Sassounian: Amal Clooney to Represent Armenia in European Court

Here is a surprising news item being disclosed for the first time in this column—Amal Ramzi Alamuddin, wife of prominent actor and human rights activist George Clooney, will be one of the attorneys representing Armenia next month at the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).

Mrs. Clooney is a highly regarded attorney specializing in international law, criminal law, human rights, and extradition. She has been involved in several major lawsuits such as return of the Elgin Marbles from Great Britain to Greece, and defending Julian Assange of WikiLeaks and former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko. She has also worked with the Prosecutor of the UN Special Tribunal for Lebanon, and the International Criminal Tribunal for former Yugoslavia.

Amal was born in Lebanon to a Druze father and Sunni Muslim mother in 1978. At the age of two, her family moved to the United Kingdom. She received her law degree from New York University School of Law and clerked at the International Court of Justice (World Court). After returning to London in 2010, she became a barrister at the Doughty Street Chambers. She served as advisor to Kofi Annan, UN Special Envoy on Syria, and as Counsel to the 2013 UN Drone Inquiry team. She is fluent in English, French and Arabic. Her marriage to George Clooney in September 2014 made worldwide headlines.

With such impeccable credentials, Mrs. Clooney will be a great asset to Armenia’s legal team in Strasbourg, in the appeal of Perincek vs. Switzerland before the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights on January 28.

The case involves the conviction by Swiss courts of Dogu Perincek, a minor Turkish political party leader, who had travelled to Switzerland in 2005 with the explicit intent of denying the truth of the Armenian Genocide. In 2008, Perincek appealed the Swiss ruling to the European Court of Human Rights. A majority of five out of seven ECHR judges ruled on Dec. 17, 2013 that Switzerland had violated Perincek’s right to free expression.

This ruling was an unfair and unacceptable double standard, as the court considered denial of the Jewish Holocaust a crime, but the prohibition of Armenian Genocide denial an infringement on free speech. The five judges who ruled against Switzerland made countless judgmental and factual errors, misrepresenting Perincek’s allegations, misinterpreting Switzerland’s laws and court rulings, lacking basic knowledge of the Armenian Genocide, and repeatedly contradicting themselves. Two of the seven judges disagreed with the majority’s ruling and submitted a comprehensive 19-page report on the Armenian Genocide, siding with the Swiss court.

On March 17, 2014, Switzerland decided to appeal the ruling to ECHR’s 17-judge Grand Chamber, to defend the integrity of its laws and the country’s legal system. Specifically, the Swiss government challenged the court’s decision on three grounds:

1) ECHR had never before dealt with the juridical qualification of genocide and the scope of freedom of expression;

2) The undue restriction of “the margin of appreciation” available to Switzerland under ECHR’s jurisprudence;

3) The establishment of ‘artificial distinctions’ — in the absence of an international verdict, ECHR should have considered the Turkish Court’s 1919 guilty verdicts against the masterminds of the Armenian Genocide as evidence related to World Court’s jurisprudence.

Last year, when ECHR’s lower court was considering Perincek’s case, Armenia did not participate. Turkey, however, intervened by submitting extensive documentation questioning the veracity of the Armenian Genocide. This time around Armenia will take part with a strong legal team, which includes Geoffrey Robertson QC, a preeminent international lawyer and author of the remarkable book, “An Inconvenient Genocide: Who Now Remembers the Armenians?” Robertson will be joined in court by his associate Amal Clooney, and two Armenian government representatives Gevorg Kostanyan and Emil Babayan.

It is imperative that on the eve of the Armenian Genocide’s Centennial in 2015, ECHR’s Grand Chamber reverse the lower court’s flawed ruling, restoring the integrity of Swiss laws and preventing Turkey and Perincek from exporting their genocide denialism to Europe and beyond!

Harut Sassounian

Harut Sassounian

California Courier Editor
Harut Sassounian is the publisher of The California Courier, a weekly newspaper based in Glendale, Calif. He is the president of the Armenia Artsakh Fund, a non-profit organization that has donated to Armenia and Artsakh one billion dollars of humanitarian aid, mostly medicines, since 1989 (including its predecessor, the United Armenian Fund). He has been decorated by the presidents of Armenia and Artsakh and the heads of the Armenian Apostolic and Catholic churches. He is also the recipient of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor.

