The United States issued its 2009 “Country Reports on Human Rights Practices” on March 11. According to U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, “The reports released today are a record of where we are. They provide a fact base that will inform the United States’ diplomatic, economic and strategic policies toward other countries in the coming year.” Here are some excerpts from the Armenia report.

Freedom of Speech and Press

The constitution provides for freedom of speech and freedom of the press; however, the government did not always respect these rights in practice. There continued to be incidents of violence, intimidation, and self-censorship against and in the press throughout the year. »»»»»

“For 95 years Turkey has been denying the fact of the 1915 Genocide”

Below is the text of an interview given by RoA President Serzh Sargsyan to the newspaper Le Figaro during his recent trip to France. It is taken from the official website of the RoA Presidency.

Why has the Armenian-Turkish process of normalization entered a deadlock?

We have a history of thorny relations. For ninety-five years Turkey has been denying the fact of the Genocide perpetrated against the Armenians in the Ottoman Empire in 1915. When I invited the President of Turkey to Armenia to watch the football game between our two national teams, my point was to promote the establishment of relations between our countries without preconditions. »»»»»

Earlier today, the RoA Ambassador to Russia, Oleg Yesayan, met with His Holiness Kirill I, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia and finalized arrangements for the visit of His Holiness Kirill to Armenia at the invitation of His Holiness Karekin II.

His Holiness Kirill I is scheduled to visit Armenia from Marc 16-18.

Attorney Hayk Alumyan has told Hetq that on March 23, the RoA Administrative Court will review the suit drafted by a group of environmental organizations seeking to halt mining in the Teghut forest.

The court had refused to hear the suit, arguing the plaintiffs were professionally not suitable to argue the merits of the case. The court partially reversed its decision and has only allowed the group “EcoDar” to act as plaintiff.

A Polish delegation headed by the Prime Minister Donald Tusk, arrived in Armenia today on a one day official visit.

During the official reception at the Presidential Palace, RoA President Sargsyan noted that Armenian-Polish relations have great potential and that Armenia wishes to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the political, economic and cultural spheres. “There are two very important bases for it – the positive relations between our peoples and the Eastern Partnership Program co-authored by Poland,” President Sargsyan said. »»»»»

By a vote of 131 to 130 on Thursday evening, the Swedish Parliament has characterized the massacres of Armenians. Assyrians and Pontic Greeks by Ottoman Turkey as ‘genocide”

 As expected, Turkey condemned the decision of the Swedish Parliament. Turkey recalled its ambassador to Sweden for consultations and said Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has cancelled his planned visit to Sweden on March 17. »»»»»

On Wednesday, U.S. Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch bestowed the Women of Courage Award to Mariam Sukhudyan, a young Armenian human rights activist and a leader of SOS Teghut, an environmental defense organization.

“This award recognizes an Armenian woman who has demonstrated exceptional courage, innovation, and leadership in the pursuit of equality, opportunity, and justice,” Ambassador Yovanovitch declared at yesterday’s ceremony at the U.S. Embassy. »»»»»

His Holiness, Catholicos Aram I of the Great House of Cilicia, held a meeting today with members of the Armenian Genocide Commemoration central organizing committee, comprised of representatives of the three Armenian communities and political parties in Lebanon.

Catholicos Aram I specifically directed the members to underline the need for national unity in their activities to mark the 95th  anniversary of the 1915 Armenian Genocide, as well as Turkey’s continued policy of denial. His Holiness declared that international recognition of the events of 1915 as “genocide” is more vital than ever.

On March 23, the Administrative Court of the RoA will hold the first hearing of a suit brought by the group “EcoDar” regarding the Armenian government’s go-ahead to develop and operate a mine in Teghut.

The lawsuit seeks to overturn the government’s decision to allow the Armenian Copper Programme, a subsidiary of the Vallex Group, to operate a copper and molybdenum mine in the forested area of northern Armenia. »»»»»

The appeal hearing brought by Heritage Party MP Zaruhi Postanjyan, seeking to overturn a district investigator’s decision to drop slander charges against the newspaper “Azatamtutyun”, wrapped up today at the Kentron and Nork-Marash District Court.

