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WHY DO THEY CONDUCT A BLACK PR AGAINST A. GEGHAMYAN
Kima Yeghyazaryan
Hayots Ashkharh, Armenia
Dec 18 2007
After Artashes Geghamyan, leader of "National Unity", announced in
the last press conference that the former authorities "have never
managed to find documented compromising evidence against me since
1990," the members of the Armenian pan-National Movement immediately
"found" it. And that "compromising" piece of information was recently
published in their newspapers.
Of course, the "compromising" information bore no direct relationship
to Mr. Geghamyan. It was addressed his wife, Anoush Plouzyan. However,
could it have had any significance for L. Ter-Petrosyan's team
members, who had set a task to discredit the NU leader at all
costs? Reminding of the event which had allegedly occurred in 1993,
one of the newspapers supporting the Armenian pan-National Movement
wrote, "Although his wife was caught by the customs officers while
trying to commit smuggling, she was never punished."
At the request of "Hayots Ashkharh", ALEXAN KARAPETYAN, Vice Chair
of "National Unity", yesterday made his comments not only on the
above-mentioned "compromising evidence", but also the black PR
conducted against A. Geghamyan in general.
During the press conferences convened on November 27 and December
13, the chairmanship of "National Unity" party made substantiated
and fundamental assessments on the numerous bloody crimes committed
during the years when Levon Ter-Petrosyan and Vano Siradegyan were in
power. Besides, the dangerousness of the ruling authorities' failure
to make any legal assessment on them was mentioned. While disclosing
the essence of the chieftainship established by Levon and Vano,
"National Unity" feels obliged to remind our people of the disastrous
developments to which these people's political revival may lead.
Unable to bring any counterargument to our arguments, the
press supporting the Armenian pan-National Movement adopted its
characteristic policy of black PR. Let me remind you that this press
is still supervised by Vano Siradeghyan who is being investigated by
Interpol on suspicion of organizing and ordering assassinations. The
essence of the black PR policy consisted in libeling the NU leader
Artashes Geghamyan and his relatives.
A most outstanding figure in this case was Nikol Pashinyan, Editor-in
Chief of "Haykakan Zhamanak" newspaper, who was convicted in 1999-2000
on charges of defamation and libel against different people, including
A. Geghamyan's wife. To support my argument, let me bring some extracts
of the verdict returned by the appeal court on criminal and military
cases, on January 27, 2000.
Let me remind you that Nikol Pashinyan was charged by 4 Articles
of the RA Criminal Code. The evidence obtained during the trial
and the actual proofs of the case helped the court find out that
by publishing the article entitled "A. Geghamyan's Jar of Gold",
he accused A. Plouzyan, Mr. Geghamyan's wife of committing a grave
crime, i.e. an attempt of smuggling, and actually, disseminated an
obviously acute libel discrediting her. N. Pashinyan's fault was
proven by his testimonies, in which he partially admitted his guilt,
and the reasoning was rejected as a result of the evidence obtained.
Another fact substantiating N. Pashinyan's guilt was the notice
received by the RA Customs Administration. According to the document,
no protocols or accountancy papers about A. Plouzyan were found in
the Administration's archives. A. Plouzyan's international passport
(page 8) contains a note that she was entitled to leave Armenia till
December 31, 1993. However, there is no evidence as to her crossing
the RA customs border during of the specified year.
Thus, the Appeal Court found N. Pashinyan guilty and imposed a final
penalty of one year in prison. However, applying the relevant article
of the RA Criminal Code, the Court decided to suspend the court
judgment for a year.
"It would be ridiculous to think that both the former defendant and
his colleagues were unaware of the verdict. In that case, what goal
do they pursue by refreshing this story?"
"Yes, there arises a logical question as to what goals are being
pursued by Levon and Vano's obedient servants, i.e. 'Tchorrord
Ishkhanoutyun', 'Hayq', 'Haykakan Zhamanak', that they have again
started libeling A. Geghamyan's family. Being well-aware that as far
back as in 2000 N. Pashinyan was conditionally sentenced to one-year
imprisonment, under the same charges of defamation and libel.
I don't think they pursued a goal to show that the Police Department
of the district where N. Pashinyan lived did not carry out the
court decision failing to establish a relevant control over his
behavior. No. The press supporting the Armenian pan-National Movement
has different calculations. Disseminating libelous information about
A. Geghamyan, they have a goal to distract the public attention from
the heinous crimes and plunders committed during the years when their
patrons, i.e. L. Ter-Petrosyan and Vano Siradeghyan, were in power.
Secondly, throwing mud at such a competent politician and statesman
as A. Geghamyan, they are trying to weaken his chances of becoming a
President. In this way, they consciously and deliberately render an
incalculable service to the authorities in power.
Thirdly, they are nursing hopes that A. Geghamyan will apply
to the court, with the purpose of subjecting the editors of the
above-mentioned newspapers to criminal liability. It's clear that the
latter will immediately change their image, and Levon Ter-Petrosyan
will again apply to the ECHR and OSCE and a thousands of other foreign
institutions, making a din that freedom of speech is suppressed
in Armenia.
After the December 8 rally, it became obvious that the guys belonging
to the Armenian pan-National Movement are gradually fainting away. This
is why it became strictly necessary to resort to the experimented
methods. In particular, the explosion organized by some unknown
individuals at the entrance of the editorial office of "Tchorrort
Ishkhanoutyun" newspaper. I am sure that such provocative actions
will take place in the near future as well.