61 Comments

  1. Fact checking. Studied law at Oxford for three years and did a one year (LLM) program at NYU. The NYU program is for foreign lawyers and completion allows one to sit for the New York Bar Exam, for practice in the State of NY only.
    Other states require a law degree from an accredited U.S. law school to qualify to take a state bar exam. Would be attorney’s in the U.S. must complete a four year undergraduate degree, at a minimum, before making application to law school. A Juris Doctorate may be completed in three years, day program, four years, evening program. From there one makes application to take a state bar exam.

  2. Please correct me but was this court case being covered by Armenian newspapers and media as it was happening? I only remember hearing about when the verdict was handed down. Did I miss the reportage of it? Also, why wasn’t Armenia or Armenian diaspora organizations involved?! Was anyone paying attention?!

  3. Why is Mr Clooney being described as a human rights activist and Ms Ramzi Alammudin being described as a pretty face? Mr Sassounian, as a reporter you have a responsibility to your readership. Please do not insult our intelligence with your rhetoric about the capacity or lack thereof of women. Stop perpetuating anti-feminine ideas and stop reducing women to their physical features. You are not helping anyone.

    • George Clooney is a Human Rights Activist. I ddn’t get Mrs. Clooney being described as just a pretty face. Her credentials are listed and she is given praise for those credentials as well as being an asset to the team. Did we read the same article?

    • Aline, Why would Mr. Sassounian insult Amal Clooney? He is writting about Amal not you. Don’t worry Amal is an intelligent woman she’ll not get inulted. If you don’t like the guy, don’t read his articles. Or, grow up, and try to post constructive coments if you have the intelligence that is.

    • The article was edited after first posted on Aremenian Weekly. Some people posted comments after reading original version.

    • George Clooeny is a celebrity who leisurely dabbles in photo-shoot activism. (“Human Rights Activism” is a pretty cringe-worthy phrase, anyway, if you ask me.) It goes without saying that his wife is glamorous and very pretty, but since this is a big P.R. coup for Genocide Recognition it is not entirely irrelevant, though would only be explicitly stated by someone fairly naive. At the end of the day, giving this ECHR case more publicity in any way shape or form is a good thing, especially if it is positive publicity that could encourage a ruling against denial.

    • Stepanos,

      I don’t think anyone is denying that Amal is attractive and it gets attention, but using her physical attributes to get attention is low and cheapens our persuit. We should stick to the moral, ethical and legal aspects of the case.

      Amal gets plenty of attention on her own and that will play out by itself. We don’t need to bring attention ourselves.

      Besides, PR coups are useless if the court decides against us again.

    • Random Armenian,

      You’re right on all counts. I was merely stating that only a simpleton would comment on her physical attributes in a published article.

      Anyway, she’ll bring attention to the case more by dint of her belonging to the tabloid-erected cult of celebrity because of whom she chose to marry than for anything else. That she is easy on the eyes might just make it more likely she’ll be televised in relation to the case. That the tabloids are smitten with Clooney and Amal ought not have any bearing on the outcome, but the case getting more mainstream attention than it otherwise would have is good for us no matter how you slice it.

      But we should recognize the symbolic nature of the case anyway. It is obviously not a ruling on the genocide itself, and frankly I am not sure exactly how a positive verdict will factor into our achieving justice. The case is about criminalizing denial as hate-speech, which is a complicated and highly semantic issue in and of itself. As far as I can see, the precedent of codifying genocide-denial as hate-speech can only be beneficial to Armenians around the world. This does not mean I embrace all the legal and social implications that this precedent would set, and I can understand how even a judge who sincerely supports retributive justice for the Armenian genocide might still rule against criminalizing denial in Switzerland. We’ll see how things pan out.

