2020 September 25

Daily news and anti-corruption report

Sep/25/2020 news: \\ Tsarukyan arrested \\ ARM-AZE diplomatic spat \\ parks or garages? \\ NSS busts officials \\ police brutality investigations \\ mass unrest: mayor vs GasProm \\ Parliament stats \\ fake news busted \\ officials sacked \\ COVID news \\ economy & wages \\ hide and seek \\ science
by ar_david_hh

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BHK leader Tsarukyan's trial / Supporters clash with police over masks

the big day

Tsarukyan appeared in court over the alleged 2017 voter buying. "If arresting me will improve people's lives, then no problem. Tsarukyan is in good mood, why shouldn't Tsarukyan be in good mood," spoke Tsarukyan about himself outside of court.

He said the govt is inexperienced and unable to improve people's lives. "Let them not be afraid of Tsarukyan, let them glorify him," said Tsarukyan about himself on another occasion.

supporters and opponents

Professional protester Vardges Gaspari was also present. He is known for laying on the ground as a sign of protest against the former regime and police brutality. Today he was holding a sign "Those who bribe my compatriots will be held accountable".

Ex-NSS Vanetsyan's party Hayreniq and ARF were present to support Tsarukyan.

drama around masks

BHK MP Naira Zohrabyan managed to get a "doctor's note" to exempt her from wearing a mask. "I'm going to sticky the note on me so the cops won't approach every minute," she said.

The police began distributing masks for other Tsarukyan allies gathered in the backyard.

3 people were confronted for not wearing a mask. A scuffle broke out and they were detained.

BHK MK Gevorg Petrosyan received his N-th ticket for not wearing a mask.

I want a new judge

The trial began but was paused. Tsarukyan asked the judge to recuse himself after claiming the court system was rigged to pick this judge specifically. This judge has earned the "reputation" for often siding with prosecutors under the former (cough BHK cough) regime. A sad day for Gago, indeed.

The judge didn't recuse himself and left to prepare the verdict. It'll be published at 11pm.

decision time

The court decided to arrest him. His allies gathered in front of the NSS detention center and chanted "Tsarukyan" and "Nikol resign" while waiting for Tsarukyan's arrival and detention.

https://armtimes.com/hy/article/196605 , https://armtimes.com/hy/article/196616 , https://armtimes.com/hy/article/196629 , https://armtimes.com/hy/article/196642 , https://armtimes.com/hy/article/196650 , https://armtimes.com/hy/article/196653 , https://youtu.be/zWEUgKGwkRc , https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/196684 , https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/196676 , https://factor.am/286550.html , https://factor.am/286557.html , https://factor.am/286699.html , https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/196713 , https://factor.am/286897.html

Statistics: Parliament attendance & Bills during the pandemic

how many

Twice as many bills were passed this season (345) compared to previous. The bills were approved twice faster.

by whom

Ruling QP drafted 16% more bills. Opposition 15% less.

Out of all 21 rejected bills, 11 were LHK and 10 BHK.

դասից թռնողներ

BHK's Gagik Tsarukyan missed the most number of sessions. 4 out of 5 MPs with worst attendance were BHK, with one QP MP making it in the top-5 "due to physical vacation", and one BHK MP due to COVID.

The best attendance was by BHK MP Mikael Melkumyan.

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1028831.html , https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1028826.html

NSS busts a dirty cop

The report says: the chief of one of Ijevan's police departments took a $155 bribe to give an E-class driver's license to a resident. Other officials were also involved. Several arrested. A felony case is launched.

https://armtimes.com/hy/article/196645

Facebook deletes fake Russian accounts

214 accounts and 35 pages with thousands of followers, run by/from Russia, were covertly influencing politics in Armenia and other states.

https://about.fb.com/news/2020/09/removing-coordinated-inauthentic-behavior-russia/ , https://www.panarmenian.net/arm/news/285466/

Pashinyan warns Aliyev / Diplomatic channel warfare

Azeri govt media claimed that Pashinyan's former aide Arsen Kharatyan, "a George Soros Foundation ally", held unannounced talks with Azerbaijan in 2018 and agreed for "serious concessions a-la Levon Ter-Petrosyan style."

Kharatyan called the report a "lie" and an attempt by "Azeri govt to save itself at any cost."

Pashinyan responds: // the Azeri military-political elite has a new propaganda method. A so-called "disclosure of confidential information". If we begin to spread confidential info, the internal stability of Azerbaijan will sharply deteriorate.

