Ruzanna Stepanian

Armenia -- The February 5 edition of the "Haykakan Zhamanak" newspaper featuring a front-page picture of its jailed editor Nikol Pashinian , 07Feb2011

փետրվար 08, 2011

Opposition Paper Again Fined For Libel

A court in Yerevan on Monday ordered the pro-opposition daily “Haykakan Zhamanak” to pay three government-connected businessmen 6 million drams ($16,500) in damages and retract its allegations that they engaged in criminal activity in Russia.

Armenia -- President Serzh Sarkisian (L) and Prosperous Armenia Party leader Gagik Tsarukian.

փետրվար 04, 2011

Tsarukian Rebuked For Not Backing Sarkisian’s Reelection

A leading member of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) on Thursday blamed its increasingly obvious friction with Gagik Tsarukian’s Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK) on his reluctance to pledge support for President Serzh Sarkisian’s reelection bid.

Armenia -- Armen Harutiunian, the outgoing human rights ombudsman, holds a farewell news conference, 2Feb2011.

փետրվար 03, 2011

Armenian Ombudsman Resigns To Take Up UN Job

Armen Harutiunian, Armenia’s state human rights defender, has officially resigned to take up a high-level United Nations post in Central Asia.

France -- President of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly Mevlut Cavusoglu attends a debate at the PACE in Strasbourg, 26Jan2011

հունվար 28, 2011

PACE Revives Karabakh Panel Despite Armenian Objections

Amid strong objections from its Armenian members, the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) decided on Friday to restart the work of an ad hoc “subcommittee” on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict championed by its Turkish president, Mevlut Cavusoglu.

France - A session of the Council of Europe's Parliamentary Assemby in Strasbourg.

հունվար 28, 2011

PACE Sees Armenian ‘Non-Compliance’ With European Court Rulings

The Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) on Wednesday listed Armenia among more than a dozen member states which it said are not fully and promptly complying with rulings handed down by the European Court of Human Rights.

Bosnia and Herzegovina - Thomas Hammarberg, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Sarajevo, 29Nov2010.

հունվար 21, 2011

Council Of Europe Official Meets Jailed Armenian Oppositionists

Thomas Hammarberg, the Council of Europe commissioner for human rights, has met with the most prominent of Armenian opposition members remaining in prison during his continuing fact-finding visit to Armenia.

Armenia -- Opposition supporters demonstrate during a visit to Yerevan by Thomas Hammarberg, the Council of Europe's commissioner for human rights, 18Jan2011.

հունվար 19, 2011

Council Of Europe Official Concerned About Jailed Armenian Oppositionists

Thomas Hammarberg, the Council of Europe’s commissioner for human rights, expressed concern about the continuing imprisonment of Armenian opposition members on Tuesday as he began a fact-finding visit to Yerevan.

Armenia -- Mihran Poghosian, head of a Justice Ministry division tasked with enforcing court rulings.

հունվար 18, 2011

Armenian Official Retains Job Despite ‘Violent Conduct’

Armenia’s recently appointed Justice Minister Hrayr Tovmasian confirmed on Monday that one of his high-ranking subordinates will not be sacked despite reportedly violent conduct that led to the resignation of his predecessor Gevorg Danielian.

Armenia -- Agriculture Minister Gerasim Alaverdian, undated.

դեկտեմբեր 28, 2010

Armenian Coalition Party Again Changes Minister

The Orinats Yerkir Party of Artur Baghdasarian announced on Monday that it has decided to replace yet another minister representing it in President Serzh Sarkisian’s coalition government.

Armenia - Karen Karapetian, head of ArmRosGazprom company, was elected as new Mayor of Yerevan, 17Dec2010

դեկտեմբեր 17, 2010

Gas Company Chief Becomes Mayor Of Armenian Capital

A national gas-distribution company’s top manager was installed as Armenian capital Yerevan’s new mayor on Friday after the city council dominated by the ruling party voted overwhelmingly to support his candidacy.

