Author: Meline Chalian

ECHR grants Armenia’s another request for interim measure against Azerbaijan

Meline Chalian
Panorama, Armenia

Jan 5 2021

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) on Monday granted Armenia’s another request concerning prisoners of war (POWs) and captured civilians, applying an interim measure against Azerbaijan and demanding that Azerbaijan provide information on them within the set timeframes, the Office of the Representative of Armenia before the ECHR reported.

"At the same time, taking into account the openly contemptuous attitude of the Azerbaijani authorities towards legal proceedings, especially the decisions of the European Court, as well as the repeated violations of the deadlines set in the court decisions and the recent statements of the Azerbaijani president, Armenia applied to the European Court on January 3 and 5, demanding that the issue of Azerbaijani violations be referred to the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on the basis of Article 39 § 2 of the Rules of Court.

"Taking into account the importance of the processes concerning POWs and captives and the sensitivity of the issue, we once again urge you to refrain from publishing the names of those persons or other personal data on social media," the office said.


France ready to support efforts on releasing POWs, assisting Armenia’s economic development

Meline Chalian

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 13:45, 7 January, 2021

YEREVAN, JANUARY 7, ARMENPRESS. France supports searching for ways for the long-term political settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, the Élysée Palace reports citing the telephone conversation held between French President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan.

“The head of state held a telephone conversation with the Prime Minister of Armenia. Macron expressed his determination to achieve long-term political solution (on the Karabakh conflict) following the October 9 agreement on ceasefire”, the Élysée Palace official reports, adding that the President expressed the readiness of France to support the efforts on releasing the prisoners of war, as well as on the economic development of Armenia.

Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan had a telephone conversation with President of the French Republic Emmanuel Macron on January 6.

The parties discussed the humanitarian situation in Nagorno Karabakh following the aggression unleashed by Azerbaijan and the ways of overcoming the challenges. The Premier thanked the French President for his thoughtfulness and support provided during these challenging times for the Armenian people.




Mayor: Azerbaijanis placed their flag near Armenia’s Kapan airport

Meline Chalian
News.am, Armenia
Jan 7 2021
 
 
19:46, 07.01.2021
 
The Azerbaijanis have placed their flag near the airport of Kapan, Armenia, on Wednesday; this information was reported to Armenian News-NEWS.am by Kapan Mayor Gevorg Parsyan.
According to the mayor, the Azerbaijanis have positioned themselves near the Kapan airport. "Currently, the airport is under the surveillance of the Azerbaijanis," he added.
Parsyan noted that during this period no unusual incident was recorded in connection with Kapan.
 
To note, on December 18, and by the order of the Ministry of Defense of Armenia, the Armenian army units retreated from their positions at the Goris and Kapan cities of Syunik Province. As a result, the issue of safety of a number of Armenian villages has arisen.
 
On Tuesday, 12 houses in Shurnukh village came under Azerbaijani control.
 
 
 
 

Lavrov comments on post-armistice Azeri attack on two villages in Artsakh

Meline Chalian

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 12:41,

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 30, ARMENPRESS. Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov has commented on the post-armistice incident which happened in Nagorno Karabakh, when on December 13 the Azerbaijani military violated the ceasefire and attacked two villages – Hin Tagher and Khtsaberd, in the Republic of Artsakh.  

In an interview to TASS, Lavrov said the incident had taken place in a location where at that time Russian peacekeepers were not deployed.

“There haven’t been any provocative actions against Russian peacekeepers so far,” Lavrov said.

“The only noticeable violation in the line of contact on December 13 took place in a location where there are no Russian peacekeepers. The steps initiated by the command of our peacekeeping contingent in contacts with our Azerbaijani and Armenian colleagues allowed us to avoid an escalation of the incident. We will further continue making all efforts to not allow ceasefire violations.”

Lavrov added that the situation in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict zone has a tendency of resolution.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

Sputnik V: No unexpected reactions among vaccinated persons in Armenia

Meline Chalian

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 13:21,

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 30, ARMENPRESS. All persons in Armenia who received the Russian Sputnik V vaccine are feeling well and did not experience any unexpected reactions to the vaccine, the Armenian Ministry of Healthcare announced.

The Sputnik V samples were donated to Armenia by the Russian government in late November.

The first to get the shot were the executives of the Armenian healthcare ministry, with Minister of Healthcare Arsen Torosyan being the very first in order to “raise trust among the population and avoid potential manipulations” since the vaccine wasn’t yet registered at that time, despite having passed all safety requirements during clinical trials.

“It is noteworthy that no unexpected post-vaccination occurrence was recorded among those who were vaccinated, and everyone is feeling well.”

