Political prisoners in Armenia

[bell-the-cat]

Re: Political prisoners in Armenia

The MIT crippled Kurdish uprisings, though they still claim that the PKK exists. What we are seeing isn't 'improvements' but what could be called (relatively speaking) a return to civility.

A normal civil society is what 99% of the Kurds in Turkey want, and is a stage at which Turkey has now almost reached. The 1% that are true PKK fanatics will never be satisfied.

In the 1990s, any civil expression of Kurdishness was seen by the Turkish state and its military as a rebellious act and was heavily oppressed, which drove Kurds into the arms of the PKK because everything legitimate outlet to express their Kurdishness was banned.

[Catharsis]

Re: Political prisoners in Armenia

Այսօր 6 ժամ առաջ իմ (չեմ նշում իմ անունը) և իմ ընկերոչս աշխատանքի հիման վրա: Ռուսաստանի ազգաըին անվտանգության գլխավոր սեռվրից դժվարությամ կօպիյենք կատարել մի պաստատուխտ. Որտեղ նշված է որ Հայաստանի ղեկավարությանը հաձնարարվում է 22/02/2008 թ. կատարել աշխատանք որ ուղված պետքե լինի Հայաստանում հայրենասեր ուժերի, կուսակցությունների և սպյուրքահայ համայքի հնարավորին պառակտում . ոչինչացում: Փաստաթուխտ չեմ կարող հրատարակել ամբոխչովին քանզի վախենում եմ իմ կյանքի համար:

Շնորհակալություն տեղեկության համար, հանգամանք որն շատ շատերիս համար պարզ է: Սիրելիս տեղյակ պահիր եթե մտքեր ունես ինչպես կարողենք օգնել Ավետիսին: Թերեւս պետք է սկսենք հանրահավաքներից որ հասարակության եւ ԶԼՄ–ների ուշադրությունը գրավենք:

[AlphaPapa]

Re: Political prisoners in Armenia

A normal civil society is what 99% of the Kurds in Turkey want, and is a stage at which Turkey has now almost reached. The 1% that are true PKK fanatics will never be satisfied.

In the 1990s, any civil expression of Kurdishness was seen by the Turkish state and its military as a rebellious act and was heavily oppressed, which drove Kurds into the arms of the PKK because everything legitimate outlet to express their Kurdishness was banned.

True. I'm sure developments in Iraq had a lot to do with the Turkish attempt to give a damn about Kurds. Also, this being an Armenian forum, we should also note HOW the Turks fought terrorism...with Kurdish militias (fighting for them).

[hipeter924]

Re: Political prisoners in Armenia

True. I'm sure developments in Iraq had a lot to do with the Turkish attempt to give a damn about Kurds. Also, this being an Armenian forum, we should also note HOW the Turks fought terrorism...with Kurdish militias (fighting for them).

Ah yes. The Turkish govt really did love Saddam....I think they wanted to bury him in Turkey and give him a state funeral for his 'services' to the Turkish nation.

[AlphaPapa]

Re: Political prisoners in Armenia

Ah yes. The Turkish govt really did love Saddam....I think they wanted to bury him in Turkey and give him a state funeral for his 'services' to the Turkish nation.

Are you retarded? During Saddams last few days, the Kurds were autonomous and the kemalists feared independence was next. It's still on the horizon.

[avetis]

Re: Political prisoners in Armenia

Հարգելի Catharsis այո պետք է սկսենք հանրահավաքներից որ հասարակության եւ ԶԼՄ–ների ուշադրությունը գրավենք:Հնարավորին ամեն ինչ պետք է կարողանանք անենք քանի որ 5 նոյեմբերի դատարանում կկատարվի ամենա ահավորը հայ ազգային պայքարի մեչ: Չեք կարող ասել որ երկրում եք ապրում որ կարողանանք համախբվել մեց հայրենասերին բանտից ազատելւ համար:

[Catharsis]

Re: Political prisoners in Armenia

Հարգելի catharsis այո պետք է սկսենք հանրահավաքներից որ հասարակության եւ ԶԼՄ–ների ուշադրությունը գրավենք:Հնարավորին ամեն ինչ պետք է կարողանանք անենք քանի որ 5 նոյեմբերի դատարանում կկատարվի ամենա ահավորը հայ ազգային պայքարի մեչ: Չեք կարող ասել որ երկրում եք ապրում որ կարողանանք համախբվել մեց հայրենասերին բանտից ազատելւ համար:

Ավետիս ջան արդեն Ա1+-ին խնդրել էմ որ լուսաբանեն «դատավարությունը»: Կապնվե՞լ էք արդյոք «Միացումին» եւ տեղյակ պահել «դատավարությանը» մասնակցելու մասին: Ես եւս իրենց տեղյակ կպահեմ:

[Catharsis]

Re: Political prisoners in Armenia

An article from few months back on Avetis' illegal arrest and imprisonment by the regime that persecutes Armenian patriots and human rights activists.

