Meltex Ltd and Mesrop Movsesyan v. Armenia

Shortly after all the legal means were exhausted in Armenia in the efforts to keep A1+ TV station on air, the owner of the TV station filed a suit in the European Court of Human Rights in 2004. The suit claimed a violation of the Article 10 of the Human Rights Convention (PDF file):

1. Everyone has the right to freedom of expression. This right shall include freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart information and ideas without interference by public authority and regardless of frontiers. This Article shall not prevent States from requiring the licensing of broadcasting, television or cinema enterprises.

2. The exercise of these freedoms, since it carries with it duties and responsibilities, may be subject to such formalities, conditions, restrictions or penalties as are prescribed by law and are necessary in a democratic society, in the interests of national security, territorial integrity or public safety, for the prevention of disorder or crime, for the protection of health or morals, for the protection of the reputation or rights of others, for preventing the disclosure of information received in confidence, or for maintaining the authority and impartiality of the judiciary.

The case was known as Meltex Ltd and Mesrop Movsesyan v. Armenia (application no. 32283/04).

The court heard the case today and ruled in favor of A1+. The verdict was a 30,000 Euro fine (plus any applicable taxes) for the Armenian government. It is to be paid within 3 months and there are provisions for interest accruals if paid after 3 months. The case judgment with a lot of legalese is available here (or here) and the more human readable press release is available here.

So, what does this mean?

Legally, this means a lot as it re-affirms that it is possible for an Armenian entity to defend their rights if they are violated and win. It also shows (as you can see from the circumstances of the case) that the whole process of granting bandwidth to TV companies in 2001 through 2003 and the subsequent court verdicts in Armenia were in violation of Article 10 of the Human Rights Convention. Since the European Court of Human Rights has given a direction, the issues are now clear and can be fixed for the future. But there is a big "but" here as we are talking about a banditocracy here.

In practice, this means very little for the rights of the Armenian citizens. It simply means that the Armenian government can suppress free speech for one easy payment of 30,000 Euros.

But wait, there is more! The moneys paid out by the banditocracy are going to be the tax drams that have been extracted from the small and medium size businesses. They will still skim off the top of the budget for their own expenses. The ones to suffer will again be the most vulnerable such as the pensioners relying on $20 a month pension to stave off starvation.

Who thinks that the Armenian government will fix the problem rather than put a small amount aside to pay people after suppressing their free speech?

BTW, look at the number and type of the cases, and the defendants. Not a very glorious club to be a part of.

The TV Channel for The Supporting Center of Levon Ter - Petrosyan in the USA

Just came across a six part YouTube video recording of a TV program broadcast in LA about the political prisoners and liberty issues in Armenia. Below is part one. Visit YouTube for the rest.

“The Opposition’s Mistake”

If the law enforcement agencies in Armenia were forced to come up with a title for the criminal cases they currently investigate and were forced to honestly express their intentions, they would have to use the title “The Opposition’s Mistake” for the case within which hundreds of opposition activists and participants have been persecuted or put in jail.

As we all know, the regime tries to prove that the opposition united around Levon Ter Petrosian attempted a coup d’etat with this criminal case. If such a case was initiated after March 1, it might be within the realm of logic. But March 1 is the best proof that the opposition did not have any plans for a coup. The regime points to the fact that there were barricades erected near the Miasnikian Statue as an evidence for such a plan. But these men have not noticed that the ones on the offensive do not need barricades; barricades would only hinder the progress of an offense. The people who built the barricades clearly announced that they are not going anywhere and are not going to organize anything. As you see, it is a difficult task to stay near the Miasnikian Statue and at the same time try to take over the government: the government is not near the Miasnikian Statue, it is on the Baghramian Avenue. Even if there was a plan to take over the government buildings on Baghramian Avenue or the Republic Square, it all would have started with the Yerevan Municipality building which was at the center of the March 1 event and was completely defenseless. All that would be needed was to open the door and enter the building. But that did not happen.

