International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination Submitted Under Article 9 of the Convention on 2 July 2014
United Nations CERD/C/GEO/6-8 International Convention on Distr.: General 31 October 2014 the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination Original: English Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination Consideration of reports submitted by States parties under article 9 of the Convention Sixth to eighth periodic reports of States parties due in 2014 Georgia* [Date received: 2 July 2014] * The present document is being issued without formal editing. GE.14-19562 (E) CERD/C/GEO/6-8 Contents Paragraphs Page Introduction ............................................................................................................. 1–4 3 I. General ................................................................................................................ 5–90 3 A. General Framework for the Protection and Promotion of Human Rights ....... 5–7 3 B. State policy towards integration of ethnic minorities ..................................... 8–31 4 C. Application of the Convention in the Occupied Territories of Georgia .......... 32–35 8 D. Human rights situation in occupied territories ................................................ 36–75 9 E. Engagement policy ......................................................................................... 76–90 16 II. Follow-up of Concluding Observations of the Committee (CERD/C/GEO/CO/4-5) ......................................................................................... 91–190 20 A. Reply to issues raised in paragraph 10 ...........................................................
CAUCASUS ANALYTICAL DIGEST No. 20, 11 October 2010 7 The Role of the Armenian Church During Military Conflicts By Harutyun Harutyunyan, Yerevan Abstract Throughout its history, Armenia frequently has been a battlefield for foreign forces. Consequently, Armenians have repeatedly been forced to fight for their freedom. Society highly valued such resistance and Church lead- ers glorified these combatants as heroes. During the Armenian–Persian war in the th5 century, the death of Christian soldiers was defined as self-sacrifice and the Church canonized them as “fighting martyrs.” This attitude towards sacred militarism continued to be evident from that time through the present. The main focus of the following article is to examine how the Armenian Church legitimized the use of violence, espe- cially during the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict (1988–1994). For the future, it suggests a critical analysis of traditional Church–State relations and a complete separation between politics and religion. A History of Invasions the state religion and, with the blessing of the bishops, Since the beginning of the first millennium, Armenia started a campaign of compulsory conversion. One hun- has struggled to preserve its existence between power- dred years later, Armenian clerical historians started to ful empires. For this reason, every century of Armenian write about “defensive and liberating wars.” Such resis- history is filled with armed conflicts. In the 4th century, tance was glorified as heroism. In contrast, foreign con- Eastern Rome and Sassanid Persia divided the kingdom querors were demonized and classified as fiends and between them. After a long period of resistance, the Arme- brutes.
Freedom of Religion Or Belief in Georgia 2010-2019
FREEDOM OF RELIGION OR BELIEF IN GEORGIA Report 2010-2019 FREEDOM OF RELIGION OR BELIEF IN GEORGIA REPORT 2010-2019 Tolerance and Diversity Institute (TDI) 2020 The report is prepared by Tolerance and Diversity Institute (TDI) within the framework of East-West Management Institute’s (EWMI) "Promoting Rule of Law in Georgia" (PROLoG) project, funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The report is published with the support from the Open Society Georgia Foundation (OSGF). The content is the sole responsibility of the Tolerance and Diversity Institute (TDI) and does not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), United States Government, East-West