The Armenian Ministry of Healthcare expressed deep gratitude to the Russian Federation for the mutually beneficial cooperation in combating infectious diseases, including COVID-19 and said it is expecting that the process will be continuous for the benefit of ensuring public health in the two countries.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

​Nikol Pashinyan: There is currently a dispute over 20 plots of lands

Meline Chalian
News.am, Armenia
Dec 27 2020
 
 
Nikol Pashinyan: There is currently a dispute over 20 plots of lands
23:26, 27.12.2020
 
 
Today, there is a dispute over nearly 20 plots of lands. This is what Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan said in an interview with Armenian Public Television today.
 
Pashinyan stressed that the actions that took place these days have helped prevent a war in Syunik Province. “Moreover, today, the territory of Armenia is distributed in such a way that in case of an assault against Syunik Province, the Armed Forces of both Armenia and Russia will interfere. This doesn’t mean that there can’t be disputes over 1 or 2 or 12 homes. Today, there is a dispute over 20 plots of lands,” he said.
 
Pashinyan added that there is also a dispute over roads. “However, Armenia says there has to be a guarantee that the roads will operate. There are various options to stop the dispute. The fact remains that the territory of Armenia has been and remains intact.”
 
 
 

Mayor of Armenia’s Goris Arush Arushanyan at Investigative Committee, human rights activists

Meline Chalian
News.am, Armenia
Dec 21 2020
 
 
 
Mayor of Armenia's Goris Arush Arushanyan at Investigative Committee, human rights activists standing outside
16:11, 21.12.2020
 
A little while ago, Arush Arushanyan, the mayor of the Armenian city of Goris, was brought to the main building of the Investigative Committee in Yerevan.
 
Earlier, we reported that the mayor of Goris was detained within the framework of a criminal case launched by the police, this criminal case was sent to the Investigative Committee of Armenia, but the Committee informed that they had not received this criminal case yet, and therefore they cannot provide details on which Criminal Code article this criminal case was launched under and on Arushanyan's status of detention.
 
To note, Arush Arushanyan had announced Sunday that they will be at the gates of Goris Monday morning and will not allow Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to enter Syunik Province, after which Arushanyan was detained.
 
 
 
 

Top Armenian, Russian diplomats discuss Nagorno-Karabakh settlement process

Meline Chalian
Public Radio of Armenia
Dec 26 2020

Armenian Foreign Minister Ara Ayvazyan and his Russian counterpart have discussed over the phone the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement process and the implementation of the trilateral statement on Nagorno-Karabakh.

The parties continued to exchange views on current bilateral, regional and international issues. Particular attention was paid to the discussion of the Nagorno-Karabakh issue in light of the implementation of the provisions of the statement signed by the leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia on November 9.


Film: Armenia Submits Historical Drama ‘Songs Of Solomon’ For International Oscar Race

Meline Chalian
Deadline
Dec 15 2020
    Alexandra Del Rosario
    December 15, 2020 8:32PM PST


Armenia has selected Arman Nshanian’s historial drama Songs of Solomon as its official submission for the 93rd Academy Awards’ International Feature Film category.

Written by Audrey Gevorkian, Nshanian’s first feature highlights the life and impact of composer Archbishop Solomon, also now known as Komitas. The film will also follow a childhood friendship torn apart by the Hamidian massacres infiltrated by the Ottoman Empire. Songs of Solomon centers a brave Turkish woman as she risks her own life and family to save her best friend targeted for her religious beliefs. Songs of Solomon spans from 1881 to 1915 and takes inspiration from Sirvart Kavoukjian’s The Past Unsung.

Songs of Solomon features Samvel Tadevossian, Arevik Gevorgyan, Tatev Hovakimyan, Sos Janibekyan, Arman Nshanian, Artashes Aleksanyan and Jean-Pier Nshanian. Slava Seyranyan, Iren Ayvazyan and Mery Hovsepyan also appear in the film.

The feature, which premiered on Nov. 26 in Armenia, is produced by Nick Vallelonga of Vallelonga Productions and Asko Akopyan of Oscar Gold Productions. Nshanian produces under his People of Ar Production Company in association with AnEva Productions in Armenia. Karo Kavoukjian serves as executive producer.

Nshanian’s film, set to make its U.S. debut in 2021, centers the Armenian Genocide of the early 20th century as conflicts between Nagorno-Karabakh and Azermaijan continue to play out in modern day.


Artsakh denies fake Azerbaijani news of taking 62 Armenian soldiers hostage

Meline Chalian

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 18:48,

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 18, ARMENPRESS. The Defense Army of Artsakh denies the fake publications of Azerbaijan about taking hostage 62 Armenian servicemen. ARMENPRESS reports the statement issued by the Defense Army notes that a footage is being spread on the internet saying that 62 Armenian servicemen have been taken hostage by the Azerbaijani army.  

The Defense Army of Artsakh informs that in the recent days no incident of taking hostage of Armenian servicemen by Azerbaijani troops has been recorded in the zone of the Defense Army responsibility and the mentioned information does not correspond to the reality.

The Defense Army also calls on the domestic news outlets not to spread false Azerbaijani publications that are aimed at influencing on the public moods.