Everyone forgets one more thing; the well armed military and paramilitary forces were not able to disperse the protesters from the area near Miasnikian Statue. The protesters left only after Levon Ter Petrosian urged them to do so. Why do I stress this? For the simple reason that if there was a plan of attack, the inability of the government to disperse the protesters would be the perfect stimulus to start such an offense and predict its outcome. But the offense never happened on March 1. But this is not important for the law enforcement agencies. The criminal case for the coup was initiated on earlier than that on February 24 [naz: 4 days after the rigged elections]. Even as early as the Fall of 2007 Dhol [naz: dhol is a kind of a drum and is the nickname of Artashes Geghamian], shortly after his meeting with Serj Sargsian, was shouting about everything that is written in the February 24 case. So what does this all mean? Perhaps only one thing. Serj Sargsian and Robert Kocharian had already planned the outcome of the elections and the mass brutality necessary to secure it as early as Fall of 2007. These two only know one way to be in the government – brute force. Based on that logic, if Levon Ter Petrosian was serious about change in the government then he surely must have a detailed plan for force.

Obviously, the criminal case mentioned above is an essential link in the chain of brutality planned by the regime. But it also reveals the Kocharian-o-Serjik idea about what Levon Ter Petrosian and his team should have done to come to power. Ter Petrosian’s team did not do it which implies that it made a mistake.Robert Kocharian labeled the type of the political struggle that Levon Ter Petrosian prefers as a ‘theater’. And now Serjik and his boss try to prove that with such a ‘theater’ you can’t change their government that is built upon spilled blood and dead bodies and only believes in brutality. But we will prove to them that they are wrong. A theater is the best weapon against puppets.

P.S. What Serj told Dhol and YUCk [naz: former self declared opposition leader and the current secretary of the National Security Council Artur Baghdasarian] was honest: “We are going to kill left and right so try not to get under our feet”. These two were so scared that are still yelping and will yelp for a long time to come.

Nikol Pashinian

The original Armenian version can be found on Payqar

House Foreign Affairs Committee hearings on June 18.

There are going to be hearings about the situation at the Caucasus on June 18. This is a perfect time to advance the issue of the political prisoners in Armenia as this question will be raised. If you are a US citizen, please contact your congressman or congresswoman and educate them; it is unacceptable for the US taxpayers to subsidize and prop up a corrupt regime in Armenia that has jailed 160 political prisoners!

We need to urge our representatives to speak up at the June 18 House Foreign Affairs Committee. They will have the opportunity to question State Department officials on U.S. policy regarding Armenia and the surrounding area.

Please write your congresspeople and let them know that the Armenian regime has to honor its people, not just their pockets, if they want US support.

Please use Congress.org to send this letter. At this point we are focusing on one political prisoner and championing his cause for more impact so that we give a human face to the issue. Ashot Manukyan was detained on March 1 and then severely beaten by the police. It was so bad that they did not allow relatives to see him for a couple of weeks. You can read more about him when you follow the link for Congress.org.

Below is a sample text to send to your senators (in order to educate them about the issue) and congressman. For best impact, do not send it as a mass email to all of them but send a personalized letter to each one of them.

Dear Congressman/Senator ...,

I write to urge you to raise the issue of the political prisoners in Armenia at the upcoming June 18 House Foreign Affairs Committee about the US Policy toward the Caucasus.

We, the American people, cannot continue to subsidize a corrupt oligarchy in Armenia that has murdered 10 and jailed 100s of its democratic, Western-thinking activists in the wake of its Soviet-style 'elections'. Ashot Manukyan from the northern city of Vanadzor is one of those citizens now in jail. Mr. Manukyan has spent his life fighting corruption and human rights violations - he is exactly the type of person the U.S. spends top dollar to see succeed in Armenia. He, among other victims, suffers at the hands of a select few who work to keep the Turkish border closed to maintain their monopolies and who sell the country wholesale to Russia while its citizenry barely survives. All the while mocking US aid.

The Congress and the new ambassador to Armenia must demand more from this Armenian regime. At the least, the United States cannot let ordinary, brave citizens like Ashot Manukyan be abducted, beaten and illegally prosecuted by a government that has heartlessly pillaged its own people. Persons jailed for demanding an honest government must be freed immediately.

