
December, but it too would allow the government to have a predominant
voice.
The highly-politicised opposition and independent media came under
broad and heavy direct and indirect pressure from the authorities – in
access to public data, printing and distribution, advertising,
unjustified use of defamation laws and excessive fines. Journalists
demonstrated several times in the first half of the year against
bureaucratic harassment obstructing them in their work.
The main opposition daily Yeni Musavat was sued for libel more than a
dozen times between October 2002 and October 2003 and fined more than
100,000 euros. The laws on defamation and insults still provided prison
sentences, in conflict with international standards. A Press Council of
nine journalists and six government representatives members was set up
on 15 March to mediate between journalists and citizens, especially the
authorities.
Yeni Musavat editor Rauf Arifoglu was jailed in late October, accused
of organising the 15 and 16 October demonstrations.

Two journalists imprisoned

Rauf Arifoglu, editor of the opposition daily Yeni Musavat and
vice-president of the opposition Musavat party, was arrested on 27
October 2003 and remanded for three months in Baku’s Bailov prison for
stirring up public unrest (article 220.1 of the criminal code) and for
refusing to obey a police order (article 315.2). He could be sentenced
to up to 12 years imprisonment. He was accused of organising the
rioting that broke out around the country after the 15 October
presidential election. He staged a hunger-strike in prison from 1 to 9
December to demand the release of the 107 people arrested in the
protests and the application of the recommendations of the OSCE
observers’ report on the elections. Deputy prosecutor-general Ramiz
Rzayev said the gravity of the alleged offences, the possibility he
would abscond and also interfere with the investigation justified him
being held pending trial. Arifoglu, one of the regime’s fiercest
critics, had taken refuge in the Norwegian embassy between 18 and 21
October for fear of being kidnapped or physically attacked.
Sadig Ismailov, of the opposition daily Baki Khaber, was arrested in
Baku on 30 December and accused of involvement in the clashes in the
city after the 15 October election. His editor, Aydin Gouliev, said he
had been sent to Azadliq Square on 16 October to cover the
demonstrations. The Nasimi regional court ordered him detained for
three months in Bailov prison on 31 December while the case was being
investigated. He was charged under articles 220.1 and 315 of the
criminal code and faces between three and seven years in jail. There
was no evidence he was being detained because of his work as a
journalist.