Kima Yeghyazaryan
Hayots Ashkharh, Armenia
Dec 18 2007
After Artashes Geghamyan, leader of "National Unity", announced in
the last press conference that the former authorities "have never
managed to find documented compromising evidence against me since
1990," the members of the Armenian pan-National Movement immediately
"found" it. And that "compromising" piece of information was recently
published in their newspapers.
Of course, the "compromising" information bore no direct relationship
to Mr. Geghamyan. It was addressed his wife, Anoush Plouzyan. However,
could it have had any significance for L. Ter-Petrosyan's team
members, who had set a task to discredit the NU leader at all
costs? Reminding of the event which had allegedly occurred in 1993,
one of the newspapers supporting the Armenian pan-National Movement
wrote, "Although his wife was caught by the customs officers while
trying to commit smuggling, she was never punished."
At the request of "Hayots Ashkharh", ALEXAN KARAPETYAN, Vice Chair
of "National Unity", yesterday made his comments not only on the
above-mentioned "compromising evidence", but also the black PR
conducted against A. Geghamyan in general.
During the press conferences convened on November 27 and December
13, the chairmanship of "National Unity" party made substantiated
and fundamental assessments on the numerous bloody crimes committed
during the years when Levon Ter-Petrosyan and Vano Siradegyan were in
power. Besides, the dangerousness of the ruling authorities' failure
to make any legal assessment on them was mentioned. While disclosing
the essence of the chieftainship established by Levon and Vano,
"National Unity" feels obliged to remind our people of the disastrous
developments to which these people's political revival may lead.
Unable to bring any counterargument to our arguments, the
press supporting the Armenian pan-National Movement adopted its
characteristic policy of black PR. Let me remind you that this press
is still supervised by Vano Siradeghyan who is being investigated by
Interpol on suspicion of organizing and ordering assassinations. The
essence of the black PR policy consisted in libeling the NU leader
Artashes Geghamyan and his relatives.
A most outstanding figure in this case was Nikol Pashinyan, Editor-in
Chief of "Haykakan Zhamanak" newspaper, who was convicted in 1999-2000
on charges of defamation and libel against different people, including
A. Geghamyan's wife. To support my argument, let me bring some extracts
of the verdict returned by the appeal court on criminal and military
cases, on January 27, 2000.
Let me remind you that Nikol Pashinyan was charged by 4 Articles
of the RA Criminal Code. The evidence obtained during the trial
and the actual proofs of the case helped the court find out that
by publishing the article entitled "A. Geghamyan's Jar of Gold",
he accused A. Plouzyan, Mr. Geghamyan's wife of committing a grave
crime, i.e. an attempt of smuggling, and actually, disseminated an
obviously acute libel discrediting her. N. Pashinyan's fault was
proven by his testimonies, in which he partially admitted his guilt,
and the reasoning was rejected as a result of the evidence obtained.
Another fact substantiating N. Pashinyan's guilt was the notice
received by the RA Customs Administration. According to the document,
no protocols or accountancy papers about A. Plouzyan were found in
the Administration's archives. A. Plouzyan's international passport
(page 8) contains a note that she was entitled to leave Armenia till
December 31, 1993. However, there is no evidence as to her crossing
the RA customs border during of the specified year.
Thus, the Appeal Court found N. Pashinyan guilty and imposed a final
penalty of one year in prison. However, applying the relevant article
of the RA Criminal Code, the Court decided to suspend the court
judgment for a year.
"It would be ridiculous to think that both the former defendant and
his colleagues were unaware of the verdict. In that case, what goal
do they pursue by refreshing this story?"
"Yes, there arises a logical question as to what goals are being
pursued by Levon and Vano's obedient servants, i.e. 'Tchorrord
Ishkhanoutyun', 'Hayq', 'Haykakan Zhamanak', that they have again
started libeling A. Geghamyan's family. Being well-aware that as far
back as in 2000 N. Pashinyan was conditionally sentenced to one-year
imprisonment, under the same charges of defamation and libel.
I don't think they pursued a goal to show that the Police Department
of the district where N. Pashinyan lived did not carry out the
court decision failing to establish a relevant control over his
behavior. No. The press supporting the Armenian pan-National Movement
has different calculations. Disseminating libelous information about
A. Geghamyan, they have a goal to distract the public attention from
the heinous crimes and plunders committed during the years when their
patrons, i.e. L. Ter-Petrosyan and Vano Siradeghyan, were in power.
Secondly, throwing mud at such a competent politician and statesman
as A. Geghamyan, they are trying to weaken his chances of becoming a
President. In this way, they consciously and deliberately render an
incalculable service to the authorities in power.
Thirdly, they are nursing hopes that A. Geghamyan will apply
to the court, with the purpose of subjecting the editors of the
above-mentioned newspapers to criminal liability. It's clear that the
latter will immediately change their image, and Levon Ter-Petrosyan
will again apply to the ECHR and OSCE and a thousands of other foreign
institutions, making a din that freedom of speech is suppressed
in Armenia.
After the December 8 rally, it became obvious that the guys belonging
to the Armenian pan-National Movement are gradually fainting away. This
is why it became strictly necessary to resort to the experimented
methods. In particular, the explosion organized by some unknown
individuals at the entrance of the editorial office of "Tchorrort
Ishkhanoutyun" newspaper. I am sure that such provocative actions
will take place in the near future as well.