Please help restore justice in Armenia.

Any contact info for "The Supporting Center of Levon Ter - Petrosyan in the USA"?

The Supporting Center of Levon Ter - Petrosyan in the USA has a website: http://www.levon4president.org and I have been trying to find out contact information. They are involved in fund raising for the political prisoners' families and the injured and wounded of March 1. Our brothers, sisters and their families need our financial support during these difficult times!

Their website doesn't have any contact information, or a Paypal donation button for fund raising. I would like to know if there is a way to contact them for this. I also want to know if they want to fund HIMA movement. I contacted HIMA and sending money from the US to them is a difficult task for one person.

Please post the The Supporting Center of Levon Ter - Petrosyan in the USA contact info in the comment section.

Thanks.

This is a blog item from Payqar about the center helping out our brothers and sisters in Armenia.

ՕԳՆՈՒԹՅԱՆ ՁԵՌՔ ՄԱՐՏԻ 1-ԻՆ ՎԻՐԱՎՈՐՎԱԾ ՏՂԱՅԻՆ

Ա1+

[16:15] 10 Հունիսի, 2008
«
Լեւոն Տեր-Պետրոսյանի աջակցության ԱՄՆ կենտրոնը պատրաստ է ամբողջովին հոգալ մարտի 1-ին վնասվածքներ ստացած Արթուր Ավագյանի բուժման ծախսերը:

22-ամյա Արթուր Ավագյանի կյանքը հրաշքով է հաջողվել փրկել: Երեւանում Արթուրը ենթարկվել է ծանր եւ 7 ժամ տեւած վիրահատության:

՚Ա1+ՙ- ը հանդես էր եկել նախաձեռնությամբ`օգնելու Արթուրին: Խնդրանքն ուղղված էր առաջին հերթին բժիշկ-մասնագետներին Հայաստանում եւ արտերկրում, ովքեր կարող են խորհուրդներ տալ կամ ստանձնել Արթուրին լիովին բուժելու դժվարին գործը:

Արթուրի այսօր կյանքին բարեբախտաբար վտանգ չի սպառնում, բայց նա զրկված է լիարժեք կյանքով ապրելու հնարավորությունից: Դեռ չսպիացած եւ ժամանակ առ ժամանակ բորբոքվող վերքերի պլաստիկ վիրահատության անհրաժեշտությունից բացի,( որը մեծ ‎‎ֆինանսներ է պահանջում), նա նաեւ ավելի լուրջ խնդիրներ ունի, կապված լեզվի ‎ֆունկցիաների` ուտելու եւ խոսելու հետ: Անհրաժեշտ է մասնագիտական լուրջ բուժօգնություն, որպեսզի Արթուրը հաղթահարի հոգեբանական սթրեսը եւ վերականգնի առողջությունը:
»
http://www.a1plus.am/amu/?page=issue&iid=61443

Աջակցեք ՀԻՄԱ-ին

*** when contacting qbhima@gmail.com please indicate which country you are at ***

Հարգելի այցելուներ հաշվի առնելով այն հանգամանքը, որ ՀԻՄԱ երիտասարդական նախաձեռնության կազմակերպված ակցիաների համար ծախսվում են նախաձեռնության ակտիվիստների անձնական միջոցները, որոնք խիստ սահմանափակ են, մենք խնդրում ենք ձեր ֆինանսական աջակցությունը:
Մեզ ամսական անհրաժեշտ է 500-1000 ԱՄՆ դոլար, խաղաղ բողոքի ակցիաներ կազմակերպելու համար` ընդդեմ ներկա բռնապետական ռեժիմի ճնշումների: ՀԻՄԱ-ի գործողությունները 3 հիմնական ուղղություն ունեն.