At least 37 journalists arrested

Plainclothes police burst into the premises of the opposition daily
Milliyet in Baku on 23 April 2003 and arrested journalists Tahir
Abbasli and Sarkarda Sakharnova. They were freed a few hours later
after appearing before deputy prosecutor-general Ramiz Rzayev, who gave
them an “official warning” about a photomontage in the paper five days
earlier showing the demolition of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein’s
statue in Baghdad with President Heidar Aliev’s head on it instead of
Hussein’s.
Police seized 1,800 copies of the Russian-language edition of the
opposition daily Yeni Musavat on 2 May as they was leaving the
Viza-Media printers in Baku and arrested journalists Azer Aykhan,
Firdovsi Akhmedov and Sayyad Gadirli, as well as three staff of the
printing firm, including its boss, Aliovst Talishkhanly, for publishing
“anti-government” material. The journalists were freed five hours
later.
Police in 10 cars roughly arrested a group of senior journalists on 26
July as they were driving away from the Baku home of Yeni Musavat
editor Rauf Arifoglu on the way to the city’s press club. They included
Arifoglu himself, Aflatun Amashev (president) and Gunduz Takhirli
(member) of the Press Council, Mehman Aliev, head of the Turan
independent news agency, Arif Aliev, president of the press club and
head of the Yeni Nesil trade union, Ganimat Zakhidov, managing editor
of the opposition daily Azadliq, and Yeni Musavat staffers Elkhan
Hasanli, Safar Hummatov, Mirza Zeynalov and Murshud Hasanov. All were
freed an hour and a half later. Police said they had violated traffic
laws and had insulted and hit the police.
The council of the country’s media chiefs and Arifoglu said they had
heard a few days earlier of plans to arrest him. Just before the police
swooped, the heads of the main opposition press and media organisations
had gone to his home to discuss the situation.
Interior minister Ramil Usubov said on 30 July the episode would be
investigated and the police responsible punished. But no action had
been taken by the end of the year.
Rial Jafarli (Azadliq) and Ali Orujev (Milliyet) were arrested on 21
September while covering a meeting of two opposition presidential
candidates, Etibar Mamedov (National Independence Party) and Ali
Kerimly (Popular Front Party), in Lenkoran (south of Baku). Jafarli was
freed five hours later but Orujev was charged with “hooliganism” and
not released until 25 September.
Ali Ismailov (Milliyet) was beaten and briefly detained by police in
the village of Sinjanboyag (120 km north of Baku) on 3 October while
travelling with opposition candidate Issa Gambar.
Elnur Sadigov (Azadliq) was not allowed in a polling station, beaten by
police and held by them for three hours in the northern town of Ganja
on 15 October, the day of the presidential election. Two other
journalists were arrested – Parviz Hashimov (Uch Nogta news agency),
held for three hours in Ganja, and Mushfig Mamedli (the daily Baki
Khaber), who was arrested in Baku.
The Committee to Protect Journalists of Azerbaijan (RUH) said at least
16 journalists were arrested on 15 and 16 October while covering the
election and the next day’s protests. Most were freed on 22 October
after being sentenced to a few days in prison for “disturbing the
peace” or “refusing to obey orders.
Azer Qarachenli, of the weekly Avropa, disappeared between 15 to 21
October. His arrest by masked special police in front of Musavat party
offices in Baku was filmed by the TV station ANS, but the interior
ministry denied for several days he had been arrested. He had been
picked up during anti-regime demonstrations and sentenced to two weeks
in prison. He said he had not been allowed to contact the paper or see
a lawyer and had refused to sign a false statement about the
circumstances of his arrest.
Sayaf Gadoriv and Teymur Imanov, of Yeni Musavat, were arrested on 17
October as they left the paper’s offices.
Ilham Akhundov, founder and editor of the weekly Gyrkh Chirag in
Ali-Bairamly (100 km south of Baku) and a member of the opposition
Popular Front Party, was arrested at his home in the village of Mes on
18 October and two days later sentenced to 10 days in prison for
“hooliganism and using bad language in public.”
Jehyun Askerli, correspondent in Geychay (west of Baku) for Milliyet
and member of the Popular Front Party, was arrested on 19 October and
sentenced to 10 days in jail.
Police arrested Zabil Mugabiloglu, political reporter of the
pro-government daily 525, at the paper’s offices on 20 October and
taken to the Yasamal district court in Baku, where he was jailed for
two weeks for disturbing the peace.
Mustafa Hajibeyli (Yeni Musavat), was arrested on 23 October at his
parents’ home and held for several hours. Interior ministry officials
searched the apartment and took away a video cassette.