Management Institute (EWMI) or Open Society Georgia Foundation (OSGF). Authors: Mariam Gavtadze, Eka Chitanava, Anzor Khatiashvili, Mariam Jikia, Shota Tutberidze, Gvantsa Lomaia Project director: Mariam Gavtadze Translators: Natia Nadiradze, Tamar Kvaratskhelia Design: Tornike Lortkipanidze Cover: shutterstock It is prohibited to reprint, copy or distribute the material for commercial purposes without written consent of the Tolerance and Diversity Institute (TDI). Tolerance and Diversity Institute (TDI), 2020 Web: www.tdi.ge CONTENTS Introduction .............................................................................................................................................................. 8 Methodology ..........................................................................................................................................................10
The Situation in Human Rights and Freedoms in Georgia – 2011
2011 The Public Defender of Georgia ANNUAL REPORT OF THE PUBLIC DefeNDER OF GeorgIA 1 The views of the publication do not necessarily represent those of the Council of Europe. The report was published with financial support of the Council of Europe project, “Denmark’s Georgia Programme 2010-2013, Promotion of Judicial Reform, Human and Minority Rights”. 2 www.ombudsman.ge ANNUAL REPORT OF THE PUBLIC DEFENDER OF GeorgIA THE SITUATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS IN GEORGIA 2011 2011 THE PUBLIC DEFENDER OF GeorgIA ANNUAL REPORT OF THEwww.ombudsman.ge PUBLIC DefeNDER OF GeorgIA 3 OFFICE OF PUBLIC DEFENDER OF GEORGIA 6, Ramishvili str, 0179, Tbilisi, Georgia Tel: +995 32 2913814; +995 32 2913815 Fax: +995 32 2913841 E-mail: info@ombudsman.ge 4 www.ombudsman.ge CONTENTS INtrodUCTION ..........................................................................................................................7 JUDICIAL SYSTEM AND HUMAN RIGHTS ........................................................................11 THE RIGHT TO A FAIR TRIAL ........................................................................................11 ENFORCEMENT OF COUrt JUDGMENTS ...............................................................37 PUBLIC DEFENDER AND CONSTITUTIONAL OVERSIGHT ...........................41 LAW ENFORCEMENT BODIES AND HUMAN RIGHTS .......................................46 CIVIL-POLITICAL RIGHTS ..................................................................................................51 FREEDOM OF ASSEMBLY AND MANIFESTATIONS ............................................51
Armenian Church News NOVEMBER 6, 2020 Volume 6, Issue 34
Armenian Church News NOVEMBER 6, 2020 Volume 6, Issue 34 Diocese of the Armenian Church of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland A Call for Prayer and Fasting: For the Peace of our Homeland “So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer.” ( 2 Ezra 8:23) Dear Faithful, Joining the Armenian spiritual leaders of Europe, we call all faithful of our Diocese to dedicate the 6th of November to fasting by praying every hour of the day with these words: “Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, We rely on your mighty power, We cry out to you in prayers and ask: Stop the war in our homeland, Block the aggression of the enemy, Bring love and justice to the Armenian land, Sustain us in faith, hope, and love. Amen. In the evening of November the 6th at 6 pm, we call all faithful to join the leaders of our Church in Europe for prayer service. The service will be broadcasted live . We encourage you to join the service with the words of St. Gregory of Narek. The Fasting will end at the conclusion of the service. Fasting is based on Scripture and is a widespread Christian practice. It is a means to achieve the higher virtues of Christian life: justice, compassion, peace, and mutual up-building. Fasting is about making room for God and our neighbours by abstaining from our luxuries. It is always accompanied by prayer. Fasting helps us to simplify our lives, to find the courage to put aside everything non-essential and appeal to the only source of peace and healing, our Lord Jesus Christ.
