Author: Nahapetian Boris

POLICE DEPARTMENT DEATH: SENIOR OFFICER CHARGED WITH NEGLIGENCE
Gayane Abrahamyan

ArmeniaNow reporter
30.04.10 | 14:35

Suicide or murder?: Death controversy in the police department

A top-ranking police investigator has been charged in connection with
the suspicious and controversial death of suspect Vahan Khalafyan
who died in police custody in Charentsavan April 13.

According to Special Investigation Services, Ashot Harutyunyan, Head
of the Criminal Investigative Department of Charentsavan (about 40
kilometers north of Yerevan), is guilty of negligence in his role in
the 24-year-old’s death – a charge that could result in 6-10 years
imprisonment.

The investigation says Harutyunyan "applied violence, leading to
serious consequence". It also charges that Harutyunyan coerced
Khalafyan into confessing to theft.

Until now, police have maintained that Khalafyan killed himself with
a kitchen knife – stabbing himself twice in the abdomen while being
interrogated.

State Chief of Police Alik Sargsyan initially stated that Khalafyan
was questioned calmly, and that no violence was committed against him.

"No one laid a finger on him," Sargsyan assured.

Harutyunyan was detained according to violation of Criminal Code
engaging in "actions willfully committed by an official which obviously
exceeded his authorities, which negligently caused grave consequences
. . ."

The State Special Investigation Service also revealed that "several
employees of the police department witnessed violence committed
against Khalafyan."

In early this week, the International Federation of Human Rights
(FIDH), and Human Rights Watch international organization made a
statement on the case and Ombudsman of Armenia Armen Harutyunyan
appealed to investigate the case properly.

"This is not the first case when people go to the Police Department
and are taken out dead. . . . Some measure should be finally taken,"
the Ombudsman says.

ARMENIAN POLICE IN RARE APOLOGY OVER TORTURE
Ruzanna Stepanian

/2029367.html
30.04.2010

Armenia — National police chief Alik Sargsian, undated.

In an unprecedented public apology, the chief of Armenia’s police
service admitted on Friday misleading the nation about the recent
scandalous death of a young man in police custody.

Alik Sargsian said he was "deceived" by his subordinates into thinking
that Vahan Khalafian was not ill-treated at the police station of
Charentsavan, a small town in central Armenia.

"I am going to punish all of my employees who gave me incorrect
information and thereby put me in an awkward situation," he said
in a written statement sent to RFE/RL’s Armenian service through
a spokesman.

The extraordinary statement came the day after Ashot Harutiunian, a
senior officer at the Charentsavan police arrested earlier this week,
was formally charged with torturing Khalafian to extract a confession
about a theft committed in the town. Armenia’s Special Investigative
Service (SIS) said the charge is based on testimony given by other
local police officers.

The police categorically denied mistreating Khalafian until then. "I
want to make clear that there was no torture," Sargsian insisted on
April 20.

The police chief, whom President Serzh Sarkisian promoted to the
rank of lieutenant-general shortly after the April 13 incident, said
Friday he based those claims on assurances given to him by the police
department of the Kotayk region, which encompasses Charentsavan.

"I am saying beforehand that I am not going to defend anyone and that
all the guilty will be punished," said Sargsian. "I never encouraged
beatings, there are more proper ways of doing the job."

"Let those people whom I misinformed with my statements forgive me,"
he added. "As for those who deceived me, they will be punished with
all the strictness of the law. I am not going to forgive anyone."

Still, Sargsian at the same time stuck to police claims that Khalafian
grabbed a knife from a police officer’s drawer and stabbed himself
to death after the interrogation. "I continue to insist that it was
a suicide," he said.

Whether or not the SIS agrees with this claim is not yet clear. The
law-enforcement body subordinated to state prosecutors said on Thursday
that will draw a final conclusion about what caused Khalafian’s death
only after the ongoing forensic examinations of his body are over.

The dead man’s relatives insist that the 24-year-old was tortured
to death — a claim that was echoed on Friday by Artur Sakunts, a
human rights campaigner closely monitoring the case. He also backed
the Khalafian family’s claim that forensic medics found at least two
stab wounds on his stomach.

"How could a tortured and beaten young man quickly find a knife in
a room totally unfamiliar to him?" Sakunts told RFE/RL’s Armenian
service. "How did he know where it was kept? Or did they put the
knife on a table and tell him to kill himself? … So I believe what
happened was a murder."

While welcoming the police apology, Sakunts said Sargsian should have
gone further and stepped down. "This is not an ordinary incident,"
he argued. "A person died in police custody. In normal countries,
the police chief at least resigns in such circumstances. Not to
mention bearing personal responsibility for his subordinates’ abuses."

"A mere apology can not change the situation," he added.

PROTOCOLS REMAIN ON AGENDA OF TURKISH NSC

news.am
April 30 2010
Armenia

At the April 29 sitting, Turkish National Security Council (MGK)
discussed the events of 1915 and prospects of Armenia-Turkey
Protocols. Turkish President Abdullah Gul, Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip Erdogan, Chief of Turkish General Staff Ilker Basbug and other
officials attended the 6.5 hour sitting.

