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PROBLEMS OF JOURNALISTS, HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS INVESTIGATING ARMY CRIME ADDRESSED IN WAKE OF AI REPORT
http://armenianow.com/society/human_rights/49274/armenia_amnesty_international_human_rights_situati on_army
HUMAN RIGHTS | 17.10.13 | 12:12
By SIRANUYSH GEVORGYAN
ArmeniaNow reporter
According to the latest report of an international human rights
organization, Amnesty International, only by official data, 18 soldiers
were killed in non-combat conditions in Armenia in 2012.
On Wednesday Yerevan-based human rights activists and Defense
Ministry representatives had a Skype video conference with Amnesty
International's London-based expert on the South Caucasus. They
discussed the report entitled: "Armenia. No Space For Difference".
Tural Ahmedzade, the South Caucasus researcher of the Europe and
Central Asia Program, who presented the report, mainly focused on
the chapter regarding the military.
According to the report, local and international human rights groups,
such as the Helsinki Citizens' Assembly Vanadzor office and the
Helsinki Association of Armenia, testify that in many cases autopsy
results reveal that dead soldiers had been subjected to beatings
and violence. It is also mentioned that human rights activists and
journalists who address illegalities and incidents in the army are
exposed to harassment and intimidation.
Ahmedzade cited the example of Journalists for Human Rights NGO head
Zhanna Alexanyan, who conducted an investigation into the case of a
brutal beating of a conscript in Karabakh and was twice summoned to
the Military Prosecutor's office for questioning in January 2012.
"Human rights activist Zhanna Alexanyan told us that the Ministry of
Defense's Investigative Service and the Military Prosecutor's Office
demanded that she stop her investigations about abuse in the army,"
said Ahmedzade.
Meanwhile, Deputy Chief of the Ministry of Defense's Investigative
Service, Hayk Grigoryan, insisted that Alexanyan had been invited for
questioning as a witness in order to find out what facts were known
to her about the soldier's torture and possible sexual abuse.
"In no country summoning for questioning can be regarded as pressure on
a person's opinion. According to the current legislation, if necessary
for establishing the truth, the investigator not only may but must
call the persons who may have any information related to the case,"
said Grigoryan.
Alexanyan, who also attended the discussion, continued to insist
that the way she had been subpoenaed for interrogations prompted to
her that they wanted to put pressure on her and make her keep away
from the matter. At the same time, the investigating reporter who has
written on issues in the army for more than 10 years stressed that in
recent years writing about the army has ceased to become a taboo and
the press has freely written about violations and abuse in the army.
The discussion also touched upon the case of young writer Hovhannes
Ishkanyan regarding his book about demobilization from the army called
"Uvalnyati Or" or "Demob Day" .
Immediately after the publication of the book the military police
called Ishkhanyan for questioning and accused him of discrediting
armed forces.
Since it was impossible to file a libel suit because of the artistic
nature of the book, the military police tried to criminally prosecute
him for disseminating "pornographic materials and items", the report
says.
Lieutenant Colonel of Military Police Armen Mnatsakanyan insisted
that books discrediting the army should not be published. He said
that Ishkhanyan's book discredited the military.
"The army is the defender of the nation and is one of the most
important institutions of the state. The book describes cases that
do not exist in the army. How can what he describes in his book take
place in the army? Can a man rape a man? If a 14- or 15-year-old boy
reads this booklet, with what ideas and mentality will he go to the
army?" said Mnatsakanyan, arguing that Ishkhanyan had been summoned
for questioning to clarify whether he was aware of any crimes described
in the book committed in reality.
To this statement, human rights activist Vardan Harutyunyan asked -
if the phenomena described in the book are absent in the army, why
is its author being persecuted?
"In our army a soldier gets beaten up, in our army soldiers have
relations with each other based on the mob laws. One cannot turn a
blind eye on it and say that everything is fine," said Harutyunyan.