At least 99 journalists physically attacked

About 30 men attacked the offices of the opposition daily Yeni Musavat
on 4 May 2003, insulting journalists, threatening to kill editor Rauf
Arifoglu and causing a lot of material damage. They demanded an end to
articles about President Aliev’s health and to criticism of the
government. Assistant managing editor Gabil Abbasoglu, and journalists
Elshad Pashasoy, Samir Azizoglu and Khalid Kazimli were injured. The
staff, who had expected such an attack, had asked for police protection
after government officials had called for the paper to be “punished”
and the government press had called them “enemies of the country.” The
officials accused the paper of calling for Aliev’s resignation because
of his poor health. Editor Arifoglu said police protection, begun three
days earlier, had been withdrawn two hours before the attack. Three of
the attackers were jailed for between three and five days for
“hooliganism.”
Reporters Shafayat Salah (Turan news agency), Azer Ahmadov and Sahib
Ismaylov (the opposition daily Azadliq) and Elshad Memedov (the
opposition daily Khurriyet) were beaten up by police while covering a
meeting of the Popular Front Party in Baku on 24 May.
Elshad Pashasoy (Yeni Musavat), Alim Huseynov (the daily Olaylar),
Ramil Huseynov (the news agency Bilik Dunyasi), Perviz Heshimov (the
weekly Politika), Rauf Mirkadyrov (the daily Zerkalo), Abbaseli
Rustemli, Ruslan Beshirov, Ramiz Necefli, Ali Rza (all of Azadliq) and
Tapdiq Ferhadoglu (Turan) were beaten by police on 27 May while
covering a meeting of the Popular Front Party in front of the
parliament building in Baku.
Parviz Peshmili (Politika) Natig Zeynalov (Radio Free Europe / Radio
Liberty) and Nijat Daglar and Tahir Tagiyev (both of Khurriyet) were
beaten and insulted by police during a protest by opposition parties in
front of parliament on 3 June.
Mushfig Hajiyev, cameraman with the independent TV station ANS, was
attacked on 18 July by Lazim Mirzoyev, a government official in the
village of Karmachatag (in Nakichevan), who tried to seize his camera.
ANS reporter Natella Mahmudova, Kamala Surkhaygizi (Radio Free Europe /
Radio Liberty) and Malahat Nasibova (Turan), who were there with
Hajiyev to report on clashes with the Armenian army, were also set upon
and chased out of the village. Mirzoyev said he had been ordered to
keep the journalists away from the village.
Nasibova, Mahmudova and Hajiyev were beaten and insulted by police and
government officials in the village of Sadarak (Nakichevan) on 3
September while seeking information about complaints by inhabitants
against the behaviour of the local authorities. They were called spies
and traitors and ordered out of the village.
A dozen journalists and several members of the Popular Front Party were
beaten by police, including deputy police chief Yashar Aliev, as they
gathered in front of Baku police headquarters on 8 September while
opposition presidential election candidate Fuad Mustafayev was being
questioned there. Film taken by Internews was seized. Among the
journalists involved were Khalig Bakhadur (Azadliq), Azer Rashidoglu
and Metin Yasharoglu (Zerkalo), Hadija Ismailova (the daily Ekho), Rey
Kerimoglu (the paper Milli Yol), Mirjavad Ragimli (Space TV), Sukhur
Abdullayev (the daily Bu Gyun), Manaf Guliev (Internews cameraman) and
Hagani Safaroglu (Avropa). The Committee to Protect Journalists of
Azerbaijan (RUH) filed a complaint against deputy police chief Aliev on
4 December.
Irada Nureddingyzy (the opposition daily Milliyet), Nigyar Almangyzy
(the daily Express), Samira Zamanly (Khurriyet), Taptig Farhadoglu
(Turan) and Zaur Rasulzade (of the Russian-language daily Novoye
Vremya) were clubbed and stoned by police and civilians at a meeting
held by two opposition presidential candidates that police were trying
to disperse in Masaly (south of Baku) on 21 September. Zamanly was
knocked out by one of the stones.
Thugs beat people attending a meeting on 2 October held by presidential
candidates Etibar Mamedov and Ali Kerimli in the Saatli region (200 km
west of Baku) with wooden and metal objects. Among the victims were
Aflatun Guliev (editor) and Ali Orudjev (reporter) of Milliyet.
Guliev’s nose and several teeth were broken.
Fierce clashes with security forces erupted on the evening of election
day, 15 October, as thousands of people demonstrated outside the Baku
offices of the opposition party Musavat and continued the next day on
the city’s Azadliq Square. The RUH said at least 54 journalists had
been attacked over the two days. They included :
Sahil Kerimli (Lider TV), attacked by a crowd in Baku on 15 October ;
Kenul Salimgizi, Safar Humbatov, Murshud Hasanov and Salim Azizoglu
(all of Yeni Musavat), roughed up at polling station 25 in Baku and
Fahraddin Hajibeyli (Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty), beaten by
polling station officials in Agdam (350 km from Baku).
On 16 October, at least 26 journalists were beaten up by security
forces in Azadliq Square. They included : Ilkin Guliev, Zafar Guliev
(who received head injuries) and Emin Huseynov (a brain injury), all of
Turan ; Alexander Klimchuk (of the Georgian daily Tribuna) ; Sabina
Iskenderli and Fuad Hasanguliyev (who was hospitalised with head
inujuries), both of the Interfax-Azerbaijan news agency ; Agil Jamal
and Hayal Babayev (Azadliq) ; Azer Hasret, secretary-general of the
journalists’ organisation JuHi ; Shirhan Agayev (the daily Prognoz) ;
Sarkarda Sarkhanoglu, Tebriz Sadayoglu, Nabi Alishev, Adil Huseynov and
Tahir Aliyaroglu (all of Khurriyet). The last three were hospitalised
with head injuries ; Kenul Velieva, Metanet Muslimgizi and Nijat
Daglar, who was hospitalised with serious injuries ; Vasim Mamedov (the
daily Baki Khaber), hospitalised with head injuries ; Eynulla Umudov
and Etibar Savalan (the paper Galanjak Gun) ; Elza Abishova
(hospitalised), Mansura Sattarova, Lala Musa Gizi, Afgan Gafarov and
Kenan Rovshanoglu (all of the daily Cumhurriyet). The interior ministry
launched an enquiry into possible police brutality. But the authorities
said right away that most of the journalists were not covering the
protests but participating in them as opposition activists.

