Fascistic or Religious Extremist Organisations Operating Inside Armenia

[bell-the-cat]

I've been seeing a lot more of these appearing recently in Armenian news stories. Some of them seem to be one-man operations (usually formed so that some extremist nut-job can pontificate about how un-Armenian every other Armenian is compared to himself, and how the entire Armenian nation is heading towards extinction because of this).

However, I wonder if many are actually front-organisations for other interests. So, I'm going to add here any news reports I find that mention such groups.

[bell-the-cat]

Re: Fascistic or Religious Extremist Organisations Operating Inside Armenia

"Armenian Church Youth Association"
Director: Gevorg Mkrtchyan
Religious affairs spokesperson: Archimandrite Yeghishe Avetisyan

"One Nation"
co-chairman: Gor Tamazyan

ARMENIAN NATIONALISTS PROTEST SATANIST'S ACTIVITIES

tert.am
01.11.12

Facebook has become a platform for offending and defaming the Armenian
Apostolic Church, Armenian nationalists have complained.

At a news conference on Thursday, Director of the Armenian Church
Youth Association Gevorg Mkrtchyan and a person in charge for the
organization's religious affairs, Archimandrite Yeghishe Avetisyan,
as well as a co-chair of the One Nation NGO, Gor Tamazyan, urged for
closing a Facebook page created by Bayandur Poghosyan, considering
him a Satanist.

"Perhaps everybody is well aware of our activities. They are
targeted against the religious sects; we also condemn homosexualism
and standards encouraging free manners. At the same time, we fight
pro-Western and pro-American political forces on the political arena,"
Tamazyan said, adding that their organization adheres to the principles
preached by Garegin Nzhdeh, a 19th-20th century Armenian statesman,
political thinker and a patriot.

The group said that Poghosyan has characterized their activities as
those of a killer, calling them fascists and racists.

Tamazyan added that the profile has another administrator, Sevak
Kirakosyan, who is affiliated with the gay and lesbian rights center
Pink.

"The post was left by Bayandur, but the page does not deny anything
or make a public apology," he said.

One Nation conducts an active advocacy by disseminating leaflets,
as well as proposing legal initiatives. It has called for declaring
Echmiadzin a religious city state.

[bell-the-cat]

Re: Fascistic or Religious Extremist Organisations Operating Inside Armenia

"Armenian Association of Experts"
Chairman: Tigran Kocharyan

ARMENIA: ANTI-GAY PROTESTS BLOCK FILM SCREENING

Institute for War and Peace Reporting
IWPR Caucasus Reporting #663
Oct 29 2012
UK

Public opinion sharply divided, but at least issues are now being
talked about openly.

By Sara Khojoyan - Caucasus

CRS Issue 663,

29 Oct 12

The Armenian government has been criticised for failing to ensure
that a film about gay rights could be shown, despite hostility from
nationalist groups.

The European Union mission in Armenia, together with the German
embassy, was hoping to show an award-winning Serbian film called "The
Parade" at venues in Yerevan, to raise awareness about human rights.

The film is about attempts to organise a gay pride parade in the
Serbian capital Belgrade in the face of fierce opposition.

The plan had to be shelved after nationalist demonstrations halted
three separate attempts to screen the film in October.

"The EU delegation and the German embassy are concerned by the abrupt
refusal of several venues to show the film, given that they initially
agreed to host the screenings. This highlights the need for further
awareness on tolerance in Armenia," a joint statement from the two
missions said after the last failed attempt to show the films, on
October 17-18 in the Congress Hotel.

The statement added that local organisers had promised to show the
films at a later date.

It also referred to a statement by EU delegation chief Traian Hristea
on October 9 which noted that some people were concerned that a film
on this subject would be shown.

"I would like to underline in response that the EU aim is to spread
information and encourage awareness in Armenia, thus challenging
stereotypes. One of art's important functions is to open discussions
and confront prejudice and preconceived opinions," Hristea said.

More than 20 non-government organisations joined forces to criticise
the government for failing to protect screenings, which was part of
a series of EU events to mark Human Rights Day 2012.

"As part of the European Union's Eastern Partnership, Armenia has
accepted an obligation to reinforce respect for human rights and
fundamental freedoms," the NGOs said in a joint letter. "Armenia
receives support from the European Union, including financial support,
to implement these reforms."

Davit Harutyunyan, a member of the ruling Republican Party and chairman
of parliament's legal affairs committee, said the government was not
currently taking specific action to protect homosexuals.

"Of course society needs to be kept informed of these issues. However,
the government thinks that although important, this is not a problem
of major significance," he said.

Opponents of the film said it was the organisers' own fault that
demonstrations took place.

"For some incomprehensible reason, the German embassy, the EU
delegation, and a few local organisations took to organising this
film with huge enthusiasm, as if no other opinion could exist. It was
deliberate provocation," Tigran Kocharyan, chairman of the Armenian
Association of Experts, said. "There are sections of society in
Armenia that have more serious problems, but for some reason these
get forgotten while these secondary, invented issues are publicised."

