Category: Audio Review – South Caucasus News

For the first time since the 2008 Bucharest Summit Decision, the NATO Washington Summit Declaration, adopted by the heads of state of the allied countries on July 11, fails to reiterate the formula that “Georgia will become a member of the Alliance with the Membership Action Plan as an integral part of the process.”

This follows the dramatic deterioration of relations with Georgia’s Western partners during the past two years. The NATO officials have voiced their concerns about Georgia’s “stalled reforms” since 2022 and urged Georgia to be “ready for the decisive moment” in 2023.

The Washington Summit Declaration mentions Georgia once, in paragrapgh 17, where it issues a “call on Russia to withdraw all of its forces from the Republic of Moldova and Georgia, stationed there without their consent.”

Georgia is not mentioned in the paragraph 28, which is dedicated to partner countries and mentions Moldova, as well as Bosnia and Herzegovina. The mention is absent also from the article related to Black Sea region (article 31).

The NATO Washington Summit adopted series of concrete decisions for providing financial, logistical, training and equipment support to Ukraine. The Declaration speaks about “irreversible path” of Ukraine “to full Euro-Atlantic integration.”

Read also:

• 18/03/2024 – Georgia in NATO Secretary General’s 2023 Annual Report
• 11/07/2023 – Georgia in NATO Vilnius Summit Communiqué
• 14/06/2021 – Georgia in NATO Brussels Summit Communiqué
• 12/07/2018 – Georgia in NATO Brussels Summit Declaration
• 09/07/2016 – Georgia in NATO Warsaw Summit Communique
• 21/05/2012 – Georgia in NATO Chicago Summit’s Declaration

UNITED NATIONS — A backlog of 1,150 truckloads of humanitarian aid is waiting to be collected from the Palestinian side of the Kerem Shalom crossing in the southern Gaza Strip, Israel said on Wednesday, prompting the United Nations to say: “We’re doing what we can.”

COGAT, an Israeli Defense Ministry agency tasked with coordinating aid deliveries into Palestinian territories, said another 50 aid trucks are also awaiting collecting from the Palestinian side of the Erez crossing in northern Gaza.

The U.N. said it is struggling to distribute aid within the enclave of 2.3 million people as the war between Israel and Palestinian militants Hamas enters its 10th month and law and order has broken down.

“Yes, the aid is being dropped off. But on the other side of that, you have utter lawlessness, plus you have continuing conflict,” said U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric. “We are continuing to do our best to get that to those people who need it. Our colleagues in Gaza are not sitting on their hands.”

He said that the U.N. trucks that manage to pick up aid “are doing it often at great cost, because they are being either looted or attacked by criminal elements,” adding that, “Some aid is getting through, but very little.”

Obstacles to aid delivery

The U.N. has has long complained of dangers and obstacles to getting aid into Gaza — Israel inspects and approves all aid trucks — and distributing it within the enclave, where a global hunger monitor last month said there is a high risk of famine.

The top U.N. aid official for the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Muhannad Hadi, briefed U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday — a day after visiting Gaza — Dujarric said. Hadi entered and exited through the Kerem Shalom crossing.

“He saw groups of men with sticks waiting for trucks to leave the Kerem Shalom crossing into Gaza. All the trucks that he passed were badly damaged, with broken windshields, mirrors and hoods,” Dujarric told reporters.

Hadi also saw bags of fortified flour from the World Food Program (WFP) and the U.N. Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA scattered alongside the road from Kerem Shalom into Gaza, Dujarric said.

Military action limits distribution

In northern Gaza, the WFP said military activity was limiting its operations. Israeli forces continued to press their offensive in north and central Gaza on Wednesday, dropping leaflets urging the evacuation of Gaza City.

WFP has not delivered any food from the West Erez crossing for a couple of days, said WFP spokesperson Shaza Moghraby.

“Distribution sites have been evacuated and shut down, terrified people are being displaced again, and every time this happens, it makes it more difficult for us to reach them. So, there is a major impact on our operations,” she said.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan received the executive director of Giro d’Italia multi-day cross-country cycling tournament, Michel Napoli.

The Prime Minister emphasized the development and popularization of cycling in our country, which will also contribute to the promotion of a healthy lifestyle.

Issues related to the possibility of organizing an international tournament in Armenia in cooperation with the organizers of the prestigious tournament mentioned above were discussed at the meeting.