Harassment and obstruction

Several journalists and human rights activists staged a hunger-strike
from 22 to 28 January 2003 to protest against legalistic harassment of
the opposition daily Yeni Musavat and draw world attention to press
freedom violations in the country. Editor Rauf Arifoglu pointed to the
13 prosecutions of the paper by the authorities in just a few months
and to the threats made to its journalists. Participants included
Yadigar Mamedli (president of the Democratic League of Journalists),
Mehman Aliev (head of the Turan news agency), Ganimat Zakhidov
(president of the Azad Soz Journalists’ Union), Azer Hasret
(secretary-general of the Azerbaijan Journalists’ Confederation), Zahid
Gazanfaroglu (Yeni Musavat), Zohrab Ismayil (publisher of the
opposition daily Azadliq), Asif Marazli (editor of the weekly
Tazadlar), Mohammed Arsoy (member of the Azad Soz Journalists’ Union)
and Sanan Hasanoglu (editor of the diaspora magazine Compatriot).
Baku city authorities shut down on 28 January a newsstand run by the
Gaya distribution firm in front of the university which sold opposition
papers unavailable at the government newsstands. They said it was for
reasons of “urban improvement,” but a nearby state newsstand remained
in place.
A court in Yasamal (Baku) fined Elmar Husseynov, founder and editor of
the weekly Monitor, 4,600 euros on 4 April (under articles 147.2 and
148 of the criminal code) for libelling and insulting the honour and
dignity of Hasan Zeynalov, head of the Baku office of the autonomous
republic of Nakhichevan, in an article called “The Godfather” (in its
second issue of 2003) which compared the inhabitants of the republic
with Sicilians. Zeynalov also sued in a civil court, which awarded him
19,000 euros in damages on 25 February and ordered a denial to be
published. The editor was amnestied on 12 May for the criminal
conviction.
The independent weekly Bizim Yol was extensively harassed after it was
founded in March. Police seized copies on 20 April from four vendors in
Nizami (Baku) who were taken to a police station and questioned before
being freed. Editor Mohammed Arsoy said the seizure was because the
previous number contained a cartoon of President Aliev astride a donkey
with his son Ilham holding its tail. More copies were confiscated in
Baku the next day. All printers refused to print the paper on 11 May,
on the orders of the authorities. On 17 May, three unidentified men
stopped a van carrying 4,000 copies, threatened and insulted the driver
and took away all the papers. The magazine was forced to close after
six issues, but its journalists launched a new paper, Milli Yol, in
June. Its offices were vandalised on 10 August and computer equipment
damaged. In September and October, assistant editor Shahin Agabeyli was
summoned and reprimanded several times by the deputy prosecutor-general
for printing cartoons of government ministers. Presidential candidate
and member of parliament Gudrat Hasanguliyev threatened its journalists
in early October with reprisals if the paper continued to insult him.
The independent printers Chap Evi refused to print the paper from 15
October.
The head of Baku’s metro railway system, Tagi Ahmedov, said on 21 April
that the quarterly newspaper distribution agreements with the firms
Said and Mars-3 would only be renewed if they stopped handling
opposition papers such as Azadliq, Yeni Musavat, Khurriyet and
Milliyet. He said they printed inaccurate news about President Aliev’s
health. The firms refused to comply and in mid-May, distribution
resumed as normal.
The prosecutor-general’s office accused opposition papers Yeni Musavat,
Khurriyet, Azadliq and Milliyet on 6 May of breaking the media laws by
printing reports about President Aliev that violated journalistic
ethics.
The president’s brother Jalal told parliament on 13 May, after stories
appeared about the president’s health, that journalists who criticised
the head of state should be stripped of their accreditation to cover
parlialment.
At least 25 newspaper street-vendors were arrested in Baku on 16 and 17
May and thousands of copies of Azadliq, Yeni Musavat, Milliyet and
Monitor seized on the orders of city police chief Maharram Aliev.
A Baku court sentenced Yashar Agazade (reporter) and Rovshan Kebirli
(publisher) of the weekly Mukhalifat to five months in prison on 21 May