Kocharyan attacked "local NGOs sustained solely by financial support
from abroad, which claim to speak on behalf of Armenian society
and portray anyone who holds a different opinion as a pawn of the
authorities. They think that civil society belongs only to them,
and they cannot accept that society also includes many young people
who oppose attempts to pervert our national values."

Mamikon Hovsepyan, head of the Public Information and Need for
Knowledge (PINK) group, which works with Armenia's gay community,
said this kind of opposition was only to be expected.

"If you look at the experience of other countries, you see that
whenever groups fight for their rights, they face indifference at
first, then a negative reaction, and then serious opposition. Looked
at in this light, protests and opposition are fine," he said.

Hovsepyan said the lack of support from the government was more
troubling than any protests.

"The problem is that officials are keeping quiet and not doing
anything. In a situation like this, you can only assume that's how
they prefer things," he said.

This is not the first time Yerevan's gay community has come under
pressure. The DIY Club, known as a gay hangout, was firebombed on
May 8. In a second incident on May 15, swastikas were sprayed on the
bar's walls (See Gay Rights Under Attack in Armenia.)

Two men arrested after the firebombing were later released on bail.

Leading politicians from both opposition and the ruling Republican
Party spoke out in defence of the two suspects.

According to Hovsepyan, "When something like the attack on the DIY
Club is praised in parliament, young people are going to get wound
up even further."

"That aside, the authorities must protect everyone's constitutional
rights," he added.

Tsovinar Nazaryan, an expert on media and human rights, said events in
both May and October at least showed that public awareness of issues
around homosexuality was growing.

"The government does not give legal equality to the gay community. But
I'm convinced that awareness of the law is constantly growing and
that while the number of violations is increasing, so is opposition
to this from people with legal knowledge," she said. "A year ago,
this film would have been shown quietly in some hall, and the matter
would have ended there. Today it's being talked about openly, and
that is a positive development."

http://iwpr.net/report-news/armenia-anti-gay-protests-block-film-screening

[KanadaHye]

Re: Fascistic or Religious Extremist Organisations Operating Inside Armenia

Take your gay rights and shove 'em. How is that for fascist? They aren't handicapped therefore there should not be any laws tailored for them.

[Haykakan]

Re: Fascistic or Religious Extremist Organisations Operating Inside Armenia

I think they just dont want to be assaulted, battered, etc..yiu know the same stuff you would want.

Take your gay rights and shove 'em. How is that for fascist? They aren't handicapped therefore there should not be any laws tailored for them.

[Siggie]

Re: Fascistic or Religious Extremist Organisations Operating Inside Armenia

Take your gay rights and shove 'em. How is that for fascist? They aren't handicapped therefore there should not be any laws tailored for them.

Be civil please and act like an adult who grew up with the benefit of parents who taught him how to behave.

[KanadaHye]

Re: Fascistic or Religious Extremist Organisations Operating Inside Armenia

Be civil please and act like an adult who grew up with the benefit of parents who taught him how to behave.

That's precisely how I acted. I refrained from telling him where to shove 'em.

[Haykakan]

Re: Fascistic or Religious Extremist Organisations Operating Inside Armenia

As i have come to realize-the parents are usually the source of the problem.

Be civil please and act like an adult who grew up with the benefit of parents who taught him how to behave.

[Vahram]

Re: Fascistic or Religious Extremist Organisations Operating Inside Armenia

Be civil please and act like an adult who grew up with the benefit of parents who taught him how to behave.

As i have come to realize-the parents are usually the source of the problem.

You know guys it's fine if you want to be gay, can you just do it in your own bedrooms? Must we take what is left of our little culture and drag it down to this? Again take it to your bedroom, Armenia is landlocked and has a lot of issues to deal with without having your own personal issues clouding your judgment of what it means to be an Armenian. KanadaHye was right to the point, it’s only you two that have issues with this, or maybe you are not gay but liberals? You can’t get the the West to say the G word, yet we are here instead of talking of Genocide we should talk about Gays. For gods sakes!

[Siggie]

Re: Fascistic or Religious Extremist Organisations Operating Inside Armenia

You know guys it's fine if you want to be gay, can you just do it in your own bedrooms? Must we take what is left of our little culture and drag it down to this? Again take it to your bedroom, Armenia is landlocked and has a lot of issues to deal with without having your own personal issues clouding your judgment of what it means to be an Armenian. KanadaHye was right to the point, it’s only you two that have issues with this, or maybe you are not gay but liberals? You can’t get the the West to say the G word, yet we are here instead of talking of Genocide we should talk about Gays. For gods sakes!

Indeed. We should continue to talk exclusively about a nearly century year old genocide to the exclusion of present day human rights issues within the country.