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No Place for PACE: Three weeks on, no movement on following CoE resolution

Some who oppositionists are calling political prisoners
Twenty days have past since the adoption of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) Resolution 1609 in Strasbourg, calling for release of prisoners and other stipulations to bring more democratic conditions to Armenia’s unsettled political climate.

Oppositionists insists the requirements of the resolution are neither fulfilled nor even the repressions against supporters of their movement stopped.

Comprised of 14 points, the resolution underlines among other requirements “The persons, detained on seemingly artificial and politically motivated charges or who did not personally commit any violent acts or serious offences in connection with them should be urgently released.”

The former president and opposition leader Levon Ter-Petrosyan has particularly pointed to these very requirements of the resolution as a precondition for a dialogue [with the authorities]. Ter-Petrosyan, who stated at the Second Pan-National Congress last week he does not neglect “the circumstance that [the regime] is a political factor, and is ready for dialogue if the authorities fulfill the PACE resolution requirements and release imprisoned friends,” despite he does not recognize “the legitimacy of the regime that has seized the power”.
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News Issues of importance in the country and region

Movement: NKR issue sees renewed attention as MFA gets acquainted

An obvious boost in attention to the problem of Nagorno-Karabakh has been observed in Armenia in recent months. Never before has Stepanakert been visited by Armenia’s parliament speaker and foreign minister one after the other. Such an unprecedented event for Armenian foreign policy happened in April.

In late April Nagorno-Karabakh President Bako Sahakyan discussed with Armenia’s newly appointed Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandyan issues connected with the conflict settlement process. First of all, they discussed the need for restoring the format of the negotiating process with Nagorno-Karabakh’s switching the negotiations as a full party.
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Supreme Interest or Supreme Deception?: Historic building focus of controversy between Italian consul and Yerevan Municipality

The “Gegham Mnatsakanyan Residential House”, a historic and cultural monument, built in 1898 at Koghbatsi 22 may be dismantled to cede space to the historic and cultural district (which is designed on 20,000 square meters on the territory between Aram and Buzand streets, stretching from the building of the Sil Plaza to the Mantsakanyan House).

But before the decision on the fate of the building is made, the authorities have taken it from its current owner giving to another proprietor.
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Heaven’s deadly pebbles: New stations will control hail in Shirak province

The farmers of Shirak province are eager to see if new anti-hail stations will prove effective in saving crops from the sort of damage they often experience during May storms.

The first new anti-hail stations in Shirak province were installed last winter in the zones that are considered the most vulnerable under threat of hail. In all six stations were installed though the dangerous zones in communities Voghji, Meghrashat and Haykavan.
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Outside Eye A non-Armenian's view of life in his adopted home

Talking Points: If coalition believe their own numbers, why concern themselves with Ter-Petrosyan?

I’m not good with numbers, so am liable to huge misunderstanding about percentages, etc.

That confession at hand, here’s my question:

If Levon Ter-Petrosyan got only 21.5 percent of the vote in the February 19 election, why does his cause deserve all the attention it has created and all the trouble it has stirred?
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Features Peoples and Events of Interest

Food for Thought: Oppositionist analyst has career as hunger striker

When in the middle of April law enforcement entered Lusine Hayrapetyan’s home for the purpose of conducting a search they advised her to voluntarily surrender weapons, leaflets or pamphlets that were possibly kept at her apartment. But Lusine brought only a set of kitchen knives and said: “These are the only weapons at our home, and the strongest weapon is Suren’s mind and tongue because unlike many he speaks his mind. And you know where he is.”

Suren Surenyants, a member of the political council of the opposition Hanrapetutyun party and political analyst, as well as his family, including wife Lusine and two children, have suffered considerably because of their “strongest weapon”.
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Book publishing under corruption: Karabakh officials yearn for writer’s fame

Book publishing has recently become one of the most controversial issues speculated upon in Karabakh, where corruption has penetrated even into the modest enterprise.

The thing is that some Karabakhi officials have decided to use the state as a sponsor to publish books authored by them.
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No Alternative?: Jehovah’s Witness refuses optional military service

By court decision Vanadzor resident Davit Petrosyan will spend the next two and half years in prison for avoiding alternative military service.

The Vanadzor (Lori province) court of general authority recognized 18-year-old Jehovah’s Witness Petrosyan guilty based on part 1 article 327 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Armenia (for avoiding military service).
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Faith and Hope: Center in Kapan helps disabled children come out of homes

Disabled children of charitable center in Kapan now have an opportunity to attend the neighbouring private fitness club free of charge due to the support of Dino Gold Mining Company.

The Hearth of Faith and Hope non governmental organization was founded in Kapan 5 years ago and Azniv Stepanyan, the manager of the center says that the opportunity created by mining company (since April) has attracted more attention to their center.
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Commerce and Conviction: Armenian pilgrimages bring joy, belief, business

Each year an Armenian village in Kotayk province turns into a mix of belief, joy and fair. People stand in line to go down into the small room dug in the ground where there is a sanctuary with an image of Surb Hovhannes (Saint John) holding a lamb, surrounded with images of other saints.

The area is full of various voices – with the dreadful song of a faithful woman singing on her knees in front of the altar, which, however, is muffled by candle sellers’ “Buy cheap candles, may your dreams come true”, alms beggars’ “Give me some help, may your dreams come true”, traders’ “Cure my legs” children’s “Mom, would you buy me some sweets?” repeating every ten seconds.
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Sport If an Armenian kicked it, lifted it, wrestled it, etc. you?ll find news of it here

Sport: Armenia’s youth footballers triumph over Italian coevals

Football

Armenia’s U-19 national team led by coach Armen Gyulbudaghyants started well in an international friendly tournament in Italy. As reported by Armenia’s Football Federation, in the opening match over last weekend Armenia beat the U-19 team of Italy’s Seria C1 football club Monza – 4-1. In the second match, on Monday, Armenian footballers beat coevals from football club Vicenza (Seria B) with the same score. Armenia’s third and final opponent is the U-19 team of FC Juventus (playing in Seria A) on Saturday, May 10.
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