for libelling President Aliev’s brother Jalal in a 14 April article
saying he headed a gang that monopolised the country’s grain market.
They were both pardoned immediately.
Columnist Rauf Mirkadyrov, of the Russian-language daily Zerkalo, was
fined 82,500 manats (15 euros) on 7 July for being drunk and trying to
hit Baku mayor Hajikala Abutalibov. The journalist said he had simply
asked the mayor who was in charge of work done on a city building and
had then been set upon by police.
Justice minister Fikret Mamadov accused the media on 26 July of trying
to destabilise the country before the 15 October presidential election
and said he would act against those that defied the ban on undermining
the president’s “honour and dignity.” The warning was repeated the same
day by prosecutor-general Zakir Garalov. The day before, interior
minister Ramil Usubov had accused opposition media of printing
libellous and insulting material. A few days earlier, Yeni Musavat and
other opposition papers had written about the illness of the president,
who was hospitalised in Turkey on 8 July.
Elnur Sadigov, a correspondent for Azadliq, said on 27 August he had
been expelled from the state university in the northwestern town of
Ganja, where he was a student, because he had been detained for a week
in May for writing critical articles.
On the day of the 15 October presidential election, three journalists
were barred from polling stations – Firudin Guliyev (Garbin Sesi) by
police in Shemakha (120 km from Baku), Vidadi Bayramov (Khurriyet), who
was insulted in Salyan (140 km from Baku), and Abbasali Rustamli
(Azadliq) in Sabail (Baku).
The same day, seven journalists were insulted by polling officials.
They were Aslan Abdullayev (Molla Nasreddin), by the polling station
chief in Ujar (200 km from Baku) ; Matanat Alieva (Impuls), at station
22 in Nasimi (Baku) ; Eynulla Garayev (Fedai), in Ujar ; Medina Aliyev
(freelance), at station 38 in Baku ; Tahir Pasha (head of the
Association of Military Journalists) and Mubariz Jafarli and Mahir
Mamedli (both of Yeni Musavat), at station 15 in Sabail (Baku).
During the week after protest demonstrations on 15 and 16 October,
journalists from opposition papers Azadliq, Yeni Musavat, Khurriyet,
Baki Khaber and Yeni Zaman/Novoye Vremya were barred from parliament.
Tens of thousands of copies of Yeni Musavat, Azadliq, Khurriyet and
Baki Khaber were seized from newsstands in Baku and in the provinces on
17 and 18 October.
Two days after the election, on 17 October, the state printers refused
to print Azadliq, Yeni Musavat, Baki Khaber, Khurriyet and Yeni
Zaman/Novoye Vremya. Yeni Musavat business manager Azer Ahyan said the
firm said its workers had refused to handle the papers because they
were pro-opposition and that anyway the newspapers owed too much money.
However, the firm continued to print other (pro-government) papers also
in debt to the firm.
The five opposition papers failed to appear between 14 and 20 November
when Chap Evi, the only privately-owned printers that agreed to print
them, ran out of paper. The editors accused the authorities of creating
an artificial newsprint shortage by doubling the price of it.
Tax inspectors turned up unannounced at the offices of Milliyet on 22
October and seized four computers, as well as photos and
tape-recordings. They filmed the premises and said they were looking
for firearms. The computers were returned two days later.
Member of parliament Omaliya Panakhova told a press conference on 27
October that journalists who criticised the government “should be
killed.”
A close aide of the prosecutor-general warned Turan editor Mehman Aliev
on 28 October for reporting that elections board members who refused to
sign false voting tallies had come under official pressure.

Reporters Without Borders defends imprisoned journalists and press
freedom throughout the world, as well as the right to inform the public
and to be informed, in accordance with Article 19 of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights. Reporters Without Borders has nine
national sections (in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Spain,
Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom), representatives in
Abidjan, Bangkok, Istanbul, Montreal, Moscow, New York, Tokyo and
Washington and more than a hundred correspondents worldwide.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress