Armenian Gay and Lesbian Association of New York (AGLA NY) demands resignation of Hungary PM Viktor Orban over axe murderer Safarov fiasco

September 12, 2012

The Board and members of the Armenian Gay and Lesbian Association of New York (AGLA NY) would like to officially state their dismay concerning the Hungarian government’s extradition to Azerbaijian on August 31st, 2012 of former Azerbaijan Army lieutenant Ramil Safarov, who had already served eight years in a Budapest jail for killing Gurgen Margarian in 2004. As has been widely reported in the press, Margarian, an Armenian officer who was a fellow participant in a NATO Partnership for Peace exercise, was hacked to death in his sleep with an ax by Safarov.

The Hungarian government originally stated that it transferred the prisoner to Azerbaijan on the understanding that he would serve out the rest of his life sentence in his home country. It is difficult to take such a statement at face value, given the fact that Ilham Aliyev, the dictator who runs Azerbaijian, has referred to Armenians in only the most vile of terms and continually threatened to destroy Armenia and Nagorno-Karabagh by military means. In later statements it seems that Prime Minister Orban may have known all along that Margarian would be pardoned once in Azerbaijian. Not surprisingly upon his arrival in Baku, Lieutenant Safarov was pardoned by President Ilham Aliyev, restored to military duties and promoted to major. He was also given an apartment and awarded back pay for his time in prison. In the press, Safarov has been hailed as a national hero when he has perpetrated a hate crime, pure and simple.

The pardoning of Safarov sets back the quest for peace in the Caucasus, as it is a direct provocation to the Republic of Armenia.

The United States, the United Nations and other international organizations and governments should apply all available pressure on the Azeri government to honor its agreement with Hungary and return Safarov to where he belongs for the rest of his life—a jail cell. We also second the motion of the Hungarian opposition party for the Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban—who has admitted to approving Safarov’s transfer to Baku—to resign immediately.

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Read also: Epic shame for Hungary as axe murderer Ramil Safarov extradited to Azerbaijan to be pardoned and turned into ‘national hero’

Terrorists as ‘national heroes’? Armenia ruling Republican party spokesman and MP explicitly support firebombers of DIY bar in capital Yerevan and encourage anti-gay attacks

Absolutely disgusting and outrageous! Pretty much nauseating, in fact.

Armenia ruling Republican party spokesman, MP Eduard Sharmazanov in a statement to local media explicitly supported firebombers of DIY bar in capital Yerevan. [Republican party of Armenia is a member of the European People’s party].

He dubbs terrorist act by firebombers against gay friendly DIY bar a “rebellion” and - echoing ARF MP Artsvik Minasyan - calls it “right and justified” (!!!)

“All those who are trying to protect homosexuals, who are perverting our society, are defaming the Armenian national identity. As an Armenian citizen and member of a national-conservative party, I find the rebellion of the two young Armenian people against the homosexuals, who have created a den of perversion in our country and have a goal of alienating the society from its moral values, completely right and justified. And those human rights defenders, who are trying to earn cheap dividends from this incident, I urge them first and foremost to protect the national and universal values”, said Eduard Sharmazanov.  

Another MP of ruling Republican party Hovhannes Sahakyan similarly supported the attackers and the stance of two MPs of ARF Dashnaktsutyun who bailed out firebomber and (in case of Artsvik Minasyan) justified the attack. He praised firebombers who made a “practical step” and have not just satisfied with online discussions (!!!).

Որպես քաղաքացի ողջունում եմ այդ երիտասարդներին, նաեւ ցանկացած օրինական միջոցներով ու մեթոդներով բոլոր արատավոր երեւույթների դեմ մղվող պայքարը: Գուցեեւ այս երիտասարդների գործողությունները մի փոքր ավելի կտրուկ ու ագրեսիվ են եղել, սակայն պետք է հաշվի առնել նրանց տարիքը: Այդ տարիքում բոլորս էլ շատ ավելի անկառավարելի եւ հանդուգն ենք եղել: Ինձ համար շատ ավելի կարեւոր է, որ այդ երիտասարդները գիտակցում են իրենց հայ լինելը, զգում են ազգային արմատները եւ չեն հանդուժել, որ ազգայինը խաթարող արատները չափից դուրս դրսեւորում ունենան: Միանգամայն ողջունում են նաեւ ազգային արժեքների պահպանման նախանձախնդիր եւ այս հարթությունում մեր մշտական գործընկեր Դաշնակցության պատգամավորների քայլերը: [...]
Աղանդների ու սեռական շեղումներ ունեցող խմբերի դեմ նույնիսկ շատ ավելի կոշտ միջոցներով է հարկավոր պայքարել, քանի որ այս երեւույթները մեզանից քաղաքացիներ են խլում, հայ մարդուն են այլասերում: Հայ առողջ մարդու հոգեւոր ու զգայական ներաշխարհին, աշխարհընկալմանը խորթ, անընդունելի ու անհանդուրժելի երեւույթների դեմ յուրաքանչյուրս էլ կարող ենք կտրուկ եւ կոշտ դրսեւորումներ ունենալ: Արդյունքը հանցանք թե զանցանք կլինի՝ կորոշի օրենքը: Համենայն դեպս, արատավոր երեւույթների դեմ պայքարը մեզանում չափազանց դրսեւորումներ չի ունեցել, զոհեր չեն եղել: Հասկանալի է, որ այս երիտասարդները ծայրահեղ քայլի են դիմել, բայց նաեւ ողջունելի է, որ գործնական քայլ են կատարել եւ չեն բավարարվել ինտերնետային գնահատականներով: Թեկուզ մարգինալ, բայց այս երիտասարդները նաեւ հայրենասերներ են: 

What is going on in Armenia? Are we seriously moving towards state sponsored fascism? I thought we were moving towards Europe...

