Armenia Votes amid Reports of Widespread Irregularities
YEREVAN (A.W.)—Disappearing stamps, unidentified men, escorts, and multi-votes: Facts and rumors painted a chaotic image of the elections as they happened in eight polling stations visited by the Armenian Weekly.
One of the polling stations visited by the Armenian Weekly (Photo by Nanore Barsoumian)
Stamps disappearing from voters’ passports became one of the first news items on [...]
Armenia Braces for Parliamentary Elections
YEREVAN (A.W.)—On the eve of Armenia’s Parliamentary elections that will be held on May 6, silence reigns in Yerevan. The month-long campaigns have halted, like the calm before a storm. Still, billboards and posters try to quietly persuade voters. “I’m your guy,” they whisper.
A ripped billboard featuring Prosperous Armenia’s Gagik Dzaroukian (Photo by Nanore Barsoumian, [...]
Elections, Politics, and Accountability: An Interview with Civilitas Director Salpi Ghazarian
YEREVAN, Armenia—Armenian Weekly Assistant Editor Nanore Barsoumian sat down with Civilitas Foundation Director Salpi Ghazarian in Yerevan before the parliamentary elections. One of the aims of Civilitas is to promote the development of democracy in Armenia through initiatives that support education, rural development, and environmental awareness. Civilitas has been following the election campaign closely, and [...]
Assyrian Genocide Memorial Unveiled in Yerevan
YEREVAN (A.W.)—The official dedication of the Assyrian Genocide memorial on Nalbandyan Street in Yerevan took place on April 25, a day after Armenians worldwide commemorated the 97thanniversary of the Armenian Genocide. The monument was unveiled in the presence of Armenian officials, representatives of various local and international Assyrian organizations, representatives of Armenian political parties, members [...]
Hundreds of Thousands March to Genocide Memorial in Yerevan
YEREVAN (A.W.)—Carrying carnations, daffodils, and lilies, hundreds of thousands made the journey to the Armenian Genocide Memorial at Dzidzernagapert on April 24. President Serge Sarkisian, Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan, Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II, and government officials paid their respects in the morning. Around noontime, people slowly inched forward—until they reached the monument at [...]
Genocide Commemorated at Massachusetts State House (Slideshow)
BOSTON, Mass. (A.W.)—On April 20, hundreds commemorated the 97thanniversary of the Armenian Genocide at the Massachusetts State House in Boston. Guests included legislators, human rights activists, and members of the Armenian American community.
A scene from the commemoration (Photo by Aaron Spagnolo)
Rep. Jon Hecht (D-Watertown) co-hosted the event, together with Sen. Will Brownsberger (D-Belmont) and Rep. [...]
Religious Minorities in Turkey: ‘An Endangered Species’?
U.S. Religious Freedom Report Serves Tough Warning
The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) in its 2012 annual report recommended designating Turkey as a “country of particular concern (CPC)” for its “systematic and egregious limitations on the freedom of religion.” Turkey was on the commission’s “Watch List” from 2009-11.
The commission found that restrictions on [...]
Crying Wolf: A Misguided Canine Extermination Campaign or Sheep Protection?
In the Caucasus, villagers and wolves are currently locked in a deadly zero-sum game. With the recent cold snap in Armenia, some wolves began targeting livestock. Reports indicate that the damage was sometimes considerable, with over a dozen sheep from a single herd killed in some of these attacks. The government on Feb. 9 announced [...]
Eurovision Contest Inflames Regional Rivalries
Earlier this month Armenia announced that it would not participate in the Eurovision Song Contest scheduled to take in Baku from May 22-26. This is not the first time Armenia and Azerbaijan—and to a certain extent, Turkey—have clashed over the song competition. Armenia’s latest decision, however, elicited responses from Azerbaijani and Turkish officials. Turkey’s EU [...]
She Is His Equal: Pushing Gender Studies in Armenian Classrooms
“Old” and “Soviet style” approaches of teaching gender studies dominate high school level classrooms in Armenia, according to Anna Nikoghosyan, the program manager for Society Without Violence (SWV), a non-profit organization. The subject is haphazardly taught by social studies and literature teachers, and sometimes even gym instructors. SWV hopes to change that. The organization has [...]
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