“Hraparak” accuses the Armenian police of grossly underreporting crimes committed in the country these days. “Criminals are either not identified or dodge responsibility,” claims the paper. “The desperate question of what the authorities, the police are doing has one answer: the police closely watch, register one by one all protesters actively participating in demonstrations and other protest actions by the political opposition and in the deadlocked trial of the seven [oppositionists.]”
“Chorrord Ishkhanutyun” scoffs at President Serzh Sarkisian’s angry statements on Azerbaijan made during the international security conference in Munich last weekend. The opposition paper also suggests that the suspension of opposition protests in Yerevan may have encouraged the international community to step up pressure on Sarkisian over the Karabakh conflict. “So much so that Sarkisian and [Ilham] Aliev, understanding each other without any words, have begun talking about the likelihood of renewed war,” it says. “If this is the case, then it is the right time for the opposition to resume mass actions and remind the word of its existence.”
Not surprisingly, “Hayots Ashkhar” has a different take on Sarkisian’s Munich statements. The pro-government daily says the Armenian president has proved wrong those who claimed that his overtures to Turkey were a prelude to the acceptance of Turkish preconditions on Karabakh. It says Yerevan has rejected attempts by Baku and Ankara to organize more trilateral meetings on Karabakh between Turkish, Azerbaijani and Armenian leaders. One such attempt was made at Munich, according to “Hayots Ashkhar.”
Eduard Sharmazanov, a spokesman for Sarkisian’s Republican Party (HHK), tells “Kapital” that the Armenian authorities continue to think that it would be premature to declare an amnesty for all arrested opposition members and supporters. “As long as judicial processes are not over, declaring an amnesty would be wrong,” says Sharmazanov. “After all, it could set a bad precedent. Especially given the fact that the elections of Yerevan mayor lie ahead. It is possible that a party or candidate who finishes second or third will not agree with election results and organize illegalities.”
(Aghasi Yenokian)
“Chorrord Ishkhanutyun” scoffs at President Serzh Sarkisian’s angry statements on Azerbaijan made during the international security conference in Munich last weekend. The opposition paper also suggests that the suspension of opposition protests in Yerevan may have encouraged the international community to step up pressure on Sarkisian over the Karabakh conflict. “So much so that Sarkisian and [Ilham] Aliev, understanding each other without any words, have begun talking about the likelihood of renewed war,” it says. “If this is the case, then it is the right time for the opposition to resume mass actions and remind the word of its existence.”
Not surprisingly, “Hayots Ashkhar” has a different take on Sarkisian’s Munich statements. The pro-government daily says the Armenian president has proved wrong those who claimed that his overtures to Turkey were a prelude to the acceptance of Turkish preconditions on Karabakh. It says Yerevan has rejected attempts by Baku and Ankara to organize more trilateral meetings on Karabakh between Turkish, Azerbaijani and Armenian leaders. One such attempt was made at Munich, according to “Hayots Ashkhar.”
Eduard Sharmazanov, a spokesman for Sarkisian’s Republican Party (HHK), tells “Kapital” that the Armenian authorities continue to think that it would be premature to declare an amnesty for all arrested opposition members and supporters. “As long as judicial processes are not over, declaring an amnesty would be wrong,” says Sharmazanov. “After all, it could set a bad precedent. Especially given the fact that the elections of Yerevan mayor lie ahead. It is possible that a party or candidate who finishes second or third will not agree with election results and organize illegalities.”
(Aghasi Yenokian)