Combatting and Preventing Corruption in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia How Anti-Corruption Measures Can Promote Democracy and the Rule of Law
Combatting and preventing corruption in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia How anti-corruption measures can promote democracy and the rule of law Combatting and preventing corruption in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia How anti-corruption measures can promote democracy and the rule of law Silvia Stöber Combatting and preventing corruption in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia 4 Contents Contents 1. Instead of a preface: Why (read) this study? 9 2. Introduction 11 2.1 Methodology 11 2.2 Corruption 11 2.2.1 Consequences of corruption 12 2.2.2 Forms of corruption 13 2.3 Combatting corruption 13 2.4 References 14 3. Executive Summaries 15 3.1 Armenia – A promising change of power 15 3.2 Azerbaijan – Retaining power and preventing petty corruption 16 3.3 Georgia – An anti-corruption role model with dents 18 4. Armenia 22 4.1 Introduction to the current situation 22 4.2 Historical background 24 4.2.1 Consolidation of the oligarchic system 25 4.2.2 Lack of trust in the government 25 4.3 The Pashinyan government’s anti-corruption measures 27 4.3.1 Background conditions 27 4.3.2 Measures to combat grand corruption 28 4.3.3 Judiciary 30 4.3.4 Monopoly structures in the economy 31 4.4 Petty corruption 33 4.4.1 Higher education 33 4.4.2 Health-care sector 34 4.4.3 Law enforcement 35 4.5 International implications 36 4.5.1 Organized crime and money laundering 36 4.5.2 Migration and asylum 36 4.6 References 37 5 Combatting and preventing corruption in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia 5.
Armenians in the Making of Modern Georgia Timothy K. Blauvelt & Christofer Berglund While sharing a common ethnic heritage and national legacy, and an ambiguous status in relation to the Georgian state and ethnic majority, the Armenians in Georgia comprise not one, but several distinct communities with divergent outlooks, concerns, and degrees of assimilation. There are the urbanised Armenians of the capital city, Tbilisi (earlier called Tiflis), as well as the more agricultural circle of Armenians residing in the Javakheti region in southwestern Georgia.1 Notwithstanding their differences, these communities have both helped shape modern Armenian political and cultural identity, and still represent an intrinsic part of the societal fabric in Georgia. The Beginnings The ancient kingdoms of Greater Armenia encompassed parts of modern Georgia, and left an imprint on the area as far back as history has been recorded. Moreover, after the collapse of the independent Armenian kingdoms and principalities in the 4th century AD, some of their subjects migrated north to the Georgian kingdoms seeking save haven. Armenians and Georgians in the Caucasus existed in a boundary space between the Roman-Byzantine and Iranian cultures and, while borrowing from both spheres, struggled to preserve their autonomy. The Georgian regal Bagratids shared common origins with the Armenian Bagratuni dynasty. And as part of his campaign to forge a unified Georgian kingdom in the late 11th and early 12th centuries, the Georgian King David the Builder encouraged Armenian merchants to settle in Georgian towns. They primarily settled in Tiflis, once it was conquered from the Arabs, and in the town of Gori, which had been established specifically for Armenian settlers (Lordkipanidze 1974: 37).
MARCH 9, 2019 Mirror-SpeTHE ARMENIAN ctator Volume LXXXIX, NO. 33, Issue 4577 $ 2.00 NEWS The First English Language Armenian Weekly in the United States Since 1932 INBRIEF Government Expected LA Superior Court Rules in Favor of TCA of US and To Lay off up to 30 Canada, Granting Motion to Dismiss Erroneous Claims Percent of Workers YEREVAN (Armenpress) — The government of LOS ANGELES — A group of Armenians, composed of Petros and Karine Taglyan and two other Armenia is planning to cut jobs at provincial govern- couples, wrongly accused the Central Board of the Tekeyan Cultural Association of the United States ments to make administration more optimal and effec- and Canada (TCA) of various misdeeds in connection with the closing of the TCA Arshag Dickranian tive, Minister of Territorial Administration and School in Hollywood in 2015. They made substantial financial demands for compensation in con- Development Suren Papikyan told reporters. nection with their erroneous claims. “We have carried out studies and found out that On March 1, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Dalila Corral Lyons granted Tekeyan Cultural 40 percent of staffers at provincial governments are Association’s motion to dismiss the complaint of Petros Taglyan and Karine Taglyan and the others, basically doing nothing. An average 30 percent of ruling that the complaint failed to allege any legal wrongdoing by the TCA. cuts will take place,” he said. He elaborated that for instance in the Aragatsotn Province they might lay off only 28 percent of staffers, (PHOTO COURTESY AURORA HUMANITARIAN INITIATIVE) thus the number of staffers at the provincial govern- ment will be reduced from 121 to 87.