Lately, they've been blaming us for the lack of negotiations. They want us to make one-sided concessions in exchange for not getting attacked. You cannot speak the language of threat with us. The solution must be acceptable for Armenian and the Azeri public. //

https://www.panarmenian.net/arm/news/285468/ , https://www.panarmenian.net/arm/news/285483/

NSS busts a fake document circulated by Azeris

A fake Defense Ministry document allegedly warned Artsakh residents to be ready for evacuation and to only take with them the most important personal items.

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1028764.html , https://armtimes.com/hy/article/196595

Armenian and Azeri soldiers near borders

Armenian army denied gathering large quantities of soldiers near the border and accused Azerbaijan of doing it. "We are monitoring the Azeri movements."

Azeri reservists were told they'll need to stay 60 days instead of 15.

https://razm.info/146231

Flashback 1990s Karabakh War: How Azerbaijan hired mujahedeen and terrorists

Over 3,000 mercenaries were paid to fight for Azerbaijan in the war. It included recruits from Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Chechen terrorist organizations.

Dozens of Russian, Ukrainian, and other post-Soviet pilots were hired by Azerbaijan. Some of them were shot down over the air, arrested, and later apologized to Armenia.

Documentary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SRlYQb2-Ks

Pashinyan's UN speech

"Artsakh people should be allowed to determine their status without restrictions."

Full speech: https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1028845.html

SOC audit reveals large financial damages in Zinar army company

Zinar is a company owned by the Defense Ministry. It provides services and does trade related to the army.

The SOC audited its 2017-2019 finances and found $332,000 in damages. Some tea facilities were operating illegally, the funds weren't properly collected, funds were paid to people who didn't work, coffee vending machines aren't regulated which resulted in financial losses, etc.

SOC recommends suspending Zinar and transferring its duties directly to the Defense Ministry.

https://armtimes.com/hy/article/196606

re: the sacking of several officials, reappointments, resignations, structural changes

Deputy Education Minister Tamrazyan and chief of anti-plagiarism department Gogyan were fired, or as they claim, "chose to resign" yesterday. The two recently had a public spat over the appointment of Economics University rector Diana Galoyan. The details are in yesterday's post.

Gogyan says he resigned because his anti-plagiarism efforts weren't appreciated.

Tamrazyan said he always fought for justice.

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QP MP Papbukhchyan resigned and has been promoted as a deputy Emergency Minister. Pashinyan signed a decree to merge two Emergency Ministry departments and to create a new department that handles the storage of important food and non-food items.

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QP MP Gayane Abrahamyan resigned after yesterday's party meeting, due to "ideological disagreements". She thanked her colleagues for "20 months of long and effective cooperation during these crucial times". It's possibly related to her disappointment that not enough cooperation was established with various NGOs.

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QP MP Tigran Ulikhanyan resigned so he can work as the deputy director of SOC.

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Georgi Avetisyan was fired from the position of the chief of Food Safety Inspection Agency.

https://armtimes.com/hy/article/196598 , https://armtimes.com/hy/article/196607 , https://armtimes.com/hy/article/196614 , https://armtimes.com/hy/article/196628 , https://armtimes.com/hy/article/196640 , https://armtimes.com/hy/article/196651 , https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/196696

locals attack GasProm workers with bats and sticks

The report says: // GasProm was doing efficiency-boosting repairs near Tsovagyugh settlement after learning that the locals were allegedly stealing gas.

The mayor found out about the repairs, gathered 50 friends, and went to hinder their work.

10 cops and GasProm workers were assaulted. Some were hospitalized. GasProm's vehicles were damaged. The mayor and allies are facing felony charges. //

Investigative Committee's "special importance" department will handle the case. The mayor says he was only trying to stop a fight between villagers and cops.

https://armtimes.com/hy/article/196630 , https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=e6I7ey5CC4I , https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1028832.html , https://hetq.am/hy/article/121924

inferno engulfs 10 houses

Ptghunq settlement had 10 of its houses, which were attached through the roof, damaged by fire last night. It took 6 hours to extinguish it. Experts are examining the cause.

No injuries. The residents are temporarily relocated to a school building.

Photos: https://armtimes.com/hy/article/196600 , https://armtimes.com/hy/article/196604

United Nations gave an award to the Healthcare Ministry

... for passing several laws and the effective fight against primary and second-hand smoking, free heart surgeries, etc.

https://armtimes.com/hy/article/196626

over 100 doctors received awards today

... for the fight against COVID. The recipients were doctors, ambulance workers, and others from several hospitals and Emergency Ministry.

https://armtimes.com/hy/article/196633

COVID stats / children / schools

+3,842 were tested. The number is high due to targeted mass testing of teachers which will end in mid-October. 1.5% of teachers were infected.