    • Stepanos,

      I’m not crazy about criminalizing denial myself because it’s a tricky thing. My biggest issue with the original ruling had to do with the comments expressed regarding the genocide being unsettled. Which is ridiculous in one sense because they said that they did not delve into the facts of the genocide in the first place. Like you, I would accept a ruling against this law for justifiable legal issues and not because the judges think the facts of the genocide are unclear.

      I would also settle for a more general hate-speech law where the context of how the genocide is denied is based on hate. Perincek would fall under this. Genocides are denied based on hate and other attitudes. But some are carefully shrouded in academic “research”, making it hard to classify it as hate.

      But then again, I’m not a lawyer.

  4. Amal…Her name means Hopes in Arabic Language
    She is a great lady for a great man.
    Clooney knew whom to chose…
    To be proud of
    and live with him forever…I hope…

  5. No wander if she is trying to protect the Armenian cause.one of her ancestor ( PAPA KUNZLER ) was a great pro Armenian personality .We never forget him

  6. The original version of this article is beyond comprehension. How a respectable editorial in this day and age can allow a sentence such as the one beginning the second paragraph of the article to be published at all, is shocking. What century are we living in?

    • Wow! Really? She’s a descendant of Papa Kunzler?? Where did you hear that? If it’s true then no wonder she’s defending this case! YAYYY for us!

  7. The paragraph that mentions ‘pretty face’ is this:

    {Some readers may wonder how a woman described by Elle magazine
    as having “stunning looks, flirty dresses, tailored pants, colorful heels,
    and gorgeous hair” is involved in such a complex legal matter?
    It may be astonishing to most people that Amal Alamuddin, now
    Mrs. Clooney, is much more than a pretty face! In fact, she is perfectly qualified for this critical assignment}.
    {Mrs. Clooney is a highly regarded attorney specializing in international law, criminal law, human rights, and extradition……}

    Mr. Sassounian is referencing what Elle magazine wrote about Ms. Alamuddin.
    Then he debunks the ‘fluff’ proffered by Elle magazine thus:
    “Mrs Clooney, is much more than a pretty face. In fact, she is perfectly qualified for this critical assignment”.
    “…a highly regarded attorney specializing in international law, criminal law, ….”

    Yes, Ms. Alamuddin is obviously quite attractive.
    And ?
    She did not ‘rest’ or cash-in on her looks.
    She did not take the easy way, by becoming a highly-paid model like many women with her looks do, for example.
    She took the hard way, and succeeded.
    So where is the problem ?
    What parts of “perfectly qualified”, “highly regarded” allude to her looks ?

    Clearly, Mr. Sassounian did not describe Ms. Alamuddin as a, quote, ‘pretty face’: he did the exact opposite.
    And just as clearly, Ms. Bogossian apparently has an agenda and a bias against Mr. Sassounian.
    In the entire long, detailed article about a very serious subject that should concern every _Armenian_ she finds one word to latch on to.

    btw: reality check, Ms. Bogossian.
    Worldwide cosmetics industry was about $170 Billion worldwide in 2014.($40 billion in the Americas, ~$60 billion in Europe, ~$60 billion in Australia & Asia, and another $10 billion in Africa.)
    Consumers of cosmetics are almost exclusively women.
    Why women ? Don’t know: you tell me.
    And there are no male counterparts to super-models like Gisele Bundchen, Miranda Kerr, etc.
    Bundchen made $40 million last year.
    Kerr made $7 million.
    Don’t how much Ms. Alamuddin made last year being an attorney/barrister, but doubt she was even close.

    • “Mr. Sassounian is referencing what Elle magazine wrote about Ms. Alamuddin.
      Then he debunks the ‘fluff’ proffered by Elle magazine thus:”

      Yeah but why even bother mentioning Elle in the first place. I thought the introduction in the original version a bit silly. The current version is much better. It sticks to essence of the news, Amal’s background in law and how important it is to have her representing us.

  8. Honestly, Aline, I agree with the rest of the gentlemen here that Amal is being depicted here as a true intelligent woman who is capable of handling such a serious case on an international level along with her collegues. Mr Sassounian has been truely giving credit to her intellectual capacity. I’m amazed just how it is that you saw all this anti- … anti-… but not the fact that this article is a great one to spread awareness as to the international court case involving such a sensitive case as genecide is!