An agreement was reached to continue the discussions with the RA KGS Ministry in order to organize further work.

The trilateral meeting of RA Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov and US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken has ended in Washington. This was reported by the RA Foreign Ministry.

Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan and Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov were invited to Washington to participate in the NATO summit.

The foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan, Ararat Mirzoyan and Jeyhun Bayramov, pledged to continue talks toward a peace treaty during a meeting mediated by Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday in Washington.

Blinken announced earlier in the day that he would host talks between the two top diplomats on the margins of the NATO summit currently underway in Washington to mark the group’s 75th anniversary.

“The parties noted the progress Armenia and Azerbaijan have achieved towards the conclusion of a historic agreement on peace and establishment of interstate relations, and agreed to continue the work,” a statement from the Armenian foreign ministry said, without further elaborations.

Azerbaijan’s foreign ministry issued a similarly-worded statement after the meeting.

Until Tuesday, the Armenian foreign ministry insisted that a meeting between Mirzoyan and Bayramov was not scheduled.

“Over the last year, year and a half, Armenia and Azerbaijan have done very important work toward negotiating and concluding a peace agreement – one that is durable, one that is dignified, and one that would open extraordinary possibilities for both countries, the region that they share, and for their relationship with the United States,” Blinken told reporters before his meeting, adding the U.S., along with the European Union, has sought to be helpful and supportive throughout the negotiation process between Yerevan and Baku.

Today is an opportunity to take stock in the progress that’s been made, what remains.  But based on all of the engagements that we’ve had, including in recent weeks, I believe both countries are very close to being able to reach a final agreement, one that the United States would strongly, strongly support,” Blinken said before the talks with Mirzoyan and Bayramov.

The Armenian foreign ministry reported that Blinken and Mirzoyan spoke briefly Tuesday night during the official opening reception of the NATO Summit.

“Views were exchanged with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on bilateral agenda and regional topics,” said the foreign ministry statement.

Before traveling to Washington, Bayramov had warned Yerevan to be prudent and take advantages of the “new opportunities that have emerged in the region for establishing new realities, peace, stability, and cooperation.”

“It is time for the Armenian side to choose regional cooperation over territorial claims,” Bayramov said.

Azerbaijan’s leaders, headed by President Ilham Aliyev, have insisted that Armenia change its constitution as a precondition for signing a peace deal.

Bayramov, as recently as Monday, insisted on the change to Armenia’s constitution before the signing of the peace treaty.

”The Armenian constitution still includes territorial claims against Azerbaijan, which must be addressed for full peace to be achieved,” he said, saying eliminating threats to his country’s sovereignty is “the main priority.”

Yerevan has scoffed at Baku’s demands, saying the Armenian Constitution and any amendments to the document are internal matters for Armenia.

The foreign ministry said last week that Azerbaijan was creating artificial obstacles to the peace process, pledging Yerevan’s readiness to sign a peace treaty “within a month.”

The post After Meeting with Blinken, Baku, Yerevan Pledge to Continue Talks appeared first on Asbarez.com.

SANTA FE, New Mexico — A New Mexico prosecutor on Wednesday said Alec Baldwin broke “cardinal rules” of gun safety in the 2021 killing of “Rust” cinematographer Halyna Hutchins while his lawyer said he was failed by firearms experts. 

The 66-year-old Baldwin, on trial in Hollywood’s first on-set shooting fatality in three decades, took notes at the defense table and listened calmly to opening statements in his involuntary manslaughter trial. The trial is largely unprecedented in U.S. history, holding an actor criminally responsible for a gun death during filming. 

A New Mexico jury of 12 and four alternates — 11 women and five men — heard prosecutor Erlinda Johnson outline arguments that Baldwin disregarded safety during filming of the low-budget movie before pointing a gun at Hutchins during a rehearsal, cocking it and pulling the trigger as they set up a camera shot on a set southwest of Santa Fe. 

“The evidence will show that someone who played make believe with a real gun and violated the cardinal rules of firearm safety is the defendant, Alexander Baldwin,” Johnson said. 

Baldwin’s wife Hilaria Baldwin sat in the second row of the public gallery, his brother Stephen Baldwin in front of her. 