And this is happening in a country that made significant contribution to the fight against fascism... In a country that survived the Genocide...

This can no longer be considered as "internal affairs" of Armenia. This is developing into a real threat towards lives and freedom of citizens of Republic of Armenia. Terrorists acts are being justified and encouraged at a very high state level of the Armenian parliament and ruling party. Anti-gay attackers are being effectively proclaimed as 'national heroes’.

Spokesman of Armenia’s Republican party Eduard Sharmazanov & co should be denied visa to civilised world as supporters of terrorism in their country.

Exposed: Chief of staff of Public Council of Armenia supports neo-nazi firebombers

Hakob Barkhudaryan, chief of staff of Public Council of Republic of Armenia, a consultative body at Armenia president, created a Facebook page in praise of neo-nazi attackers on DIY bar: "In support of firebombers of DIY club", calling for  attackers to be freed of persecution.

One of the main stated purposes of the Public Council of Armenia is "Representation of interests of the Armenian citizens and non-governmental associations in State policy formulation and implementation."

This is truly Scandal of the Day. We all know that this council is pretty much a formality, and there are quite a few openly homophobic members there. But support for terrorists? Unbelievable.

What is the position of the president of Public Council re this matter? What is the position of Armenia president?

The Public Council is led by the President of the Public Council appointed by the President of the republic of Armenia from among the members of the Public Council. [...] 12 out of the 36 members were appointed by the Order of the Armenian President and were tasked with setting up 12 area committees.

We need urgent answers as the consequences of this could be enormously damaging for the reputation of Armenia, suggesting support for neo-nazi and firebombers in the very heart of state structures.

MPs of ARF Dashnaktsutyun party bail out neo-nazi attacker of DIY bar. Dashnak MP Artsvik Minasyan supports arson attack, effectively encouraging terrorism in Armenia

The day brought about truly scandalous developments. At a press conference (15 May) on hate crimes and recent attack on DIY bar in Yerevan, it was revealed that Armenian MPs from the ARF Dashnaktsutyun party Artsvik Minasyan and Hrayr Karapetyan bailed out one of the detained arsonists, while the other one was released on signature that he won’t leave the country.

In an interview with Panorama.am, Artsvik Minasyan effectively confirmed the news, saying that he knows the detainees and they are “normal people, normal persons; the investigation will reveal to what extent the violation they committed endangered public safety”.

Որովհետև ճանաչելով այդ երիտասարդներին, գտնում եմ, որ իրենք նորմալ մարդիկ են, նորմալ անձնավորություն են, և դեռ քննությունը կպարզի, որքանով է իրավախախտումը համապատասխանում հասարակության վտանգավորության աստիճանին:

About the owner of DIY bar, Dashnak MP said that “people like Tsomak destroy Armenian society”.

Ծոմակին ես երեկ հեռուստատեսությամբ եմ առաջին անգամ լսել, և համարում եմ, որ նրա տեսակը, կոպիտ բառ չեմ ուզում ասել, ոչնչացնում է հայ հասարակությանը:

He then went on further to justify arsonists, saying they acted in accordance with the "context of our societal & national ideology, in the right way" (!!).

Տվյալ դեպքում ես համոզված եմ, որ այդ երիտասարդները շարժվել են մեր հասարակության և ազգային գաղափարաբանության համատեքստում, ճիշտ ձևով:

Basically, Armenian MP of ARF Dashnaktsutyun party Artsvik Minasyan supports and encourages terrorism in Armenia. With such statement, he acted as a pure criminal. ARF Dashnaktsutyun party must explain what's going on or else I'll conclude they support terrorism too.

@onewphoto: [...] I question suitability of bail 4 someone caught on camera firebombing a target in a residential building. Especially given risk of him escaping to Iran. This is high-level connections crap. Bail amount was nothing too. 

@KevorkO: A 'national ideology' that deems thuggery and terrorism more 'normal' than homosexuality is nothing less than degenerate

On Facebook, journalist friend reacted to ARF Dashnak MP support of arsonists against DIY: “ARF has died. Tomorrow is the burial”.

One Dashnak member changed her Facebook profile picture with the one of rainbow colours and “Dashnaks for LGBT rights” written across.

If ARF Dashnaktsutyun won't make clear statements distancing itself from its own MP, then truly this is a death of ARF Dashnaktsutyun as a political party and its transformation into a neo-nazi group that supports and encourages terrorism in Armenia. Needless to say, utterly homophobic too.