The possible cooperation of Turkey, Iraq and U.S. in fighting against
terrorism (against Kurdish PKK), the last presidential elections in
Turkish part of Cyprus, the establishment of peace and stability in
South Caucasus and draft resolutions on the recognition of Armenian
Genocide by different countries, as well as further activities in this
direction were in focus, a statement released after the sitting says.

According to the statement, the study of Armenian and Turkish joint
history should be unbiased and have scientific basis.

After the sitting Turkish Deputy Premier Cemil Cicek said the Protocols
continue to remain on the agenda.

BRITISH EXPERT: ANOTHER WAR BETWEEN ARMENIA AND AZERBAIJAN IS GOING TO BE A MUCH MORE DESTRUCTIVE AND CRUEL WAR THAN WE HAVE EVER SEEN IN THE CAUCASUS

ArmInfo
2010-04-30 13:41:00

ArmInfo. "It is very unfortunate that officials on both sides keep
making harsh warlike statements at a time when we know that the
Presidents are engaged in very delicate discussions on the possible
peaceful settlement of the conflict", Executive Director of LINKS
NGO Dennis Sammut said in an interview with ArmInfo.

Commenting on the statement by Azerbaijan’s Defense Minister Safar
Abiyev at the recent meetings with the representatives of NATO PA
delegation saying that "Azerbaijan could hit all areas in Nagorno
Karabakh and in Armenia proper ", the British expert said that
"there is one aspect of General Abiyev’s statement that I find very
important". "Abiyev reminds us that if there was ever to be another
war between Armenia and Azerbaijan this is going to be a much more
destructive and cruel war than we have ever seen in the Caucasus",
Sammut said. He added that "both countries have modern sophisticated
weaponry and every part of the territory of the two countries will
be effected".

ABKHAZIA WILL NOT LET IN ANY INTERNATIONAL OBSERVERS – BAGAPSH

ARMENPRESS
APRIL 30, 2010
SUKHUM

SUKHUM, APRIL 29, ARMENPRESS: Abkhazia will not let in any
international observers, the republic’s president, Sergei Bagapsh,
told the media on Thursday.

"We have no intention of letting in any international observers,"
he said. "Military observers must stay there where the threat of an
armed conflict comes from. As the experience of the past twenty years
has shown, it is the territory of Georgia."

At the same time Bagapsh said that the republic was prepared for a
dialogue with "all who wish to talk to it." He explained that if some
party displayed such a wish, contacts might be established through
international mediators.

"We do not shirk a dialogue," Bagapsh said.

SERZH SARGSYAN TO ATTEND JIANGXI -NAIRIT JOINT ARMENIAN-CHINESE ENTERPRISE LAUNCH CEREMONY

PanARMENIAN.Net
April 29, 2010 – 10:49 AMT 05:49 GMT

On the invitation of Chinese President Hu Jintao, Armenian President
Serzh Sargsyan left for China to participate in Expo 2010 Shanghai
opening ceremony.

During his visit, RA leader will be accompanied by Foreign Minister
Edward Nalbandian, Economy Minister Nerses Yeritsyan, Energy and
Natural Resources Minister Armen Movsesyan.

President-led delegation will visit a town in China’s Jiangxi Province
to attend Jiangxi -Nairit joint Armenian-Chinese chloroprene rubber
manufacturing enterprise launch ceremony.

ANKARA ESPERE QUE LA KNESSET NE SE PRONONCERA PAS SUR LE GENOCIDE ARMENIEN
Stephane

armenews
30 avril 2010
TURQUIE

Le ministère turc des Affaires etrangères a souhaite jeudi que le
projet d’un parti israelien de faire reconnaître le genocide des
Armeniens sous l’Empire ottoman soit voue a l’echec.

Le ministère des Affaires Etrangères Turc estime que la decision
du Parlement israelien de mettre a l’ordre du jour de ses debat les
"allegations armeniennes" quant aux evenements de 1915, subirait le
meme destin que les precedentes tentatives en ce sens.

Le porte-parole du Ministère des Affaires Etrangères Burak Ozugurgun a
fait cette declaration relative a la decision de la Knesset d’accepter
la proposition du chef du parti Meretz Haim Oron de faire reconnaître
le genocide des Armeniens lors de sa conference de presse hebdomadaire.

Burak Ozugurgun faisant reference aux propositions semblables qui ont
ete discutees a la Knesset dans le passe a declare : "Nous attendons
que cette tentative echoue comme les autres dans le passe."

"Et pas seulement au Parlement israelien. Les positions de la Turquie
quant au jugement de l’histoire par des parlementaires, en general,
sont bien connus. Il est preferable de laisser l’interpretation de
l’histoire aux historiens".

Le porte-parole a egalement informe que le Sous-secretaire du
Ministère des Affaires Etrangères Feridun Sinirlioglu se rendrait
bientôt en Israël pour des consultations regulières ajoutant que
le processus de paix au Moyen-Orient aussi bien que le cours des
relations turco-israeliennes serait discute.