MP Postanjyan is appealing the decision of Central District Investigator Ashot Mkhitaryan to drop slander charges against the newspaper. Investigator Mkhitaryan found that the newspaper’s reporters had merely presented their evaluation of MP Postanjyan’s professional activities and that they had no intention of defaming her. »»»»»

By Vadim Ryzov

Rebel Land: Unraveling The Riddle Of History In A Turkish Town originated from an error. In a 2001 New York Review Of Books piece about Turkey’s history, Christopher de Bellaigue stated in passing that the deaths of Armenians in Turkey during the 1890s and the infamous genocides of 1915 were aberrations rather than a calculated, coordinated, state-endorsed effort.

Many letters of outrage later, he realized he’d gotten his information “only from Turkish or pro-Turkish authors.” »»»»»

Kapan’s outlying neighborhood of Barabatum has gone without its own garbage dump for many years. Residents throw their trash out wherever they please, usually in nearby ravines or roadside gullies.

One of these convenient dumps is situated near the municipal cemetery. To read more in Armenian and see some truly disturbing photos go to Banali.hetq.am

During the first two months of 2010, officials with the Compulsory Enforcement Service of Court Decrees seized 1.554 billion AMD in cash as compared to the 375 million in took during the same period in 2009.

Officials say that the 400% rise is due to the number of writs being issued based on non-payment claims by banks and credit agencies. Collection rates have gone up as well, from 55% last year to 70% this year.

By Vartan Oskanian

YEREVAN – Will Turkey’s current turmoil between Prime Minister Recep Tayip Erdoğan and the country’s powerful army complicate and delay the country’s boldest initiatives in years – the moves to address decades-old tensions with both Armenians and Kurds? »»»»»

Those who opposed Genocide Bill must not be reelected,  says Harut Sassounian

It was bad enough that Pres. Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had failed to keep their campaign pledge to reaffirm the facts of the Armenian Genocide.

They sunk to a new low last week, when Mrs. Clinton announced that she and the President opposed adoption of the Armenian Genocide resolution by the full House, following its passage by the Foreign Affairs Committee. »»»»»

RoA President Serzh Sargsyan, on the first day of his official visit to France, toured a display of renowned French-Armenian artist Jean Jansem’s works at the Matignon Gallery, Paris.

Jean Jansem (Semerjian) was born in 1920 in Seuleuze (Asia Minor), spent his childhood his childhood in Salonika, Greece, and arrived in France at the age of 11 when he took up painting. »»»»»

Michael Vardanyan, Armenia’s newly appointed permanent representative to the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization presented his credentials to BSEC Secretary General Leonidas Chrisanthopoulos.

Mr. Vardanyan stressed the importance Armenia attached to participating in the activities of the BSEC. At the meeting urgent issues of cooperation and the future of the Armenia-BSEC partnership were covered.

Starting this year, the Armenia government will launch the “Yervan Mero rehabilitation Project”, to improve and reform public transport services in the capital of Armenia, with financing from The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

The financing agreement was signed today by RoA Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan and ERBD Yerevan Office Head, Valeriu Razlog. The total project cost is estimated to be up to EUR 16.63 million. On top of the Bank’s 5 million EUR loan, the European Investment Bank will kick in with a loan of EUR 5 million and the EU’s Neighborhood Investment Facility has approved a grant in the amount of EUR 5 million. According to the EBRD, the project would primarily benefit lower-income groups, who rely on the poorly maintained metro system.

Turkish Trade Minister Zafer Caglayan cancelled a March 19 visit to the United Stated in response to the passage of HR 252 in the House Foreign Affairs Committee last week.

Caglayan was to head a large business delegation to the US. The decision not to go was made on Monday during consultations with Turkey’s ambassador to Washington who had been recalled. It remains unclear when the ambassador will return to Washington. »»»»»

The following opinion piece entitled “Neighbors; Whose in Favor of Turkey?”, by ZvuBar’el, appears in today’s Haaretz.com.