His lawyer Alex Spiro pointed to “Rust” armorer Hannah Gutierrez — head of gun safety — and first assistant director Dave Halls — responsible for overall set safety. Both have been convicted in the shooting, and Spiro said they did not check the rounds in the gun to ensure it was safe for Baldwin to use.  

“There were people responsible for firearms safety but actor Alec Baldwin committed no crime,” said Spiro. 

Hutchins was killed, and director Joel Souza wounded when Baldwin’s reproduction 1873 Single Action Army revolver fired a live round, inadvertently loaded by Gutierrez. 

Since a police interview on Oct. 21, 2021, the day of the shooting, Baldwin has argued the gun just “went off.”  

In an ABC News interview two months later, Baldwin told George Stephanopoulos he did not pull the trigger. A 2022 FBI test found the gun was in normal working condition and would not fire from full cock without the trigger being pulled. 

Spiro said during his opening arguments that no one saw Baldwin “intentionally pull the trigger,” but that it was the responsibility of firearms safety experts to ensure a firearm was safe for an actor “to wave it, to point it, to pull the trigger, like actors do.”  

State prosecutors charged Baldwin with involuntary manslaughter in January 2022. They dropped charges three months later after Baldwin’s lawyers presented photographic evidence the gun was modified, arguing it would fire more easily, bolstering the actor’s accidental discharge argument. 

Prosecutors called a grand jury to reinstate the charge in January after an independent firearms expert confirmed the 2022 FBI study. 

FBI testing broke the gun, and Baldwin’s lawyers will tell jurors that destruction of the weapon prevented them from proving the gun was modified. 

Armorer Gutierrez, whose job on the set of “Rust” included managing firearms safely, was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in March for loading the live round.

Prosecutors will have to persuade jurors Baldwin is also guilty of willful and reckless criminal negligence.

Only in Armenia does the leader of the country give a speech criticizing the Constitution on the anniversary of the Constitution! This would be similar to the head of a country criticizing the independence of their country on Independence Day.

It would have been more appropriate if Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan had announced six years ago that he wanted to have parts of the Constitution amended. Many countries have amended their Constitutions to keep up with changes in their societies. Armenia’s Constitution was first adopted on July 5, 1995, amended on Nov. 27, 2005, and then amended again on Dec. 6, 2015. All three versions were approved by a public referendum.

Pashinyan repeatedly criticized the Constitution before he became prime minister. However, as soon as he came to power, he changed his mind, saying: “Let’s work with the Constitution we have. This is not something that we can change every day.” The reason for his reversal was that he was very pleased with the existing Constitution given the fact that the parliamentary governmental system gave the prime minister almost limitless authority.

However, when Pres. Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan insisted that Armenia change its Constitution, Pashinyan immediately agreed, thus capitulating to the orders of Armenia’s enemy. Aliyev specifically demanded that Armenia remove from the Preamble of its Constitution the reference to the Declaration of Independence, which mentions Artsakh and the Armenian Genocide. Aliyev said that this was his pre-condition to sign a peace treaty with Armenia, which is something Pashinyan has been begging for with Azerbaijan for years. In fact, Pashinyan repeated Aliyev’s statement that it would be impossible to have peace with Azerbaijan as long as the Constitution’s Preamble included the reference that Aliyev rejected.

To complicate matters more, in line with his constant contradictions on all issues, Pashinyan initially said he disagreed with Aliyev’s request to remove that reference from the Constitution. He reasoned that the peace treaty’s provisions will take precedence over all domestic laws or even the Constitutions of both countries.

Furthermore, Armenia’s Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan also firmly rejected Aliyev’s demand to amend the Constitution, declaring that such a demand would be considered interference in the country’s internal affairs. One would think that after such firm rejections by the prime minister and foreign minister, this subject would have been closed.

Not if you are Pashinyan. He recently signed an order to form a commission that will prepare a whole new Constitution, not just amend it. By doing so, he annulled the two-year-long effort of the parliament’s existing commission to reform the Constitution. The other problem Pashinyan created is that he gave the commission the deadline of the end of 2026 to come up with a new Constitution, which means that Aliyev will not sign a peace treaty with Armenia until two and a half years from now.