To read the report in full (in English) click here:
http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/EUR54/002/2013/en/6d6a852f-6494-4ef5-bc13-1373f154e0de/eur540022013en.pdf
From: Baghdasarian
http://armenianow.com/society/human_rights/49274/armenia_amnesty_international_human_rights_situati on_army
HUMAN RIGHTS | 17.10.13 | 12:12
By SIRANUYSH GEVORGYAN
ArmeniaNow reporter
According to the latest report of an international human rights
organization, Amnesty International, only by official data, 18 soldiers
were killed in non-combat conditions in Armenia in 2012.
On Wednesday Yerevan-based human rights activists and Defense
Ministry representatives had a Skype video conference with Amnesty
International's London-based expert on the South Caucasus. They
discussed the report entitled: "Armenia. No Space For Difference".
Tural Ahmedzade, the South Caucasus researcher of the Europe and
Central Asia Program, who presented the report, mainly focused on
the chapter regarding the military.
According to the report, local and international human rights groups,
such as the Helsinki Citizens' Assembly Vanadzor office and the
Helsinki Association of Armenia, testify that in many cases autopsy
results reveal that dead soldiers had been subjected to beatings
and violence. It is also mentioned that human rights activists and
journalists who address illegalities and incidents in the army are
exposed to harassment and intimidation.
Ahmedzade cited the example of Journalists for Human Rights NGO head
Zhanna Alexanyan, who conducted an investigation into the case of a
brutal beating of a conscript in Karabakh and was twice summoned to
the Military Prosecutor's office for questioning in January 2012.
"Human rights activist Zhanna Alexanyan told us that the Ministry of
Defense's Investigative Service and the Military Prosecutor's Office
demanded that she stop her investigations about abuse in the army,"
said Ahmedzade.
Meanwhile, Deputy Chief of the Ministry of Defense's Investigative
Service, Hayk Grigoryan, insisted that Alexanyan had been invited for
questioning as a witness in order to find out what facts were known
to her about the soldier's torture and possible sexual abuse.
"In no country summoning for questioning can be regarded as pressure on
a person's opinion. According to the current legislation, if necessary
for establishing the truth, the investigator not only may but must
call the persons who may have any information related to the case,"
said Grigoryan.
Alexanyan, who also attended the discussion, continued to insist
that the way she had been subpoenaed for interrogations prompted to
her that they wanted to put pressure on her and make her keep away
from the matter. At the same time, the investigating reporter who has
written on issues in the army for more than 10 years stressed that in
recent years writing about the army has ceased to become a taboo and
the press has freely written about violations and abuse in the army.
The discussion also touched upon the case of young writer Hovhannes
Ishkanyan regarding his book about demobilization from the army called
"Uvalnyati Or" or "Demob Day" .
Immediately after the publication of the book the military police
called Ishkhanyan for questioning and accused him of discrediting
armed forces.
Since it was impossible to file a libel suit because of the artistic
nature of the book, the military police tried to criminally prosecute
him for disseminating "pornographic materials and items", the report
says.
Lieutenant Colonel of Military Police Armen Mnatsakanyan insisted
that books discrediting the army should not be published. He said
that Ishkhanyan's book discredited the military.
"The army is the defender of the nation and is one of the most
important institutions of the state. The book describes cases that
do not exist in the army. How can what he describes in his book take
place in the army? Can a man rape a man? If a 14- or 15-year-old boy
reads this booklet, with what ideas and mentality will he go to the
army?" said Mnatsakanyan, arguing that Ishkhanyan had been summoned
for questioning to clarify whether he was aware of any crimes described
in the book committed in reality.
To this statement, human rights activist Vardan Harutyunyan asked -
if the phenomena described in the book are absent in the army, why
is its author being persecuted?
"In our army a soldier gets beaten up, in our army soldiers have
relations with each other based on the mob laws. One cannot turn a
blind eye on it and say that everything is fine," said Harutyunyan.
To read the report in full (in English) click here:
http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/EUR54/002/2013/en/6d6a852f-6494-4ef5-bc13-1373f154e0de/eur540022013en.pdf
From: Baghdasarian