Protest actions in Yerevan and Gyumri: “No Azerbaijani film festival will take place in Armenia”

Today, on April 12, so called peacemaker George Vanyan intends to hold “Stop” festival of Azerbaijani films. A great protest is raised against this initiative. Armenians in social networks have created groups and pages which call on to deny and forbid this shameful initiative.

Today at 12:00 a group of Armenian young people will hold a protest action and will go to the Ministry of Culture of RA. They will give a letter to the Minister of Culture. The letter will offer the Minister of Culture to prevent such festivals in future as well.

Protest action is also planned in Gyumri where Vanyan planned to hold his shameful festival. This is not the first attempt by Vanyan to hold such festivals. His attempts were failed in Yerevan and Vanadzor before due to the civilian activity. Now the festival is denied also in Gyumri. Residents of the second town of Armenia held a protest action also yesterday. Activists from Yerevan are leaving for Gyumri today and will do everything to make obstacles and do not let the festival take place.  

Vanyan wants to organize festival of Azerbaijani films in case when Azerbaijanis killed Armenians in Baku, Maragha, Sumgayit just nearly twenty years ago, in case when an Azerbaijani criminal killed Armenian lieutenant Gurgen Margaryan in Budapest when he was slept and now this criminal is national hero in Azerbaijan. Armenian villager Manvel Saribekyan was captured and killed by Azerbaijanis just nearly a year ago. Azerbaijanis shot at our border and kill our soldiers on the border. Armenia and Azerbaijan are in war yet. And some George Vanyan wants to organize festival of Azerbaijani films in Armenia. Vanyan announces that the festival will assist to launch dialogue between Armenian and Azerbaijani societies. But unfortunately such actions are held only in Armenia and no Azerbaijani wants any dialogue. Even if anyone wants or expresses such wish that misfortune person will certainly be arrested in Azerbaijan.

Note that no one organization gave place Vanyan to hold the festival in Yerevan and chairman of the “Asbarez” press-club Levon Barseghyan agreed to give the place and named his action “protection of speech freedom”.