In his July 5 speech on Constitution Day, Pashinyan went into a lengthy diatribe against the existing Constitution, saying: “The citizen believes that the ruling elite created that text, announced about its adoption, and, in fact, introduced it in Armenia.” He further stated: “And in the text of the [new] Constitution itself, the people express their idea of how they imagine that state, its governance, what it should be like in general, and what project we will all be working on to realize.” He thus falsely implied that, as opposed to the existing Constitution, the text of the new Constitution will be prepared by the citizens of the country. Regrettably, the new Constitution will probably be drafted by a group of Pashinyan’s party members who have no competence in jurisprudence. Rather than expressing the wishes of citizens, it will reflect the self-serving political agenda of the ruling regime. Pashinyan and his circle hope that by preparing a new Constitution, they will avoid being charged for their many violations under the existing Constitution.

In complying with Pres. Aliyev’s demand to change Armenia’s Constitution, Pashinyan failed to raise Armenia’s objections to certain parts of Azerbaijan’s Constitution. Why doesn’t Pashinyan demand that in return for changing Armenia’s Constitution, Aliyev change Azerbaijan’s Constitution? With Pashinyan, it is always a one-way street. When Aliyev demands territories from Armenia, why doesn’t Pashinyan demand the Armenian territories under Azerbaijan’s control? When Aliyev demands that Armenia give Azerbaijan a corridor through Armenia, why doesn’t Pashinyan demand that Azerbaijan give a similar corridor to Armenia through Azerbaijan? Once you start capitulating to a bully’s demands, there will be endless other demands. Aliyev will never be satisfied with Armenia’s concessions. On the contrary, he will be encouraged to demand many more concessions until nothing is left of Armenia.

Finally, Pashinyan did not say what would happen if and when the new Constitution is rejected by the citizens of Armenia in a referendum. Would Pashinyan use his favorite scare tactic, warning that if the people don’t approve the Constitution, Aliyev will start a new war with Armenia?

The prospect of Pashinyan changing the Constitution at Aliyev’s demand adds one more important reason why Armenians should do everything possible to get rid of him at the earliest opportunity. Armenia does not need a new Constitution. It needs a new competent leader.

Author information

The post Pashinyan criticized Armenia’s constitution on Constitution Day appeared first on The Armenian Weekly.

Indeed life is fragile. On Father’s Day, a proud community celebrated with its traditional picnic on church grounds. That evening it lost two dear members to an unspeakable tragedy. Our reaction can only be described as speechless, as an entire community was frozen in shock. Certainly, we have heard of such senseless acts, but it was always a news item far removed from our peaceful existence. We naturally become somewhat ambivalent toward such stories, perhaps evoking momentary human compassion that fades in the absence of personal knowledge. Those in the Armenian parish community of St. Gregory in Indian Orchard and the town of Wilbraham, Massachusetts knew the victims of this devastating tragedy. They were our friends, our relatives, our colleagues and fellow parishioners. They were our family. Sima Setian Pariseau and her son Dylan were not simply names associated with another horrific tragedy. They were people in our lives. They were loved and respected in our community by countless whose lives now contain a huge void. 

The Setian family is a fourth generation founding family of the St. Gregory parish. Sima’s grandfather Nishan was an original member who worked with my grandfather to build the sanctuary in 1934. Her father Harry has been an iconic contributor to the church for his entire life and a personal mentor who I deeply respect. Her mom Liz has been a mainstay of the choir and church events since her marriage to Harry. I taught all three Setian children in Sunday School: Steve, Deacon Bedros and Sima. Sima was named after her morkouyr (mother’s sister), who was her grandmother’s sister and also my aunt from marriage. This bound the Setian and Piligian families together for eternity. Sima as a high school student was the teenage version of what she became as an adult. She was your best friend who loved life and was devoted to things she believed in. Sima was always an important part of the Armenian community, as she was a participant in Sunday School, Camp Haiastan and eventually became a leader in parish life. People who knew her always described her in a similar manner at all phases of her life…loyal, devoted, kind and caring. 

Sima is remembered as someone defined by her family, her faith and her friends. She was the mother of two wonderful children, as reflected in their personable and caring character. Dylan grew up in the church with his sister Sophie and developed into a bright, personable and respectful young man. On the day of the tragedy, the community was together for the annual Father’s Day picnic. When my wife and I arrived, we were greeted at the food line by servers Sima and Dylan. They were smiling, happy and genuinely interested in seeing you. During the picnic, I was fortunate to talk with Dylan about his career and his life. He had established himself as a research assistant in the biotech/pharmaceutical industry, having worked for companies such as Moderna. I was so impressed with his enthusiasm, engaging personality and politeness. Sophie lives in San Diego and is very close to her family. I can see Sima in both children. 