  9. Has anyone checked what her relation is to the daughter of Papa Jacob Kuenzler, the “father of the Armenian orphans”… Jacob’s daughter Ida Kuenzler was married to the Lebanese druze Najib Alamuddin…. Ida wrote the book “Papa Kuenzler & the Armenians”

  10. Sincerely told, the danger of such an article – and unfortnuately many of the readers swifted their comments on very secondary issues -is to drive people out from the core point: Mrs. Amal Clooney, a highly qualified lawyer in Human Rights issues (one demostrates her/its value on the work-field), part of an international well known legal staff, will be side by side with Geoffrey Robertson in representing Armenia for a major legal issue that concerns not only Switzerland, Turkey, Armenia and France (all four represented in this issue as High Contracting Parties), but the jurisprudency of the European Court of Human Rights in the punishment of denial. I would be grateful, could we remain concentrated on what counts: strong legal arguments and nothing else. To Random Armenian: the Switzerland-Armenia Association, the Armenian Government (is never too late), along with many important representatives of the Armenian Diaspora, are following the issue very closely, since the beginning of this story, i.e. May 2005. Meeting point Wednesday January 28, 2015, in Strasbourg. It’s important, Ladies and Gentlemen.

    • Sarkis,
      Are you aware of which Armenian organizations were involved from the early stages? I am curious to know who is contributing.

    • To “Another Armenian”: The trial in Switzerland was launched by the SAA (Switzerland-Armenia Association) on July 15, 2005. The SAA constituted itself as civil plaintiff for the trial of March 5, 2007, and remained involved until the definitive verdict of the Swiss Supreme Court, of December 12, 2007. In this second round (subsequently to the verdict of the 2nd Section of the ECHR, released on December 17, 2013, and presently in front of the Grand Chamber, after Switzerland recurred against this decision), other than the SAA, two other NGOs of Armenian origin publicly communicated to have been granted leave in the Affair Perincek c. Suisse: the International Institute for Genocide and Human Rights Studies (a Division of the Zoryan Institute) – which will be, by the way, side by side with two Turkish Human Rights Associations – and the Coordination Council of the Armenian Associations of France (CCAF).

  11. I sympathise with the Armenians wanting their history to be correctly written but it is history and for the Republic to be once again great it must look forward and not forever over its shoulder.

    • Why is it either or?

      This argument always ignores Turkey’s efforts to completely erase a piece of history. It’s about undoing that.

    • I personally fully agree with Mr Avalyan Newton. We should, however, not gorget, that in such mass crime cases there is an issue of (major) accountability wich should (and will) be arized. Turkey must, once for ever, have the maturity to face its responsibility and to come to terms with this – until today denied – crime.

  12. I personally fully agree with Mr Avalyan Newton. We should, however, not gorget, that in such mass crime cases there is an issue of (major) accountability wich must (and will) be arized. Turkey should once for ever have tha maturity to face its responsibility and come to terms with this – until today denied – crime.

  13. For some Armenians, apparently a woman can’t be both intelligent and pretty.

    And btw I think Amal can easily pass for an Armenian lady.

  14. ISSUES WHICH SHOULD BE LOOKED AT: WHO ARE THE STAFFERS AT THIS COURT, AND TO WHAT DEGREE ARE THEY BOUGHT AND PAID FOR TURKISH NATIONALISTS?

  15. If history is written by the politicians yesterday and today, how different will the future be ???
    Let’s not be simplistic and see this solely as an Armenian issue.
    It is time for all to wake up and focus on elevating your own humanity.

  16. I highly respect what Mrs. Amal Clooney does with her life and intelligence. I love reading about these world events. Thank you to Amal and the respectful news reports on these subjects. If now married to George Clooney brings this out into the light, all the better for human rights intetests world round. Thank you Amal.

  17. The timing of this court case is perfect for the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. I wish the Armenian delegation every luck and look forward to a speedy and just resolution which should help to an international recognition of this heinous crime.