Diaspora-Armenian Charged with Plotting to Assassinate President Sargsyan

By Ararat Davtyan

“Those ungodly ones have concocted this case and laid it on my husband,” says French-Armenian Flora Sargsyan. Her husband, Avetis Kalaydjian, is charged with conspiracy to murder Armenian government and political leaders, in particular President Serzh Sargsyan.

Flora Sargsyan and Avetis Kalaydjian met in Aleppo in 1999 and the couple repatriated to Armenia in 2002. In 2004, Avetis became a member of the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA). Later on Flora, at the urging of her husband, also joined the party.

However, in March of this year, Avetis quit the party. He handed in a statement entitled “I resign from the Republican riff-raff”. This letter showed up a few days ago as evidence in the criminal case initiated against him.

Kalaydjian resigns from Republican Party “riff-raff”

In his resignation Kalaydjian writes that “As the first diaspora-Armenian member of the RPA” he was quitting the party given that he considered even a partial return of Artsakh, an inseparable part of historic Armenia, to Azerbaijan as national treason.

“I resign from this denationalized and anti-Armenian party that continues to hold in its prison cells the glorious freedom-fighters of our people, political activists, diaspora-Armenians and local Armenians. As a result, Armenia remains on the list of the world’s most authoritative nations and bring shame to Armenia and the Armenian people.”

“Under the guise of mock national unity, the RPA continues to deceive simpleminded diaspora-Armenian by declaring that the Ministry of the Diaspora will be their home and ‘that a good portion of the ministry staff will be comprised of Armenians from the diaspora’, according to Minister Hranoush Hakobyan. When I directly asked Minister Hakobyan how many diaspora-Armenians were working at the ministry she replied ‘I lost the list’ in an attempt to evade the question. Turning to leave I told her that there was just the one staffer from the diaspora and that the person was preparing to return to the United States,” writes Kalaydjian.

He concludes his statement by saying, “Together, let us liberate Armenia from the dictators, dregs, deceivers, traitors, those who would sell out Armenia and those in the Ministry of the Diaspora who are selling deputy ministerial posts for money.” The statement ends, “freedom or death”.

Flora says, “Sure, a person can say a few things over the top when irritated, but this man is truly concerned about the plight of the country. He may be dissatisfied with the regime but he has never wished any harm to the authorities.” She claims that her husband’s irritation stems from serious financial problems and the fact that certain officials betrayed his trust.

Flora goes on to say that in May, 2008, Avetis placed their land, located nearby the former Ministry of Defense building, as collateral and took out a loan to publish a book entitled “Turkish-Turanist Expansionism and 70 Martyred Nations”. He gave 150 to the Defense Ministry; 50 as a donation. The rest were to be sold.

Defense Ministry owes Kalaydjian 600,000 drams

“Minister Seyran Ohanyan warmly received my husband. But it seemed that Manouk Manoukyan, the ministry’s head cashier, didn’t want to pay us. He even called to say that the books had been lost. In fact, they distributed the books to various military units. They still haven’t paid the 600,000 owed to us,” claims Flora Sargsyan

On March 20, 2009, after another unsuccessful attempt to get paid by the Ministry of Defense, Avetis paid a visit at the home of his friend Martik Baghdasaryan, who lives close to the ministry. His friend, Martik, wasn’t home at the time so he chit-chatted with Masis Baghdasaryan, Martik’s son, over coffee. During their conversation, Jirayr Mkrtoumyan, a friend of Masis who fought in the Artsakh War, dropped by.

Alleged plot to assassinate Sargsyan on Easter Sunday in Etchmiadzin

According to the criminal case file, “Being convinced that J. Mkrtoumyan was politically opposed to the RA authorities, Kalaydjian presented his criminal plan to him – to carry out the murder of President Sargsyan and other top government and political figures during their visit to the Mother See at Etchmiadzin on Easter Sunday, April 12.”