Sima Setian Pariseau and Dylan Pariseau at the St. Gregory Father’s Day picnic, June 16, 2024

This past spring the parish celebrated the 90th anniversary of its founding. I had the opportunity to work with the committee, and it was so gratifying to see many former students in leadership positions in the parish. I was struck by the universal respect everyone had for Sima. It was clear she was deeply loved and admired by her peers. Her contributions were always impactful, because she was honest, direct, humble and deeply committed. The committee was not simply working on an activity; they truly enjoyed each other’s company. The most important experience in community life is when God’s work is accomplished in a joyful atmosphere. That was the value that Sima brought to her interests.

We should only speak of Sima and Dylan in the past tense when referring to the end of their earthly lives. We believe that they are in paradise in God’s heavenly kingdom, where all believers in our Lord Jesus Christ will be reunited one day. Sima and Dylan’s lives on earth ended tragically, but they are now resting in God’s kingdom, free of the challenges of earthly life. The raw pain of their loss, however, continues for their family, friends and community. How does a community handle such grief? What direction should it take? How do we move on? These are not simple questions, and there are no easy answers, as they relate to the very essence of human existence and the depth of our souls. 

The answer for comfort and healing lies in our sense of community and faith. Community can be described as a fellowship with others who share common values and purpose. If we add “Armenian Christian” as descriptors to the term “community,” we begin to understand that, during the initial stage of grief, our communal life is a critical factor. Initially, the senseless nature of their passing brought on an emptiness and shock that required solitude. We discovered quickly that our grief is shared by others in our community, and our interactions have healing power. The Sunday after their deaths, prior to the funerals, the parish sponsored a special gathering of Badarak and fellowship to bring a hurting community together. It was painful, but a beautiful communion of love. They have planned a community grief counseling session with an Armenian priest licensed in this work. The unfiltered emotion of our collective loss can only be healed through our faith. Our Lord Jesus Christ told us in Matthew 18:20 that “whenever two or three are gathered in my name, I am there.” This is the basis of communal worship and fellowship. We can pray alone, but we worship together. We pray for the souls of Sima and Dylan, knowing through our faith that they are at peace in God’s kingdom. We feel the pain of our loss and know that healing may begin only through the mystical power of the Holy Spirit. Our prayers are answered through the Holy Spirit. 

I would like to share a small act of that power that recently brought me to tears. There is a member of the St. Gregory community who was a pillar of the church who left several years ago after an unfortunate conflict. He was close to Sima’s father for decades and has remained so but stopped going to the church and its sponsored events. He is also my friend, and over the years many of us have encouraged him to end the pain with forgiveness and return to the community. Despite the efforts of many, the estrangement continued. Everyone reacts to grief in different ways, and some are touched by the Holy Spirit. Last week, I received a call from this individual. He wanted me to know that as he has struggled with his grief, he decided that it was important to forgive and attended Badarak for the previous two weeks. I was stunned with joy by his announcement and felt the spirit of Sima in his voice. This is why we only speak of Sima and Dylan in the past tense in terms of their earthly lives. Someday we will all be in the past tense, but their spirit, values and inspiring behavior are alive. They reside in the hearts of all who love and respect them. Every day we are inspired by them or do something to honor them. They hold an eternal and special place in our hearts.

Sometimes, in the short term, the most important support a community can offer to the family is to simply be there for them. It may be a visit, a hug or a phone call to let them know they will never be alone. Beyond immediate support, which we tend to excel at, there is the question of the direction of the community. When community pillars are taken from us suddenly, it can either create an atmosphere of despair or inspire a community to new heights. Sima and Dylan would want the latter. We often hear that we should do something to honor someone’s memory, to the point that it sounds like a cliche. For all who knew Sima and Dylan, their love for the church community was obvious and endearing. There will be an appropriate time when activities will be sponsored that directly honor them. I would ask those who loved and respected them to consider some level of self-reflection on what we can do to fill the void left by our dear Sima and Dylan. For those who were close colleagues, they may consider how to carry on what Sima loved in her parish. Others who have drifted from community life but have established roots should think of how to re-engage in community life, inspired by the values that Sima and Dylan expressed. Go to church to pray for their souls and for the Holy Spirit to comfort the Setian and Pariseau families. We should also re-dedicate ourselves to their work and encourage others to come home to the parish. There is a time to mourn and grieve with dignity and respect. There will always be a hole in our hearts with this tragic loss, but we repair the hole by dedicating ourselves to their values. 