  18. Thank you Harout Sassounian in bringing this article of Armenian Genocide to be heard in the World Court by a group of Attorneys headed by Atty.Amal Ramzi
    Alamuddin now married to George Clooney(a human rights activist and an actor).The timing is perfect for the 100 Centennial of the Armenian Genocide.It is about time the Armenian leadership is standing up to fight for what is a FACT history. When Hitlers Generals were reluctant in doing away withe the Gewish people. Hitler said and I quote him “Who today remembers Armenians?

    • If fake Hitler quotes, dilettante actors, and self-seeking attorneys who specialise in everything except real law are going to be the face of the 100th Centennial of the Armenian Genocide, then it is going to be a disappointing year.

  19. Those “smart” Armenians, like Joy and his/her followers, who criticize Mr. Sasounian and Mrs. Clooney, who will represent, for Armenia in European court must improve their “bar” level, and go back to universities, for another 3 years and learn modern political sciences, where most of you guys have no clue about politics, where “paid” Turkic fake “political scholars” falsifying the truth of Armenian Genocide in our dirty political world!.

  20. {“ Yeah but why even bother mentioning Elle in the first place. I thought the introduction in the original version a bit silly.”}
    (Random Armenian // December 23, 2014 at 2:13 pm //)

    Yeah, but when was the last time you didn’t find anything written by Mr. Sassounian objectionable ?
    You have been cyber-bullying the community leader and patriot as long as I can remember.

    The original version was better: it is disappointing that ArmenianWeekly changed it, but it’s their show.
    The original is available at many sites for posterity.
    I applaud Mr. Sassounian for writing it that way: obviously he got some flak for it, and probably suspected he might.
    But I also understand AW’s reasoning for removing that paragraph: my guess is they did not want to give an excuse for certain individuals with chip-on-their shoulder from distracting the core message of the article by their Anti-Sassounian comments.
    As was proven by some of the silly posts directed at Mr. Sassounian.

    This is why the original was better:

    There is obviously a stereotype that attractive women and brains do not often go together.
    Previously I gave facts above about female super-models, cosmetics, the fact that male supermodels do not exist, etc.
    Those are facts: people can like them or not, but prove me wrong.

    Mr. Sassounian’s original forcefully attacks and demolishes that anti-female stereotype in one elegant opening salvo.
    In fact, by juxtaposing and contrasting Ms. Alamuddin’s impressive mental and personal accomplishments and her hard work with the fluff proffered by Elle magazine, Mr. Sassounian does more to ridicule the stereotype than the ridiculous comments objecting to the paragraph in question.

    In another vein, I am happy to report that after months of diligent research I have been unable to find that infamous video you and your Turkophile Anti-Lemkinite buddies have been looking for. But please have no doubt that I will re-double my efforts, and will do my best not to find it.

    Belated Merry Christmas to you and your Turkophile friends.
    (pssst: our Armenian Christmas is just around the corner: Jan 6, 2015. btw: if your Turkophile buddies ask why the different dates, tell them that Dec 25 was arbitrarily chosen by a Pope to make Christians stop celebrating a pagan holiday on that same day. The Christmas tree in fact comes from that pagan holiday. And Jan 6 is thought be the real birthday of Jesus Christ).

    Have a great day. .

    • Avery, my point is that he did not need to mention Elle and other stuff that had nothing to do with the court case. She’s a lawyer, period. If you want to smash stereotypes, just present her legal achievements. Actions speak loudly. This is not a celebrity court case like the Simpson trial.

      “Yeah, but when was the last time you didn’t find anything written by Mr. Sassounian objectionable ?”

      Disagreeing with something that Mr Sassounian writes is somehow bad? If I disagree, then I disagree. Is that a bad thing?

      Besides there are things I agree with him on. Specially his article after the helicopter was shot. He was quite angry about the countries selling weapons to Azerbaijan, including Russia. How did you feel about your idol criticizing Russia?

      “Belated Merry Christmas to you and your Turkophile friends.”
      Yes, of course. Resort to name calling and insults if you don’t agree with someone. How mature.

  21. (Random Armenian // December 25, 2014 at 9:55 pm //)
    (Random Armenian // December 27, 2014 at 2:39 pm //)

    {“ I’m guessing Mr Sassounian revised his own article.”}
    You guess wrong, my Turkophile friend.