According to the National Security Service, Avetis suggested to the Artsakh War vet that he would get his hands on two or three “sawed-off” Kalashnikov’s for the job and promised to chip in $500 apiece for the weapons.

“The entire criminal case is a fabrication. At the house of that guy (Martik), the guys were talking to Avetis about various things. They complained about the regime and how the country had to rid itself of the authorities. They even spoke about doing away with the authorities by the use of weapons. Avetis even put a stop to this sort of talk on three occasions, thinking they were taking him for a ride. He really didn’t take what they were saying seriously. But later on, those guys testified that it was Avetis who made those threats,” says Flora.

According to the case files, Artsakh veteran Jirayr passed on the plans of the “General” (Avetis Kalaydjian) to Hovhannes Kerteshyan, advising him not to attend church services that Easter at Etchmiadzin. Hovhannes passed on the information to the RA National Security Service (NSS), which resulted in Avetis being arrested.

Kalaydjian to President Sargsyan – “I never conspired to murder you”

From his prison cell Avetis wrote to President Serzh Sargsyan saying, “I never conspired to commit a crime, especially not your murder. Let me also note that I never engaged in any preparatory activity for any type of assassination. This is borne out by the testimony of Masis Baghdasaryan and Jirayr Mkrtoumyan who state that they never went to report the matter to law enforcement because they didn’t take what I said seriously.”

In the description section of the criminal case initiated on April 6 it is pointed out that, “Arriving in the RA from Syria in 2002, Kalaydjian, having ambitions in planning a role in the governmental and socio-political life of Armenia, presented himself to the RA authorities stating that he could assume a high administrative post in the government dealing with diaspora issues. However, not realizing that goal and blaming President Sargsyan and other government and political leaders for his shortcomings and fueled with a desire for revenge, he planned to put an end to their activities via murder.”

“In 2003, my husband formulated a plan to create the Diaspora Ministry. Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan and the others welcomed the plan. When Kocharyan left office and it was the time for Serzh to take over, one of his aides called my husband to set up a meeting. They met 2 or 3 times and discussed plans to set up the Ministry for Diaspora Affairs. They even mentioned that they wanted to give him the post of minister,” says Flora, adding that she doesn’t know the name of the presidential assistant in question.

Flora goes on to say that Armen Ghazaryan, an employee at the NSS, told her that no one from President Sargsyan’s staff ever met with her husband. She says she doesn’t believe this to be the case.

They promised my husband the job of Minister of the Diaspora

“Later, they appointed Hranoush Hakobyan as Minister of the Diaspora. My husband respects her and would say that it’s all for the best that a local Armenian get the job, this way it would appear in the diaspora that locals are really concerned about their problems. They then promised to select Avetis as deputy minister or department head. In the end, Avetis was given nothing, Flora recounts, “It’s true my husband was quite upset. We were paying interest to a loan shark and paying apartment rent. I needed money for an operation. But this doesn’t mean that he could have ever done such a thing. To even ponder such a possibility is ridiculous.”

Flora confesses that when this all started she would break down and cry. Now, she says she laughs it off like some “bad movie plot” and doesn’t believe that “a man can be charged based on the false testimony of two individuals”.

The case rests upon the testimony of Masis and Jirayr. The actual trial has yet to begin. At one of the pre-trial sessions Gayaneh Sahakyan, a neighbor of Masis, showed up and, in her words, “demanded justice from the court”. She stated that Masis had a number of peculiarities, that he had been found guilty of a crime in the past and that he liked to drink. She said that the court shouldn’t base its case solely on the statements of such a person.

43 year-old Gayaneh says, “After the incident Masis’ family skipped town. No one in the building knows where he is. Staring back in January he would go around trying to con people for money to go to Russia. I ask myself how will the court ever track him down or proceed with the trial without him.”

Avetis Kalaydjian has been charged with violated Articles 30-305 of the RA Criminal Code and faces 10-15 years and possible life imprisonment if found guilty.

[avetis]

Re: Political prisoners in Armenia

Hargeli Catharsis inchqan hnaravore exel bolorinel namakem uxxel bayc voch mekic voch mi ban. Ev vorosheci internetov forumneri mech grelov oqnem Avetis Kalayjyanin.

[AlphaPapa]

Re: Political prisoners in Armenia

Cat, thanks for posting that article. I read something vague about this but didn't know much of the details. It's too bad that such controversies are not regular additions to our Diasporan medias, but instead, barahanteses, fund raisers, and other items are.