When the 90th anniversary planning group was meeting between February and April, Sima was so happy with her sense of community. Her life was full of caring for others, but her community was always important. It was not a task but a labor of love. She is a great example of how to do God’s work, not out of a sense of obligation but with joy. When I saw Dylan serving the kebob dinners at the picnic, his happiness to contribute was obvious. We should all follow their examples. This is not a time to be paralyzed by fear and despair but to overcome challenges inspired by their humble and loving examples. They defined community life, and now we must carry that value forward. Asdvatz hokin louysavoreh. The greatest legacy is to be remembered. May we always be inspired by our Sima and Dylan.

Author information

The post What should we do as a community when the unfathomable happens? appeared first on The Armenian Weekly.

Serj Tankian and Imagine Dragons, 2017 (Wikimedia Commons)

Serj Tankian, frontman of the renowned Armenian-American heavy metal band System of a Down, publicly criticized Imagine Dragons for their planned concert in Baku, Azerbaijan on September 2, 2023, with which the band eventually did follow through. The debate was revived following a Rolling Stone interview in July with Imagine Dragons’ frontman, Dan Reynolds, during which he defended playing the concert in Baku. 

Tankian’s initial criticism in 2023 came amid the humanitarian crisis in the dissolved Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), where the Azerbaijani government conducted a campaign of ethnic cleansing that involved blockading 120,000 Artsakhtsis — including children and the elderly — without food, medicine, internet access, electricity and gas in severe winter weather conditions.

Following the 10-month blockade, Azerbaijan forcibly removed the Artsakh Armenians, thereafter taking control of the area. Over 100,000 Artsakhtsis fled their centuries-old homeland. For the first time in over 2,000 years, Artsakh had no Armenians.

The situation was — and remains — dire, with many international organizations officially speaking out in support of the Armenian population. This includes the Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention and Human Rights Watch, among others. 

Imagine Dragons, a globally successful pop-rock band with over 74 billion streams, numerous platinum records and a multitude of music awards, including a Grammy award, was urged by Tankian to reconsider their performance. 

In his original public message on Instagram in 2023, Tankian wrote that he “was sure they were unaware that Azerbaijan’s petro-oligarchic dictatorial regime was starving 120k people in Nagorno-Karabagh which is now being called a genocide by the former prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Luis Moreno Ocampo.”

He stated that he attempted to reach out to Imagine Dragons through their representatives, sending them a “kind letter urging them to reconsider playing their show in Azerbaijan as it would help whitewash the dictatorial regime’s image there.” Tankian even went on to include various informational articles, including one by Amnesty International.

Tankian said he was told that the band had worked with Amnesty in the past. This is true, as the band was a headliner for Amnesty International’s 2014 “Bringing Human Rights Home” concert in New York. The human rights organization is a staunch critic of Azerbaijan and its President Ilham Aliyev, having highlighted the blockade, the lack of journalists’ rights and other human rights abuses. 

Imagine Dragons did not respond to Tankian’s letter, prompting him to go public with his concerns. He continued, writing: 

As the humanitarian crisis worsens in Nagorno-Karabagh with starvation already being recorded, I am forced to publicize this letter and their disregard for this humanitarian catastrophe. Maybe they felt they had a legal liability to play the show, maybe they just don’t care. My whole life I have been an advocate for genocide recognition and have always said there has to be a price to pay for genocidal regimes or deniers. Another genocide is looming by Azerbaijan and while this happens they get to enjoy an American band from LV. F**k that! 

That’s not right. 

Go to my profile to sign a petition to the band on change.org if you care to sign and you can see my letter to the band on my Facebook page. 

Thanks for reading. Serj

The petition Tankian referenced presently has 19,421 signatures, but was left unacknowledged by Imagine Dragons, who did play their show as originally planned. 

Tankian went on to interview with Metal Hammer magazine, where he stated that although he is not one to tell bands where or where not to play, there are certain conditions under which he must draw the line: “When there’s a government that’s about to commit ethnic cleansing, when Azerbaijan was starving the 120,000 Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh, and not allowing any food or medicine in…you know, as an artist, if I found that out, there is no f***ing way I could have gone and played that show. But some artists do. And I don’t know what to say about those artists. I don’t respect them as human beings. F**k their art, they’re not good human beings, as far as I’m concerned.”