Armenia -- President Serzh Sarkisian (C) presides over a congress of his Republican Party of Armenia on November 26, 2009.

դեկտեմբեր 17, 2010

Armenian Ruling Party Backs Cabinet Reshuffle, Names Yerevan Mayor

Armenia’s ruling party has approved several major changes in the current government proposed by President Serzh Sarkisian and has named a candidate for the mayoral post in capital Yerevan that has remained vacant since its former holder’s scandalous resignation earlier this month.

Armenia -- The Presidential Palace in Yerevan, undated

դեկտեմբեր 16, 2010

Imminent Changes in Armenian Government ‘Confirmed’

Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian’s office has confirmed the latest reports in the media about imminent “personnel changes” in the government. But talking to RFE/RL’s Armenian service late on Thursday, presidential spokesman Armen Arzumanian stopped short of providing details.

Armenia -- The municipal Council of Elders votes to schedule the election of Yerevan's new mayor, 13Dec2010.

դեկտեմբեր 14, 2010

Sarkisian To Have ‘Decisive Say’ In Choice Of New Yerevan Mayor

President Serzh Sarkisian will have decisive word in the upcoming election of Yerevan’s new mayor by the municipal council, a leading member of his Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) said on Monday.

Armenia -- Armen Rustamian, a leader of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation, at a news conference in Yerevan, 8Dec2010.

դեկտեմբեր 09, 2010

Dashnaks Decry ‘Rule Of Wealth’ In Armenia

The Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun) stepped up its criticism of the Armenia’s current leadership on Wednesday, saying that the country is controlled by a “privileged class” of wealthy government-linked citizens.

Armenia -- Yerevan Mayor Gagik Beglarian.

դեկտեմբեր 09, 2010

Yerevan Mayor Resigns Over Assault

Yerevan’s controversial Mayor Gagik Beglarian was forced to step down on Wednesday after reportedly beating up a member of President Serzh Sarkisian’s staff. (UPDATED)

Armenia -- Opposition leader Levon Ter-Petrosian speaks at a rally in Yerevan, 09Nov2010.

դեկտեմբեր 08, 2010

Ter-Petrosian Seeks Stronger EU Pressure On Yerevan

Opposition leader Levon Ter-Petrosian urged the European Union on Tuesday to press harder for the release of his loyalists remaining in prison, the Armenian government’s respect of civil rights and an objective inquiry into the 2008 post-election unrest in Yerevan.

Armenia -- Members of the People's TV Board of Trustees at a press conference. 06Dec2010

դեկտեմբեր 06, 2010

Thousands in Armenia Donate To Help Embattled TV

Thousands of Armenians have donated small amounts of money to a fund set up to assist a television company that has been struggling for years to regain its broadcasting license.

Nagorno-Karabakh -- the unrecognized republic's flag flies over the presidential building in Stepanakert, 18Jun2000

դեկտեմբեր 03, 2010

Karabakh Official Defends Status Quo

The failure of the latest international push for a Nagorno-Karabakh settlement has demonstrated that both the conflicting parties and international mediators are interested in preserving the status quo, a spokesman for Karabakh President Bako Sahakian claimed on Friday.

Armenia -- Razmik Zohrabian, a deputy chairman the ruling HHK, at a press conference, 05Oct2009.

դեկտեմբեր 02, 2010

Ruling Party Leader Denies Armenian Arms Transfer To Iran

A leading member of President Serzh Sarkisian’s Republican Party (HHK) on Wednesday denied the newly disclosed U.S. claims that Armenia had re-exported weapons to Iran.

Nagorno-Karabakh -- Karabakh Armenian soldiers hold military exercises.

նոյեմբեր 25, 2010

Karabakh Army Shooting Suspect Named

Military investigators officially identified on Wednesday an Armenian soldier who they say shot dead four fellow servicemen and wounded three others at a military base in Nagorno-Karabakh late last week.