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The Globe and Mail (Canada)
June 14, 2014 Saturday
TRIAL BEGINS: Family fears Cuban court has made its decision
Transportation executive spent over two years in jail before charges
laid but suspicion is outcome has been determined
by KIM MACKRAEL
OTTAWA
More than 21/2 years after his arrest in a wide-ranging corruption
investigation, a Canadian business executive accused of bribery and
tax evasion is pleading his case before a Cuban court - but his family
fears the outcome has been predetermined.
Cy Tokmakjian, 74, appeared before a Cuban court on Monday for the
beginning of a trial that is expected to last two weeks. His charges
relate to bribery, contractual issues, and commercial crimes against
the Cuban economy and he is being tried alongside at least 16 other
individuals who either worked for or had dealings with his company's
operations in Cuba.
Originally from Armenia, Mr. Tokmakjian founded a transportation
company in Canada in the early 1970s and later expanded the firm's
operations to Cuba, Barbados and several other countries. He was
arrested in September, 2011, and held in a Cuban jail for nearly 2 1/2
years before any charges were laid.
Lee Hacker, a spokesman for Mr. Tokmakjian's family and vice-president
of finance for the Tokmakjian Group, said Mr. Tokmakjian maintained
high ethical standards in his work and did not break Cuban laws.
"The allegations and charges made against the Tokmakjian Group by
Cuban authorities are completely baseless and the defence will show
that clearly," Mr. Hacker said in a written statement that was
provided to The Globe and Mail. "However, because of serious concerns
with the lack of due process, transparency and independence in the
Cuban system, we fear that the outcome has already been
predetermined."
A statement outlining Mr. Tokmakjian's defence, obtained by The Globe,
says the businessman invited Cuban officials for meals at his home and
gave Christmas and New Year's gifts to a range of recipients but made
no attempt to obtain any favours in return.
Earlier this year, the Tokmakjian Group filed a claim against the
Cuban government with the Ontario Superior Court. A statement of claim
alleges that the company's assets were improperly seized and that the
Cuban government interfered with Tokmakjian Group's commercial
relations with its customers.
The trial comes one year after another Canadian businessman, Sarkis
Yacoubian, was sentenced to nine years in prison on corruption-related
charges after he reportedly co-operated with Cuban authorities in
their investigation. Mr. Yacoubian was expelled from Cuba in February
and has since returned to Canada. He did not have to serve the
remainder of his sentence when he returned to Canada because Cuban
authorities did not arrange a transfer.
The 2011 arrests of Mr. Yacoubian and other business executives and
their trials came as a surprise to foreign investors and raised
questions about the security of their assets in Cuba. Experts say the
arrests, combined with attempts to increase the Cuban government's
control of some foreign businesses, have clouded the country's
business environment at a time when the government is trying to
attract more capital to the communist economy.
Conservative MP Peter Kent has followed Mr. Tokmakjian's case and
visited him in prison last fall. He said he is troubled by reports the
Cuban court may not review all the evidence Mr. Tokmakjian's lawyers
had asked to present.
A spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and
Development would not say whether it is assisting Mr. Tokmakjian,
citing privacy concerns. "Consular services are being provided to the
Canadian citizen who is detained in Cuba," Beatrice Fenelon wrote in
an e-mail when asked about Mr. Tokmakjian's case. "Canadian consular
officials in Havana are engaging local authorities and continue to
monitor the case closely."
Officials at the Cuban embassy in Ottawa could not be reached to
comment on the matter.
From: Baghdasarian
June 14, 2014 Saturday
TRIAL BEGINS: Family fears Cuban court has made its decision
Transportation executive spent over two years in jail before charges
laid but suspicion is outcome has been determined
by KIM MACKRAEL
OTTAWA
More than 21/2 years after his arrest in a wide-ranging corruption
investigation, a Canadian business executive accused of bribery and
tax evasion is pleading his case before a Cuban court - but his family
fears the outcome has been predetermined.
Cy Tokmakjian, 74, appeared before a Cuban court on Monday for the
beginning of a trial that is expected to last two weeks. His charges
relate to bribery, contractual issues, and commercial crimes against
the Cuban economy and he is being tried alongside at least 16 other
individuals who either worked for or had dealings with his company's
operations in Cuba.
Originally from Armenia, Mr. Tokmakjian founded a transportation
company in Canada in the early 1970s and later expanded the firm's
operations to Cuba, Barbados and several other countries. He was
arrested in September, 2011, and held in a Cuban jail for nearly 2 1/2
years before any charges were laid.
Lee Hacker, a spokesman for Mr. Tokmakjian's family and vice-president
of finance for the Tokmakjian Group, said Mr. Tokmakjian maintained
high ethical standards in his work and did not break Cuban laws.
"The allegations and charges made against the Tokmakjian Group by
Cuban authorities are completely baseless and the defence will show
that clearly," Mr. Hacker said in a written statement that was
provided to The Globe and Mail. "However, because of serious concerns
with the lack of due process, transparency and independence in the
Cuban system, we fear that the outcome has already been
predetermined."
A statement outlining Mr. Tokmakjian's defence, obtained by The Globe,
says the businessman invited Cuban officials for meals at his home and
gave Christmas and New Year's gifts to a range of recipients but made
no attempt to obtain any favours in return.
Earlier this year, the Tokmakjian Group filed a claim against the
Cuban government with the Ontario Superior Court. A statement of claim
alleges that the company's assets were improperly seized and that the
Cuban government interfered with Tokmakjian Group's commercial
relations with its customers.
The trial comes one year after another Canadian businessman, Sarkis
Yacoubian, was sentenced to nine years in prison on corruption-related
charges after he reportedly co-operated with Cuban authorities in
their investigation. Mr. Yacoubian was expelled from Cuba in February
and has since returned to Canada. He did not have to serve the
remainder of his sentence when he returned to Canada because Cuban
authorities did not arrange a transfer.
The 2011 arrests of Mr. Yacoubian and other business executives and
their trials came as a surprise to foreign investors and raised
questions about the security of their assets in Cuba. Experts say the
arrests, combined with attempts to increase the Cuban government's
control of some foreign businesses, have clouded the country's
business environment at a time when the government is trying to
attract more capital to the communist economy.
Conservative MP Peter Kent has followed Mr. Tokmakjian's case and
visited him in prison last fall. He said he is troubled by reports the
Cuban court may not review all the evidence Mr. Tokmakjian's lawyers
had asked to present.
A spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and
Development would not say whether it is assisting Mr. Tokmakjian,
citing privacy concerns. "Consular services are being provided to the
Canadian citizen who is detained in Cuba," Beatrice Fenelon wrote in
an e-mail when asked about Mr. Tokmakjian's case. "Canadian consular
officials in Havana are engaging local authorities and continue to
monitor the case closely."
Officials at the Cuban embassy in Ottawa could not be reached to
comment on the matter.
From: Baghdasarian