    Asbarez.com removing that particular paragraph has the same reasoning as I gave for ArmenianWeekly.
    The editors of Asbarez and AW have the prerogative to modify submissions by anybody, including columnists like Mr. Sassounian.
    The original still appears as-is in Mr. Sassounian’s own publication, TheCaliforniaCourier.

    Go to:
    http://www.thecaliforniacourier.com/

    Click on Amal Clooney.
    You will see this:
    http://nebula.wsimg.com/866afef437b9df009761c4dfc2cc768c?AccessKeyId=CAEA6237ACF321EDB6BB&disposition=0&alloworigin=1
    and therein you will see the paragraph in question.

    And one more for you:
    http://armenpress.am/eng/news/788924/amal-clooney-to-represent-armenia-in-european-court.html

    What guess you now, Random ‘Armenian’.

    Now then, regarding the paragraph in question.
    Obviously you are either unable to understand my explanation why Mr. Sassounian’s un-redacted article is superior.
    Or you understand, but are too immature to admit you were bested.
    No matter.

    {“ Resort to name calling and insults if you don’t agree with someone. How mature.”}

    Allow me to list some of the, quote, ‘mature’, accolades you have bestoed upon yours truly:

    I am “an online bully”. (“Yes, of course. Resort to name calling and insults if you don’t agree with someone. How mature.”)
    I “cherry pick examples”.
    I am “full of strawman arguments”.
    My “childish responses are a red herring.” (oh, wow: “childish”. that’s really mature, pal)
    My response was a “knee-jerk reaction”
    My response was a “form of bullying!” (with an exclamation mark this time: it’s like when you get a medal, but enhanced with a ribbon; a greater honor).
    I am a ‘sexist’.

    There is more.
    But you get the idea.
    You were saying something about ‘mature’ ?

    btw: how are you and your Turkophile friends doing with that Dr. Lemkin video search ?

    • It’s sooo easy to get to all riled up Avery :)

      If Sasounian didn’t change his article then fine. He didn’t. I think the AW and Asbarez version is better. I didn’t realize Amal Clooney needed Mr. Sassounian’s help with breaking stereotypes.

      Besides I think we should be asking women what they thought of the unchanged version. They know better than us guys, no?

    • It is primitive and fascist to accuse someone who voices a contrary opinion of not being Armenian. “Agree with me or you’re not part of the nation.” Really? What if you, Avery, and Mr. Sassounian disagreed on something–which of you would be the last Armenian standing then?

    • Btw, I don’t recall calling you ‘sexist’. I think you may be projecting here.

      “Or you understand, but are too immature to admit you were bested.”
      Oh you’re definitely projecting here ;)

      I do however see an element of bullying in your debating style and that just makes it harder to have a decent discussion of ideas. I stand by that opinion.

  22. This article is discussing a serious issue that affects our place in history. I am saddened to see the efforts being muddied by militant feminism. I absolutely believe in gender equality, but this author did not say anything negative about women, at least not intentionally. So why detract from the main point? Furthermore, I am appalled that militant feminism has had such a dramatic impact on Armenian women. It has denigrated our culture and traditions, especially in the US. Ironically, it is because of militant feminism why many intelligent males have stopped picking “American” wives. Clooney is likely another example of this. I myself was never able to find a suitable Armenian girlfriend here in the US and after dating many cultures, it looks like my current girlfriend will be my wife, a great, family oriented Asian. This used to be the standard for our women. Anyway, I wish you good luck!

    • “I myself was never able to find a suitable Armenian girlfriend here in the US”

      What was wrong with the Armenian women in the US? I see a lot of Armenian women marrying Armenian men.

  23. “Agree with me or you’re not part of the nation” is the standard cry of most self-proclaimed community leaders and patriots. They demand unity, state that unity is essential, but promote nothing but continued division and weakness.

    • You’re right. I’ve also noticed that those who talk the most about the community, do the least for the community. By contrast, those who do things for the community, don’t feel the need to talk about it (or themselves).

