Armenian human rights activist: Defective practice of beating being revived in Armenia

News.am, Armenia

20:05, 24.05.2020

Human rights activist Ruben Melikyan posted the following on his Facebook page:

“In relation to the prima facie torture of the person being kept at the police station in Kajaran, a criminal case should be immediately instituted as an absolutely necessary (but not satisfactory) response of the State, and there shouldn’t just be an official investigation or preparation of a report.

Years ago, the longstanding efforts of the active citizens of Armenia helped fundamentally do away with the defective practice of beating by police officers, and now, that defective practice is being revived in front of our eyes, and the ruling political party is fully responsible for this. We’re not going to allow this.”

Armenia attorney: If it weren’t for police, I would probably be behind bars now

News.am, Armenia
Armenia attorney: If it weren't for police, I would probably be behind bars now Armenia attorney: If it weren't for police, I would probably be behind bars now

13:12, 23.05.2020
                  

YEREVAN. – My family is being harassed for the past two day. At first glance, it seemed like the matter was domestic, but in reality it turned out not to be so. Lawyer Tigran Atanesyan said this Saturday, referring to the attack on his house.

“Right next to my house is the old movie theater of Kanaker; it is currently a recording studio. There is a small playground there, my children always go and play [there]. However, the owner's son, who is 40 years old, demands, says that my children no longer have the right to play there," he said.

According to Atanesyan, he has no relations with that person, and there are bars separating his house and that institution. "On the second day, they decide to completely block those bars, my wife calls, I say, 'Let them block, don't pay attention.' Meanwhile, seeing that we are not giving in to provocation, they start cursing—with the worst sexual insults—at my 7-year-old son, who is looking, from the first-floor window, what they are doing (…): They want to hit my window, my wife runs out, for 5-6 minutes they make the most insidious curses at my wife; my children, everyone locks themselves in the house,” he said.

According to Atanesyan, they attacked his house, said they would demolish the house and again mentioned that he was a lawyer. "My wife calls me, I rush home, I realize it's a provocation. There is no excuse for attacking the house, even if those people had a problem with me; but I again say that there is no problem. I called the police, and they reached our house almost at the same time as me, the incident now continued with me. They attack me, and if it weren't for the police, I would probably be behind bars today because I didn't know how all that would have ended after the swearing. One [of them] is a well-known drug dealer, and the others were nothing—like him,” he said.

The lawyer noted that this incident was related to his professional activities, and also said that he had applied to a security service to provide round-the-clock security around his house.

"But if someone tries to frighten me with this, he is sorely mistaken. I will fight against this disgrace with double the energy," he said.

To note, the press reported on Friday that Tigran Atanesyan's house was attacked, and insulting remarks were made against his family, and they had attempted to injure his 7-year-old son.

USAID adds $11.5 million in assistance funding to Armenia

News.am, Armenia

17:32, 16.05.2020
                  

Covid-19: Armenia reports 189 new cases (total 4,472) , 134 recoveries

Public Radio of Armenia

Armenian ruling party’s faction head on Sasun Mikayelyan’s speech

News.am, Armenia
Armenian ruling party's faction head on Sasun Mikayelyan's speech Armenian ruling party's faction head on Sasun Mikayelyan's speech

15:29, 12.05.2020

The speech that Sasun Mikayelyan’s gave from the podium of the National Assembly yesterday was rather clear. He reminded us all of what had happened in the past. I didn’t view his speech as a threat when he said nothing good will await the brother of deputy Edmon Marukyan, if he doesen't apologize. This is what head of the My Step faction of the National Assembly of Armenia Lilit Makunts told reporters today.

“Based on my understanding, failure by Marukyan’s brother to apologize to Mr. Marukyan will have a negative impact on Mr. Mikayelyan’s reputation and the reputation of the Bright Armenia Party,” Makunts said.

In his speech yesterday, deputy of the My Step faction Sasun Mikayelyan touched upon Edmon Marukyan’s brother’s post on a social network in which he had used swear words. “I won’t oppose you with the words you used, young man, your mother is sacred for me, but if you don’t apologize for your statement, you know who I am, nothing good awaits you. I recommend that you get up and apologize to my parent.”

Tbilisi: Former Armenian PM: I wish Gakharia could teach us how to battle Covid-19

Georgia Today
May 6 2020

"The situation is harsh in Armenia regarding the coronavirus," said former Armenian PM Hrant Bagratyan on a television news show 'Pressing'.   

Bagratyan reminded the audience that a state of emergency had been declared in Armenia in mid-March.

“At that time, we had 18 infected patients, today we have about 2619, which means that the number has increased almost 146 times. In 50 days, the number of patients increased 146 times. As of March 15, there were 156,000 infected worldwide, 3.5 million today. On March 15, there were 2 cases per 100,000 people, 0.4 in Armenia. Today, there are 46 infected per 100,000 people in the world, 91 in Armenia. We are doing better than the rest of the world,” he claimed.