HAYK's SPIRIT IS IMMORTAL More Than 4500-Year-Old Roots of The
HAYK’S SPIRIT IS IMMORTAL Danielyan E. L. Doctor of Sciences (History) ETERNAL GLORY AND HONOR TO THE HEROES AND THEIR COMRADES-IN-ARMS WHO SACRIFICED THEIR LIVES FOR THE FREEDOM AND INDEPENDENCE OF THE FATHERLAND More than 4500-year-old roots of the Armenian Army are hallowed by the freedom struggle of the Armenian nation for the defence of the Fatherland against foreign invaders. The Armenian liberation torch sanctified by Hayk Nahapet (Patriarch) passed over from Hayots Dzor1 to Avarayr, Zeytun, Sasun, Sardarapat and has reached Artsakh. The heroes sacrificing their lives for the liberation of the Fatherland are immortalized. Hayk Lake Van 1 Մովսէս Խորենացի, Պատմութիւն Հայոց, Երևան, 1991, էջ 32-37: The year 2008 marked the 4500th anniversary of the victory of the Armenian Patriarch Hayk against Bel at the battle of Hayots Dzor (on the shore of Lake Van). Thе calendar calculation of the date based on the periodicity of “Hayk’s Cycle” of the “Ancient Armenian era” was done by the famous Armenologist Ghevond Alishan (1820-1901) (Ալիշան Ղ., Յուշիկք հայրենեաց Հայոց, հ. Ա, Վենետիկ, 1920, էջ 85). There was no leap-year in the ancient Armenian era, since a year was always considered to consist of 365 days; hence the year and the date were movable. Thus 1460 years, according to the Julian calendar, amount to 1461 years, according to the Armenian Calendar. By such periodicity of the “Cycle of Hayk”, 2492 BC denotes the year of Hayk’s victory. The beginning of the victorious year was Navasard 1 (=August 11). New discoveries connected with the observations of the starry sky (the 6th millennium BC - Zorats kar (Karahunj), the first half of the 3rd millennium BC - Metsamor), archaeological excavations and petroglyphs in the Armenian Highland, bear witness to the deep Haykian roots, and that the glorious victory of Hayk symbolized the beginning of a very important new epoch of the Armenian history.
DRAFT (3 July 2017) Yerevan Green City Action Plan Yerevan 2017 OFFICIAL USE Yerevan’s Green City Action Plan Disclaimer This Green City Action Plan was prepared for the City of Yerevan by an international team of experts led by Ernst & Young, s.r.o. (Czech Republic). Other members of the consortium included GEOtest, SWECO, SEVEn and local experts. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the Czech Government's Official Development Assistance Technical Cooperation Fund or the City of Yerevan do not carry any responsibility for the selection, involvement and monitoring of Ernst & Young and / or any third party claims towards EBRD for utilizing services provided by Ernst & Young. 1 OFFICIAL USE Executive Summary In the light of continuous global urbanization, sustainable development challenges increasingly stem from cities. Yerevan is fully aware of these challenges, as the administrative as well as economic centre of Armenia, the overall economic prosperity of the country is substantially anchored on Yerevan’s economic development The quality of the urban environment, including air, water, soil, biodiversity, environmental assets and ecosystems are negatively impacted by human activities such as transport, energy, water use and waste management. In the recent years, many measures have already been taken to remedy the situation, but the measures should be doubled in the coming years to raise the quality of life in the City to standards seen in many European cities. These efforts will also help Yerevan contribute to global efforts in climate change mitigation and the transition to green economy. Methodology The Green City Action Plan (GCAP) was developed by applying 4 stage methodology, which is as follows: Stage 1 focused on relevant information and data identification, collection, processing and analysis to establish the baseline indicators, which rank the city compared to internationally recognized benchmarks.