Nikol Pashinian
Nikol Pashinian Նիկոլ Փաշինյան | |
|---|---|
| File:Nikol1.jpg | |
| Born | June 1, 1975 |
| Occupation | editor of Haykakan Zhamanak |
| Website | NikolPashinyan.com |
Nikol Pashinian (Armenian: Նիկոլ Փաշինյան) is an Armenian journalist, publicist and senior leader of the opposition movement led by former President of Armenia, Levon Ter-Petrossian. He is the editor of Armenia’s best-selling daily newspaper critical of the government, Haykakan Zhamanak (Armenian Time).[1] As the head editor of the Armenian daily Haikakan Zhamanak (Armenian Times) since 1999, Pashinian has been an important contributor to the discourse of the various movements that have opposed the governments of former President Robert Kocharyan and current President Serzh Sargsyan, whose presidency Pashinian and the opposition reject as illegitimate. In 2000, while he was the head editor of Haikakan Zhamanak he was convicted on charges of defamation and libel against different people.[2]
Pashinian is the main contributor to the samizdat, and underground newspaper, called Payqar! which has developed into one of the opposition movement's more important organs.
Pashinian went into hiding shortly after the deadly unrest in Armenia following the 2008 presidential elections for which; he was wanted by the Armenian police on allegations of murder and mass disorder. In June 2009, he came out of hiding and turned himself to the police. He was released after an amnesty was granted to many political prisoners in May 2011, nearly two years after he was jailed.
Hiding
Pashinian went into hiding after the events of March 1st, 2008. Along with seven others, he is wanted by the Armenian Government for "committing premeditated actions intended to seizing of state power by force, of provocation and organization of mass disorders accompanied with murder in Yerevan."[3]
He has continued to regularly write for his paper, claiming to be traveling around the world with a fake foreign passport.[4]
In an interview with RFE/RL on October 16, 2008, Pashinian insisted that democratic "revolution" is the only way to effect change in Armenia and that President Sargsyan has done nothing to prove the opposite.[4] He maintains that the government investigators are covering up the perpetrators of the 8 deaths on March 1, who he claims are former president Robert Kocharian and former prime minister Serzh Sargsyan.[4]
Detention and release
On July 1, 2009, Pashinian came out of hiding and surrendered himself to Armenian police after a general amnesty declared by the Armenian authorities on June 19 of opposition figures that have been detained following the March 1 events.[5]
Pashinian was one of several opposition activists freed after an amnesty measure was passed by the National Assembly of Armenia in late May 2011, during a period of protracted anti-government protests. He spoke at an Armenian National Congress rally, where he called for snap elections and said they were the only possible means of restoring Armenians' confidence in their government.[6]
Assassination attempts
On November 22, 2004, at 8:40 pm, Pashinian's four-wheel drive vehicle parked just outside the Haykakan Zhamanak office in downtown Yerevan burst into flames after what the newspaper staff said was a strong explosion. Pashinian believes he stayed alive by accident, since during the last three months he has normally finished work at between 8:30 and 9 o’clock in the evening, whereas on the day of the attack he worked longer than usual. The fire completely destroyed the car's front section, including the driver's seat.[7] After launching an inquiry, police concluded unusually quickly that the fire was caused by a "breakdown of the car battery’s wires," effectively denying that Pashinian came under attack.[8]
Pashinian has said that the explosion was as an assassination attempt engineered by a wealthy businessman, Gagik Tsarukian. He said that Tsarukian was infuriated by a recent Haykakan Zhamanak story that accused him of illegally cutting trees to build a villa in the resort town of Tsaghkadzor.[7]
References
- ^ Newspaper Editor’s Car Blown Up, Armenia Liberty (RFE/RL), November 22, 2004.
- ^ Hayots Ashkarh December 18, 2007
- ^ Press Release: Is completed the preliminary investigation on 7 accused, Office of Public Prosecutor of the Republic of Armenia, September 8, 2008.
- ^ a b c Fugitive Oppositionist Sees No Alternative To ‘Revolution’, Armenia Liberty (RFE/RL), October 16, 2008.
- ^ Fugitive Oppositionist Surrenders To Armenian Police July 1, 2009.
- ^ ""Festive" ANC rally was held in Yerevan". PanARMENIAN. 31 May 2011. Retrieved 1 June 2011.
- ^ a b Newspaper Editor’s Car Blown Up, Armenia Liberty (RFE/RL), November 22, 2004.
- ^ Tycoon Denies Role In Journalist Car Bombing, Armenia Liberty (RFE/RL), November 23, 2004.
External links
- Official personal website Template:Hy icon
- Payqar official website and underground newspaper Template:Hy icon
- Haykakan Zhamanak website and newspaper. Template:Hy icon
- Armenaker Kamilion has a substantial number of English translations of Pashinian's articles in Payqar.