Good to see this ARF Dashnaktsutyun-affiliated publication in Diaspora - The Armenian Weekly - writing a decent piece about the incident: Hate Crime Targets Gay Friendly Bar in Yerevan, MPs Bail out Assailants ...while local Yerevan-based ARF-affiliated Yerkir Media TV station resorts to pathetic homophobic rant.

If ARF-affiliated groups and party members worldwide care about the reputation of their party, and - more importantly - the future of Armenia, they should speak up against homophobia. They should demand that ARF makes statement clearly disassociated from their MP’s statement. They should demand that disgraced MP Artsvik Minasyan resign.

New attack on DIY

On 15 May new attack on DIY bar was carried out by reportedly group of 16-18 years old youth. Attackers burned anti-fascist posters in DIY and painted Nazi signs on the wall.

*picture by Lara Aharonian 

The attack was captured by CCTV, and two of the alleged attackers were questioned.

As a friend of mine commented on Facebook, “..hate crime, no public condemnation by authorities, more encouragement by an MP and now repetition of hate crime, do you see the cycle?..”
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For background: 
HATE CRIME: DIY bar in Armenia capital Yerevan under neo-nazi arson attack
DIY: the moment of attack (CCTV footage)
Please, help re-build DIY !! Your support is essential !!
Statement by NGOs and activists re: neo-nazi attack on DIY bar in Armenia capital Yerevan + news update


Other relevant posts:
IANYAN: Armenia: In Wake of Arson Attack, Support and Fear

An early morning arson attack on the popular Yerevan-based bar, DIY last week has led to an outpouring of support from concerned citizens, activists and customers who frequented the relatively new establishment, but also anxiously renewed fears in the country’s LGBTQ population, who have kept a relatively low profile and faced discrimination for years. 

DIY, which bills itself as a bar for alternative thinkers, was frequented by many in Armenia’s gay community, a place considered a safe haven, free of judgment or discrimination. The violent act, which caused around $4,000 of damage according to well-informed sources, is being said to have been motivated by nationalistic and fascist ideology – the bar’s gay-friendly atmosphere as well as owner Tsomak Oganesova’s attendance at Istanbul’s Gay Pride Parade in neighboring Turkey have been cited as two key factors that have categorized the attack as a hate crime. [...]

Adrineh’s post raises questions asked by some in Armenia LGBT community: What happens next?... including concerns and fears for lives of LGBT people in Armenia. [Queer-Friendly Yerevan Bar Bombed: What Happens Next?]

Showbiz scandal of the day? Sirusho to Eva Rivas: ‘be more modest'

In an interview with Public TV, commenting on her performance at Eurovision 2010, along with other statements, Eva Rivas said no other Armenian representative at Eurovision got such a reception.

Armenia’s most successful to date Eurovision entry (4th place) - Sirusho, hit back today by advising Eva to be “more modest” and “recognise others’ achievements”.

Interestingly, Tert.am which published Sirusho’s commentary, has since removed the page. Below you may read it in full (in Armenian).

Սիրուշոն Եվա Ռիվասին խորհուրդ է տալիս մի քիչ համեստ լինել

15:54 • 05.06.10

«Վերջերս լսեցի մի հարցազրույց նրա մասնակցությամբ։ Նա մի նախադասություն ասաց, թե մինչ այդ Հայաստանի ներկայացուցչի կատարումը և ելույթը չեն արժանացել նման ընդունելության։ Կարծում եմ, որ մեր բոլոր մասնակիցները շատ լավ են ներկայացրել Հայաստանը։ Պետք է, երևի, մի քիչ ավելի համեստ գտնվել և նկատել մյուսների հաջողությունները», – ասաց Սիրուշոն՝ Tert.am-ի խնդրանքով մեկնաբանելով Եվա Ռիվասի մասնակցությունը «Եվրատեսիլում»։

Խոսելով մրցույթի մասին՝ Սիրուշոն նշեց, որ այն լավ մրցույթ է և պետք է դրական վերաբերվել դրան։
«Ինձ մոտ տրամադրությունն այդպիսին է եղել։ Երբեք այդ մրցակցության զգացողությունը չի եղել։ Դա է, երևի, արդյունքը, որ հորիզոնականս բարձր է եղել։ Կարևոր է հանգստությունը, բարի վերաբերմունքը բոլորի հանդեպ», – եզրափակեց նա։

Հիշեցնենք, որ 2008թ. Սիրուշոն ներկայացրեց Հայաստանը «Եվրատեսիլում» և զբաղեցրեց 4–րդ հորիզոնականը։.

I have to agree that during that interview Eva sounded too self-confident and lacking self-criticism towards her own performance and show. Of course, one may argue that Sirusho didn’t face a jury vote, and we will never know what her and any other for that matter participant’s final place would be had they faced the same 50% televotes / 50% jury votes. I have to confess, however, that so far Sirusho’s Qele-qele remains my favourite Armenian entry at Eurovision.

Armenia: Showbiz Scandals