The former PM also stated that: “On March 15, Georgia had 35 infected patients, Armenia had 18. Today Georgia is doing 7 times better than us.”

“Today, I wish Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia to come to Armenia for two weeks and hold executive power and show us how to deal with the pandemic,” he added. 

By Beka Aleksishvili

Foreign ministers of Belarus, Armenia discuss cooperation in international organizations

BelTA, Belarus
May 6 2020

MINSK, 6 May (BelTA) – Belarusian Minister of Foreign Affairs Vladimir Makei has talked to Armenian Minister of Foreign Affairs Zohrab Mnatsakanyan over the phone. The sides discussed a broad range of matters of bilateral cooperation, including interaction within the framework of international organizations and integration bodies, the press service of the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs told BelTA.

Vladimir Makei and Zohrab Mnatsakanyan praised tight and prompt cooperation between Belarus and Armenia in the course of assisting citizens with returning to their home countries amid a complicated humanitarian situation resulting from closed borders. Vladimir Makei and Zohrab Mnatsakanyan also sketched out further steps designed to step up interaction between the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Armenian one.


Court ruled on arrest of Serzh Sargsyan`s son-in-law

Arminfo, Armenia
May 6 2020

ArmInfo. On May 6, the court of general jurisdiction of Yerevan issued a decision to use the arrest as a measure of restraint in respect of former Ambassador of Armenia to the Vatican, Mikael Minasyan. Thus, the application of the preliminary investigation body was granted. To recall, the son-in-law of former President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan, Mikael Minasyan, was prosecuted as a defendant in a criminal case on illicit enrichment, money laundering and the inclusion of false data in the income statement. There is no exact information regarding his current location; Minasyan himself previously via Facebook reported the initiation of more than 10 criminal cases against people related to him and his family. Last fall, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan called on Minasyan to return to his homeland and answer questions from the Special Investigation Service. In particular, it was about illegal, as the prime minister noted, privatization of a strategic facility in the Lori region.  According to media reports, this facility  is the Dzoraget hydroelectric power station (<Dzora hydroelectric station>). In the criminal case regarding the "Dzora HPP", the former head of the RA Ministry of Defense Seyran Ohanyan is also accused, who is suspected of embezzlement in the amount of 1,046,400,000 drams. Earlier on her Facebook page, Prime Minister's press secretary Mane Gevorgyan stated that Minasyan had illegal shares in Spayka, Shant and Armenia TV companies, Yerevan Mall shopping center, Zangezur Copper-Molybdenum Plant, and a number of other companies. According to her, a large part of his share was hastily sold after the "velvet revolution", and, for example, the former director of the National Security Council, Arthur Vanetsyan, acquired a stake in ZCMC, with a clear abuse of power and through dummy shareholders. Gevorgyan also indicated that Vanetsyan's father owns a company that has become a major cargo carrier of ZCMC. According to her, the Government also has information that Minasyan has a share of corruption in UCOM, and he is the de jure owner of part of the shares of the family of the former head of the SRC Gagik Khachatryan.   

Tehran: Growth in Q1 Trade With Armenia

Financial Tribune, Iran
May 9 2020

Growth in Q1 Trade With Armenia

I ran-Armenia trade grew by 3.44% to hit $74.6 million during the first quarter of 2020 compared with the corresponding period of 2019. 

Imports from the neighboring country increased 104% to reach $19.1 million. However, Iran’s exports to Armenia stood at $55.5 million during the period, indicating an 11.5% decline compared with the same period of 2019, ILNA reported. 

With the closure of border crossings to prevent the spread of coronavirus, Iran’s April exports to Armenia fell by 59% compared with February and 63% compared with April 2019 to reach $10.2 million. 

Imports from Armenia stood at $5.8 million in April. 

Iran-Armenia trade is currently underway via Nurduz border in East Azarbaijan Province, according to Spokesman of the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration Rouhollah Latifi.

Armenian banks grant loan holidays to more than 472,000 individuals and 15,000 businesses

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 11:41, 6 May, 2020

YEREVAN, MAY 6, ARMENPRESS. Since the initiation of the coronavirus-related state of emergency Armenian banks and credit organizations have provided loan repayment holidays to 472,000 individuals and 15,000 businesses, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan told lawmakers in parliament during the presentation of the government action plan’s performance.

Pashinyan emphasized that the banks have done so independently.

He reminded that when the crisis began there was much talk about the potential possibility of the government obliging the banking system to grant the loan holidays. “But I have expressed my principled stance, that we can’t resort to such solutions through administrative decisions, because this would lead to a significant disruption of our financial system. And we, without any administrative lever, have always maintained contact with the central bank, which also ensured communication with commercial banks. And I am happy to note that as of May 5 the crediting organizations and banks have granted loan holidays to more than 472 thousand natural persons and 15 thousand legal persons,” Pashinyan said.

768,150 loans of individuals and 16,875 loans of businesses have been restructured, he added.

Reporting by Anna Grigoryan; Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan