“Amnesty International, a human rights organization, discredited itself as a serious and objective organization long ago,” blogger Tigran Kocharyan told www.aravot.am about the State of the World’s Human Rights Report 2013 issued by the organization.
Let us remind that this report mentions that a festival of Azeri movies organized by Georgi Vanyan was prevented, and the organizers of the festival, as well as the DIY club considered to be a place of gathering for homosexuals, were attacked.
In Mr. Kocharyan’s words, Amnesty International’s statements quickly change, depending on the clients. “The one who pays orders the music. It would be very interesting to see in that organization’s reports about the prisoners of Guantanamo Bay or about what is going on in Libya, Syria, where they would talk about, for example, why al-Qaeda is strongly supported by the US in Syria.
“There are much more serious problems in Armenia than a gay parade or café arson or a festival of Azeri movies; one shouldn’t divert attention to them. It was obvious that they should write bad things, since they base their judgments on local experts’ opinion, because they are fed by the same milch cow. So there can be no objectiveness whatsoever. If they write good things, financial flux into Armenia will cease. However, people should provide for their families, go on vacations and call them seminars.”
Read also
In T. Kocharyan’s words, Amnesty International’s report doesn’t differ from the report of the US Department of State in any way. “I haven’t noticed any difference. When it suits them, they turn a blind eye to certain things – for example, the embassies of the US and other countries gave a very good assessment of the parliamentary election in May. And when they need to pressure Armenia, organizations like Amnesty International immediately spring up and start to toy with Armenia’s reputation. Thus, all those opinions play a role of a whip on Armenia’s government, if they try to divert from the course set by the West. When they need it they keep silent, when they need it they shout, when they need it they involve us in the Millennium Project, when they need it they pamper us. There is no objectiveness in terms of human rights protection.”
He assured that society’s position on screening of Azeri movies has remained unchanged. “Society’s position on the gay parade and screening of Azeri movies has remained the same. With regard to Vanyan’s movies, let me say again that the person does ordinary business on all this and benefits from that subject. With regard to the gay parade, we are involved in legal proceedings, if I am not mistaken, the trial hasn’t started yet, and the court should decide. The speeches of that organization can be regarded also as interference in legal proceedings. A human rights organization should have fully understood that.”
Arpine SIMONYAN
