Nikol Pashinian
Encyclopedia
Nikol Pashinian is an Armenia
n 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).
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.
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.
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."
He has continued to regularly write for his paper, claiming to be traveling around the world with a fake foreign passport.
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. 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.
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 election
s and said they were the only possible means of restoring Armenians' confidence in their government.
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. 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.
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.
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
n journalist, publicist and senior leader of the opposition movement led by former President of Armenia, Levon Ter-Petrossian
Levon Ter-Petrossian
Levon Ter-Petrossian , sometimes transliterated Levon Ter-Petrosyan or Ter-Petrosian , was the first President of Armenia from 1991 to 1998...
. He is the editor of Armenia’s best-selling daily newspaper critical of the government, Haykakan Zhamanak (Armenian Time).
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.
Pashinian is the main contributor to the samizdat
Samizdat
Samizdat was a key form of dissident activity across the Soviet bloc in which individuals reproduced censored publications by hand and passed the documents from reader to reader...
, 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
2008 Armenian presidential election protests
The 2008 Armenian presidential election protests were a series of mass protests held in Armenia in the wake of the Armenian presidential election of 19 February 2008...
in Armenia following the 2008 presidential elections
Armenian presidential election, 2008
A presidential election was held in Armenia on 19 February 2008. Prime Minister of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan won the election in the first round according to official results, but this is disputed by former President Levon Ter-Petrossian, who officially placed second.The candidacy of Sargsyan was...
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
He has continued to regularly write for his paper, claiming to be traveling around the world with a fake foreign passport.
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
Sargsyan
Sargsyan , also Sarkissian or Sarkisyan, these latter two being transliterations of the Russian spelling Саркисян, is an Armenian surname...
has done nothing to prove the opposite. 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
Robert Kocharian
Robert Kocharyan was the second President of Armenia, serving from 1998 till 2008. He was previously President of Nagorno-Karabakh from 1994 to 1997 and Prime Minister of Armenia from 1997 to 1998.-Biography:...
and former prime minister Serzh Sargsyan.
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.Pashinian was one of several opposition activists freed after an amnesty measure was passed by the National Assembly of Armenia
National Assembly of Armenia
The Azgayin Zhoghov of Armenia is the official name of the legislative branch of the government of Armenia.-History:Until the promulgation of the Hatt-i Sharif of 1839, the patriarch and his clients, within limits, possessed authority over Armenian people in the Ottoman Empire...
in late May 2011, during a period of protracted anti-government protests
2011 Armenian protests
The 2011 Armenian protests are an ongoing series of civil demonstrations aimed at provoking political reforms and concessions from both the government of Armenia and the civic government of Yerevan, its capital and largest city...
. He spoke at an Armenian National Congress
Armenian National Congress
The Armenian National Congress is a coalition of 13 opposition parties in the Republic of Armenia led by former President Levon Ter-Petrossian and formed in 2008. Its direct predecessor was the Armenian Popular Movement...
rally, where he called for snap election
Snap election
A snap election is an election called earlier than expected. Generally it refers to an election in a parliamentary system called when not required , usually to capitalize on a unique electoral opportunity or to decide a pressing issue...
s and said they were the only possible means of restoring Armenians' confidence in their government.
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 YerevanYerevan
Yerevan is the capital and largest city of Armenia and one of the world's oldest continuously-inhabited cities. Situated along the Hrazdan River, Yerevan is the administrative, cultural, and industrial center of the country...
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. 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.
Pashinian has said that the explosion was as an assassination attempt engineered by a wealthy businessman, Gagik Tsarukian
Gagik Tsarukian
Gagik Kolyai Tsarukyan ,, also known by his nickname Dodi Gago is an Armenian politician and a wealthy businessman. He is seen as the most influential of Armenia's government-connected "oligarchs" and key business partner of Kocharyan owning over a dozen big businesses and living in a very large...
. 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.
External links
- Official personal website
- Payqar official website and underground newspaper
- Haykakan Zhamanak website and newspaper.
- Armenaker Kamilion has a substantial number of English translations of Pashinian's articles in Payqar.