Concernant le Karabagh Burak Ozugurgun a declare " des journaux
armeniens pensent que la Turquie ne doit pas prendre part a la question
du Karabakh parce quelle a choisi la voie de la normalisation des
relations avec l’Armenie et a signe des protocoles. Il est impossible
de comprendre cette logique parce qu’il est très etrange de s’attendre
a ce que nous ne pretions pas attention au problèmes de la region,
en dehors de la normalisation des relations avec l’Armenie, au motif
que nous avons signe les protocoles".

"Deux fois deux egale quatre en mathematique mais cela peut faire
5 ou 6 dans les relations internationales. Le processus de paix au
Caucase est ainsi. Si les relations entre l’Azerbaïdjan et l’Armenie
sont normalisees, nous normaliserons nos relations avec l’Armenie
et la synergie cree sera plus grande. Nous avons l’intention de la
realiser ".

Le chef du parti israelien Meretz (gauche), Haïm Oron, a reussi
mercredi a promouvoir une motion a la Knesset (Parlement) reconnaissant
le genocide des Armeniens par les Turcs.

"Independamment de nos relations avec la Turquie, je pense qu’il est
important pour les Armeniens que leur genocide par les Turcs soit
reconnu", a declare Oron a la radio militaire israelienne.

"Quand nous aidons la Turquie a nier ce genocide, nous portons aussi
atteinte au souvenir de la Shoah, et c’est inadmissible", selon ces
propres termes.

En mars 2007, la Knesset avait rejete une motion reconnaissant
implicitement la realite d’un genocide des Armeniens par les Turcs.

La Turquie, a longtemps fait figure de principal allie regional
d’"Israël", après la signature en 1996 d’un accord de cooperation
militaire. Mais leurs relations se sont nettement degradees après la
guerre israelienne contre Gaza fin 2008/debut 2009.

ARMENIA-TURKEY RELATIONS DISTORTED DUE TO DOMESTIC POLICY

news.am
April 29 2010
Armenia

Armenia-Turkey relations are the result of distorted Armenian political
vision, as well as idealistic approaches of the western civilization,
ARF Dashnaktsutyun member Ara Nranyan said at the April 29 press
conference.

Though the authorities assure certain concessions might be made for
the Armenian nation’s welfare, they fail to take into account one
thing, he stated. "Turkey and Azerbaijan dispute Armenian peoples’
right to live in their motherland. Under these circumstances, seeking
to establish cooperation with Turkey means to assume the situation
full of grave consequences," Nranyan assured.

Stressing that authorities also realize the risks the Protocols might
entail, he stated that they should immediately deny the documents.

"The Protocols should be rejected, and our generation be purged from
this scourge," Nranyan noted adding that otherwise we will have to
start everything anew.

"Armenia-Turkey normalization process proved U.S. is not as powerful to
turn a trick by exerting pressure on Turkey," the politician concluded.

FOUR ORGANIZATIONS AGREE TO WORK OUT A COMMON POSITION ON ARMENIAN-TURKISH RELATIONS
Karen Ghazaryan

"Radiolur"
28.04.2010 13:27

Attaching importance to the future of the Armenian-Turkish relations
and with a wish to make their contribution to those important processes
in the current crucial stage, four Armenian civil society organizations
signed a joint memorandum today.

The four non-governmental organizations – the Eurasia Partnership
Foundation, the Yerevan Press Club, the International Center for
Human Development and the Union of Manufacturers and Businessmen of
Armenia – have decided to work out a common approach to the further
development of the Armenian-Turkish relations and coordinate their
actions in the sphere.

Heads of the four organizations say the merger is exceptionally a civil
initiative, not political. The informed also that they are free to
cooperate with other organizations for the sake of a common objective.

ARMENIAN FM: "THE CORRECT PATHS DO NOT TAKE TO A DEADLOCK"

Aysor
April 27 2010
Armenia

"The normalization process of the Armenian – Turkish relations was
in a deadlock and by the initiation of the President of the Armenian
Republic Serzh Sargsyan it came out from the impasse. We passed a
way of normalizing relations without preconditions, and both in our
opinion and the opinion of the international community this was the
only correct path. And the correct paths do not lead to deadlocks,
" the Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian explained during
the interview on "Real Policy" program by the Public TV.

Commenting on the idea expressed by the RA President in his address
which said that "…we shall consider moving forward when we are
convinced that there is a proper environment in Turkey and there is
leadership in Ankara ready to reengage in the normalization process"
the RA FM answered that the elections are the inner problem of Turkey.

"We have already told that we will be ready to move forward if we see
partners in Turkey again, who will be ready to move forward without
preconditions, to normalize the relations, realize the obtained
agreements,"Edward Nalbandian said and added, "The last period was
like turning the sand watch and with every grain of sand both we and
the international community was losing its belief and trust towards
Turkey. If Turkey shows trustful behavior, trustful words then we
will undertake corresponding steps."