The shock waves generated when the U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs passed a bill defining the 1915 massacre of the Armenians as genocide did not stop at Turkey’s shores. There have also been many ripples in the corridors of the Jewish lobby in Washington. »»»»»

While the Sukiasyan family business empire has recently suffered setbacks in Armenia, it appears that outside of Armenia, the commercial fortunes of brothers Khachatur and Saribek are taking off.

During the period of March 1, 2009 to March 1, 2010, “Media Consult”, a firm owned by the family recorded gross sales of 51.2 million Euros. The company, which specializes in internet commerce, security technology and digital publishing systems, has already signed 180 million Euros of commercial contracts with its partners and customers. »»»»»

“We must remember that Karabakh was the home of Azeris as well”, he states at Civiltas talk.

Thomas de Waal, a British journalist and writer best known to Armenians as the author of “Black Garden: Armenia and Azerbaijan Through Peace and War” was the guest speaker at a conference devoted to the Karabakh conflict organized in Yerevan by the Civilitas Foundation.

Mr. De Waal began by saying that he preferred the term “dormant” conflict over the much used “frozen” variant and called on major international institution, like the European Union, to take a more active stance regarding the establishment of support mechanisms to overcome the mistrust on both sides of the conflict and to create the necessary infrastructure to bolster any eventual peace settlement. »»»»»

President Serzh Sargsyan has sent a message of condolence on behalf of the Armenian people to Turkish President Abdullah Gul regarding the earthquake that hit Turkey the other day and to the families that lost relatives and loved ones.

RoA President Serzh Sargsyan will head a delegation to France from March 9-11. The Armenian head of state is scheduled to be received by French President Sarkozy on March 10 at the Elysee Palace.

The two heads of state will discuss French-Armenian relations and various regional issues pertaining to the southern Caucasus. The Armenian delegation will include Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian, Minister of the Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan and Ara Babloyan, who heads the Armenian-Grench Friendship Delegation.

Amid the finger-pointing, let’s recall how Turkey helped push the US Congress committee toward its vote on Armenian genocide.

When a committee of the US Congress foolishly voted last week to brand as genocide the 1915 slaughter of Armenians by Ottoman Turks, there was plenty of blame to go around. Ethnic lobbies, big-money politics and narrow-minded congressmen all played their part. Together they poked a gratuitous stick in the eye of a valuable friend. Once again America repeated its classic foreign policy blunder: do something that makes you feel good now, but that in the long run actually undermines American security interests. »»»»»

Minutes ago, the Court of Appeals handed down its verdict upholding the 7 years sentence passed by a lower court against “Haykakan Zhamanak” editor  and political opposition activist Nikol Pashinyan.

In accordance with the general amnesty provisions adopted by the Armenian Parliament last year, the court also decided to cut Pashinyan’s sentence in half.

The conduct of the trials that took place in the aftermath of the March 2008 post-election violence in Yerevan reveals shortcomings in Armenia’s justice system, concludes a report published today by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR).

The 114-page report, based on the monitoring of 93 criminal cases during a 16-month period, offers detailed recommendations on how to address the identified shortcomings. »»»»»

In this installment in our series focusing on foreign ambassadors serving in Armenia, we talked with Hans-Jochen Schmidt, appointed Ambassador of the Federal republic of Germany to Armenia in October, 2009.

Prior to his Yerevan posting, Mr. Schmidt headed the OSCE Minsk Office. During his long and distinguished career in the German diplomatic corps, he has served in Cairo, St. Petersburg and Kiev. »»»»»

Hetq is starting a series highlighting various members of the RoA National Assembly. This week we would like to bring to your attention MP Hrant Grigoryan who represents District 20 in Armavir Marz.

For the past month, Hetq reporter Natasha Harutyunyan has attempted to organize an interview with MP Hrant Grigoryan. He has never made a speech on the floor of parliament and once told a reporter that he doesn’t give interviews. »»»»»

First “Bjni” now “Byuregh”: Authorities seek to cripple opposition supporters

Khachatur Sukiasyan supported the candidacy of Levon Ter-Petrosyan in the 2008 presidential elections and has paid the price.

Even though he was “granted” his freedom after coming out of hiding, the preliminary investigation in his case continues. »»»»»