He went on to state that he has “zero respect for those guys” for playing the show, and that it is not about his ego but about making a positive change.

He continued: 

I wanted those guys to know that what they’re about to do is going to have bad repercussions. I was warning them for their own sake, for their own morality.

I’ve been warning different organizations against using Azerbaijan as a venue because, again, if you allow them to have international links in a way where they feel like they’re legitimate, they’re going to continue their bad behaviour.

You have a dictator who is doing ethnic cleansing, and he’s getting more contracts, Formula 1 racing and rock shows, then he’s going to think that it’s okay to kill people. That’s not okay. So you’ve got to break that link, you’ve got to let people know.

On July 2 this year, Rolling Stone released an interview with Reynolds. The magazine asked him about the widespread criticism Imagine Dragons received for their concert in Azerbaijan, as well as in Israel. He said that he does not believe in depriving fans who want to see them play because of their leaders and governments’ actions. He called it “a really slippery slope,” stating that there are corrupt leaders and warmongers everywhere. “Where do you draw the line?” he asked. 

Rolling Stone specifically asked Reynolds about Tankian’s statement that he didn’t “respect them as human beings” for playing in Azerbaijan, to which he gave the same general response: “I think I just said it. It’s a slippery slope, and I’m never going to deprive our fans of playing for them.”

It is important to note that Imagine Dragons canceled their shows in Kiev and Moscow, posting a since-deleted image of the Ukrainian flag on Instagram with the accompanying caption, “In light of recent events, we’re sad to announce our Russia and Ukraine shows are cancelled until further notice. Our thoughts are with Ukraine and all others suffering from this needless war.”

The band also took on the role of ambassadors for humanitarian organization UNITED24, a Ukrainian government-run fundraising platform to raise money for Ukraine in the Russo-Ukrainian War. They have worked alongside Ukraine’s First Lady Olena Zelenska on a fundraiser for ambulance supplies. 

In a statement, Reynolds said, “We love the people of Ukraine and want to help in any way possible. Injustices like this can only be conquered when people around the world come together. We stand by the beautiful people of Ukraine and their courageous leader President Zelensky. We will work with UNITED24 and local leaders to continually find ways to raise awareness and funds for the people until this unjust war ends. We look forward to the day when we can play a concert again in Kyiv and celebrate freedom, life and music with the resilient and strong people of Ukraine.”

The band even removed their discography from the Russian market. As it turns out, this “slippery slope” that Reynolds mentioned is a selective one. While he celebrates people coming together to conquer injustices in the case of Ukraine, that very same idea is not relevant — or, as implied, precarious or unfair — to other situations around the world. 

Tankian was quick to respond to Reynolds’ Rolling Stone interview on July 5 on social media, writing: 

Dan Reynolds stated: “I don’t believe in depriving our fans who want to see us play because of the acts of their leaders and their governments, I think that’s a really slippery slope. I think the second you start to do that, there’s corrupt leaders and warmongers all over the world, and where do you draw the line?”                 

Respectfully, I draw the line at ethnic cleansing and genocide. Azerbaijan’s dictatorship with popular support was already into a 9-month starvation blockade of Nagorno-Karabagh qualified as genocide by former @icc prosecutor @luismorenoocampo when they decided to play Baku. Would they play in Nazi Germany? Why don’t they want to play in Russia? Because it’s not popular? 

They support Ukraine but not Armenians of Artsakh? The only “slippery slope” is the farce moral equivalency at the heart of this hypocritical attitude. I have nothing against this guy nor his band. I just hate artists being taken advantage of to whitewash genocidal dictatorships.

Reynolds and other members from Imagine Dragons have not responded to this statement, but it is evident where their priorities lie. While they publicly denounce their Russian fans (arguably “depriving” fans of their music, in Reynolds’ words) and embrace Ukraine, going above and beyond for the country in terms of fundraisers and other aforementioned steps, that same train of thought is not applicable in the case of Azerbaijan, Artsakh and Armenia. 

Rolling Stone Australia covered Tankian’s response to Reynold’s interview on July 8. According to the article, a representative for Imagine Dragons did not immediately respond to the magazine’s request for comment.