1. Քաղաքական բանտարկյալների ազատ արձակման խնդիրներ (Հայաստանում հիմա մոտ 150 քաղբանտարկյալ կա),
2. Խոսքի ազատության խնդիրներ (Հայաստանում չկա ոչ մի անկախ հեռուստաընկերություն, որը սփռվում է ամբողջ երկրով մեկ),
3. Խաղաղ հավաքներ անցկացնելու խնդիրներ (վերջերս փոփոխված օրենսդրությունը թույլ չի տալիս ազատորեն հավաքվել և կազմակերպել հանրահավաքներ, երթեր և այլ զանգվածային միջոցառումներ):

Նույնիսկ 10 ԱՄՆ դոլարը, շատ մեծ օժանդակություն կլինի մեզ համար:

Մենք չենք խնդրում ավելին, քան մեզ անհրաժեշտ է ծածկելու տպագրության, տրանսպորտի և այլ փոքր ծախսերը:

Դուք կարող եք հավելյալ տեղեկատվություն ստանալ ՀԻՄԱ-ի գործողությունների մասին հետևյալ վեբ-կայքերից:

http://himaam.info/
http://xahima.blogspot.com/
http://ymhima.blogspot.com/
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=16034818124

Նվիրատվություննների համար խնդրում ենք գրել մեզ qbhima@gmail.com հասցեով:

Խնդրում ենք տարածել այս տեղեկատվությունը:

***
Taking into account the fact that activities of HIMA youth initiative are funded by the personal financial savings of its members that are very limited, we ask for your financial aid.
We need 500-1000 US $ per month for organization of non-violent actions of protests against the oppressions of current dictatorial regime in Armenia. The activities of HIMA have 3 main directions:

1. Addressing issues of political prisoners (currently about 150 in Armenia)
2. Addressing issues of freedom of speech (we have no independent TV station in Armenia with nation-wide broadcasting)
3. Addressing issues of free assembly (recently amended legislation does not allow to freely assemble and organize rallies, demonstrations, marches and other mass events)

Even minimal contributions of 10 US $ will make a big difference for us.
We don't want more than we need to cover the costs of printing, transportation and other minor costs.
You can find more info about what we do from the web-sites below.

http://himaam.info/
http://xahima.blogspot.com/
http://ymhima.blogspot.com/
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=16034818124

For Donations please contact us through qbhima@gmail.com email address.

Please disseminate this information.

Ecological movement.

I don't know if I had posted this before but the blog for the ecological movement in Armenia is bnamard.blogspot.com

Jirayr Sefilian is free!

One of the first political prisoners of the Movement was released today after 2 years in jail. Jirayr Sefilian was jailed in 2006 for a possession of a handgun - a pistol given to him by the President of Gharabagh for his heroism during the war.

Shortly after his release Sefilian visited the Azatamartik who are on hunger strike at Yerablur.



Khosq coverage
Radio Liberty coverage

CNN: Ahmadinejad, al-Maliki talk U.S. future in Iraq

How low have we stooped that hoodlums like Ahmedinejad and al-Maliki are discussing the US business. Bush has made the US a laughing stock of the world. We are so week that we can't even prevent such meetings. If there is a winner in the Iraq debacle, it is Iran. The losers have been the Iraqi people and the US. I hope Bush & CO. don't make things worse by attacking Iran before January, 2009.

Ahmadinejad, al-Maliki talk U.S. future in Iraq

Healing the wounds of March 1 together.

A lot of us were shocked when we saw the video about Artur Avagian which was made at a hospital the night of March 1.

Artur Avagian is one of the victims of the government's crackdown on March 1. He remembers one thing. He remembers something bright passing in front of his eyes. Then his head started shaking as if it was going to fall off. He remembers holding his head with two hands and screaming, hoping that the shaking would stop. He then felt something filling up his mouth, and he spat blood and his own teeth out. He doesn't remember what happened next.

According to 'Armenia' hospital doctors, he was found near the Marzahamergayin Hamalir sports complex. He was brought to the hospital and taken to surgery that lasted 7 hours.

A1+ asks and pleads to the specialist doctors in Armenia and in diaspora who can consult or undertake the difficult task of curing Artur. This will require financial assistance, too.

Let us help Artur to overcome the scars of the bloody event. Let us help the Armenian society heal after the March 1 tragedy. A1+ will be opening a bank account for this purpose. Stay tuned.