+392 infected. +135 healed. +2 deaths. 4,002 active. 276,077 tested.

Healthcare Ministry: so far there is no rise in COVID among 6-17-year-old school children since the launch of the school year. A slight drop, actually. We need to wait a little longer to get the full picture, however.

https://armtimes.com/hy/article/196620 , https://armtimes.com/hy/article/196644 , https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1028786.html , https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1028816.html

child abuse and pandemic

Physical violence against non-adults rose 18% YoY so far this year (119 incidents), however, the domestic abuse remained almost the same.

Sexual abuse was down 1% (36 incidents).

Police: the abuse is better revealed these days, which explains the percent increase. We have more instances of anonymous and online reports. Today, we see instances of children themselves calling the hotline. In the past, it wasn't the case. Yerevan residents are more likely to call for help.

https://armtimes.com/hy/article/196560

COVID vs economy in August

Economic activity index -9.8% in August YoY.

Services -19.3%

Trade -14.8%

Foreign trade -4%

Construction -5.3%

Electricity production -6.9%

Monthly nominal salaries +2.8%. (or +4.7% since January. +7% public and +3.4% in the private sector.)

The economic activity index in the entire January-August period has -6.4%.

https://armtimes.com/hy/article/196643 , https://factor.am/286864.html

penalty instead of suspension

COVID safety inspectors will begin issuing the non-compliant businesses monetary fines instead of shutting them down.

https://armtimes.com/hy/article/196602

you can run, and you can hide

A group of cops in civilian clothes were chasing a suspect... on the roofs. The guy managed to flee and hide.

Suspect in black clothes: https://youtu.be/gdmq5V4DasE?t=62

the Salmo ischchan fish (Սևանի իշխան) population

Not far from Yerevan-Sevan-Vardenis highway, there is a fish facility called Sevan Acqua. It's a collection of 12 giant nets submerged in the water 300m away from the shore, where a fish is being grown. It's run by the government.

Two specific species are grown here: Summer ischchan and Gegharquni. The baby fish is imported from another nearby govt-run facility called Karchaghbyur, built in 2015.

Full story with photos: https://hetq.am/hy/article/121841

Lithuania wants TUMO

Lithuanian ambassador met the Education Ministry, welcomed the reforms that began in 2018, and expressed willingness to help.

Lithuania is interested in having a TUMO high-tech and science center. They proposed a plan to launch a joint culture-related event in 2021.

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1028753.html

Informatics Olympiad

... ended with all Armenian students winning a total of 4 medals: 2B, 2S.

https://armtimes.com/hy/article/196636

prosecutors tell investigators not to ignore police brutality reports

The general prosecutor sent a complaint-note to local investigators stating that many times the detainees claim they were assaulted by cops, yet these claims are not properly investigated in place, and instead, the detainees are told to escalate it to higher authorities.

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1028797.html

Armenian church area renovated in Iran

St. Sargis church in city Khoy, West Atropatene has been renovated with new sidewalks, lighting, and surroundings, with a $145,000 help from the municipality.

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1028796.html

garage lot turns into a leisure zone

Residents of an apartment complex in Yerevan's Nor Norq district agreed to voluntarily remove their car garages from the backyard so the city could build a green leisure zone.

Photos: https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1028718.html

Ajapnyak's newly renovated park

Yerevan's Ajapnyak has a 0.8km new irrigation network and a renovated park with new alleys.

The park near Margaryan St. has new tiles and will soon have lighting, benches, and trash bins. Broken carousels were replaced and playgrounds are being built.

Photos: https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1028778.html

your weekly literature report

What were the top-5 children's books read by Yerevan residents in August?

5) Հայկական հեքիաթներ, a book with a collection of Armenian tales.

4) Fairy tales, by Hans Christian Andersen.

3) The Blue Arrow, by Gianni Rodari.

2) Ով է ապրում տնակում (Кто в теремочке живет), by Vladimir Suteev.

1) Շաղգամը, by Atabek Khnkoyan.

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1028582.html

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You've read 1912 words.

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Link to original report and comments: https://www.reddit.com/r/armenia/comments/izq0rt/sep252020_news_tsarukyan_arrested_armaze/

Disclaimer: All the accused are innocent until proven guilty by the court of law, even if they may sound as being guilty. Currency in Armenian Drams ֏ unless specified otherwise. Helpful overview of Armenia's media ownership and leanings.