Whether the band will properly address Tankian’s concerns — in line with their activism for Ukraine — remains to be seen, but this public debate within the music industry has undoubtedly brought global attention to artists’ responsibilities in the face of human rights abuses. 

Author information

The post Serj Tankian criticizes Imagine Dragons’ performance in Azerbaijan, cites country’s human rights abuses appeared first on The Armenian Weekly.

On July 10, Transparency International Georgia published a report assessing the performance of the Parliament in 2023. Over the last year, the report finds, the Parliament has become a “closed institution.” The report names the growing institutional inaccessibility of the Parliament for both journalists and representatives of civil society organizations and the lack of transparency when releasing public information, particularly concerning developments in 2023. What is more, for the first time in the last ten years, the Parliament did not respond to Transparency International’s request for public information on the number of speeches delivered by MPs, details on disciplinary actions taken against MPs, and the activities of the parliamentary committees.

The report recognizes the importance of the Parliament’s work for Georgia’s path toward European integration. Specifically, it points out the protests against the foreign agents law in February 2023 as playing “a crucial role in the country achieving candidate status for EU membership.” Further, it notes that only three of the 12 recommendations for Georgia’s EU accession issued by the European Commission in June 2022 have been implemented.

Transparency International-Georgia welcomes the passage of legislation regarding personal data protection, as well as the amendments to the anti-corruption law mandating prosecutors to disclose their asset declarations. However, the report negatively evaluates the proposed initiatives concerning “the preliminary prohibition on temporary constructions during gatherings and demonstrations, modifications to broadcasting regulations concerning the management of hate speech, and amendments to accountability and oversight provisions in the Rules of Procedure.”

Overview of activities by MPs in 2023

• The Parliament authorized 1,836,033.17 GEL in funding for overseas business trips by 98 MPs in 2023
• Of the MPs serving in the parliamentary majority, Irma Zavradashvili (Georgian Dream) submitted the highest number of bills—105. Of all opposition MPs, the most prolific was Aleksandre Rakviashvili (Girchi), who initiated a total of 74 bills.
• The most frequent absentee from the majority was Eliso Bolkvadze (Georgian Dream), who did not take part in 13 plenary sessions. Of the opposition, Cezar Chocheli (UNM) missed 23 plenary sessions. Of those missing the Parliament’s committee sessions without a valid reason, the majority MP Mariam Lashkhi (Georgian Dream) did not attend ten plenary sessions, while the opposition MP Giorgi Godabrelidze (UNM) had 16 unexcused absences.
• Opposition MPs submitted the most questions to stakeholders in 2023 (2,920), while MPs from the parliamentary majority sent only 77 questions to ministers and accountable persons. Overall, there was a decrease in the number of parliamentary questions submitted compared to previous years.

Recommendations

The report stresses the importance of establishing a specialized parliamentary body for the oversight of the activities of the security sector, in particular the opaque State Security Service. It advises that the parliamentary majority “should not obstruct the opposition’s use of oversight mechanisms through artificial barriers” regarding enforcing the recommended oversight procedures. The report notes that in 2023, “791 unanswered parliamentary questions were submitted by the opposition, constituting 27% of their overall inquiries. Conversely, only five questions posed by the majority remained unanswered, representing a mere 6% of their total questions.”

Further, Transparency International recommends that MPs consult more with the public throughout the legislative process, stressing the importance of extensive discussions and expert involvement concerning decisions made on “significant national matters” in the Parliament. Moreover, the report stresses that “the Parliament should review legislative proposals promptly and allow the authors to present their opinions to the committee,” pointing out that “bills should only be expedited or prolonged in their deliberation in exceptional cases.” In 2023, 122 laws were fast-tracked by the Parliament.

Lastly, the report encourages the Parliament to refrain from obstructing the participation of media and civil society organizations in the legislative process through “legislative changes or violations of existing rules,” further noting the importance of the timely release of public information to ensure institutional transparency and accountability. “Access to the Parliament,” Transparency International states, “should not be unreasonably restricted for media and civil society representatives.”

Also Read:

• 28/06/2024 – TI Georgia: Georgian Dream Received Highest Amount of Political Party Funding in 2023
• 18/06/2024 – TI Georgia: Advertising Market in Georgia Insufficient for Media to Function Properly