  24. In1914 It happens to my father’s Three brothers& his father has been killed by the sword in front of him where his mother hide him in a basket & run away to walk for nine months without water &food till they arrive Mousel -Iraq for five years from1915to1920 then his mother passed away in mousel and came to Baghdad when king Faisal the first arrive Baghdad he told me the hole story & my father never lied

  25. @Aline Bogossian

    “Why is Mr Clooney being described as a human rights activist”

    Because he says he is.

    “and Ms Ramzi Alammudin being described as a pretty face?”

    Nowhere in the article that is listed, why do you resort to lies to make your point?
    Just say it, you, a feminist, cannot stand seeing a woman being associated with a man. That insults you and insults everything you think you stand for.

    “Mr Sassounian, as a reporter ”

    He never was a reporter, never presents himself as such.
    He is an analyst, and commenter on current and past events.

    “you have a responsibility to your readership.”

    This does not even make sense. Please try to proof read what you are about to post before posting.

    “Please do not insult our intelligence with your rhetoric about the capacity or lack thereof of women.”

    Who are you representing? I don’t see women appointing you to speak on their behalf. Speak for yourself. That way, your faux outrage about faux victimization that you imagine would not be used to generalize against real intelligent women. No smart woman wants to be associated with this nonsense.

    “Stop perpetuating anti-feminine ideas”

    He never did, and there was no such thing in his article.

    “and stop reducing women to their physical features.”

    He never did, and there was no such thing in his article. Not even remotely.
    In fact, the best part of his article was spent on praising Amal, listing her credentials, and qualifications. That is “anti-feminine” for you?

    Here is the bottom line. For the first time in a while, we read positive news. Something good about to happen. Some celebrity on our side, a pivotal case that may define or actually give our cause a momentum, and your priority? Blasting the person who is discussing it telling us why we should be excited about it, essentially not only a distraction from the issue that touched every Armenian life for generations, but also as good as taking a dump on this.

    Here is a question that I have. Why are you feminists and your supporters A. Very hostile. B. Selfish. C. Lying?

    You accused the man of things he never done, put words in his mouth, and then cried foul, turned this into someone who never was a victim complaining about non-existent crime and made up all this in your head.
    Is your life this boring to pick up random fights online?Do you lash out at others for no reason like this in real life too?Or is it the semi-anonymous status behind your Internet connection that gives you that false sense of empowerment to post such rants and lash at others for no reason, other than your imagination that everyone must be a sadist, woman hating, “anti-feminine” (whatever that means), and has no goals in life except to put women down and reduce them.

    Please spare us this nonsense. You are a feminist?Good for you, take it to a political site, social media, or go after the real abusers of women, and leave the rest of us who have bigger goal of getting justice alone.

    Your likes are the enemy within. Your post is as bad as the posts from trolling turks and azerbaijanis and the venom they are spewing to cause distraction.

    “You are not helping anyone.”
    Coming from you, this is rich.

    • John,

      Please go back and re-read the comments. Aline was commenting on the original version of this article, in which Sassounian assumed that some of his readership is stupid enough to associate a “pretty face” with “brainlessness,” because God forbid, a woman be pretty AND smart, and God forbid we talk about a woman without commenting on her looks. (In other words, while Sassounian commented on Amal’s looks, he said nothing of the sort about George. He could have also said: “Who would have thought that such a handsome face as that of George Clooney could ever be a serious human rights activist?”)

      As for Aline’s feminist perspective: in a world where women are still considered second-rate citizens, and in a country where (severe) domestic violence goes practically unpunished and sex-selective abortion is second to China (i.e., Armenia), it is not merely desirable but absolutely mandatory for everybody to speak up and be outraged at any hint of misogyny. Your comments (and those of Emil) smack of that same type of misogyny that feminists (i.e., smart, thinking men and women aware of the world around them) are fighting against. Assuming that Aline is *wrong* in her observation, instead of trying to understand where she is coming from, is assuming she’s not a smart, thinking woman. That’s patronising.

  26. (Alex // December 29, 2014 at 3:14 am //)

    {“ It is primitive and fascist to accuse someone who voices a contrary opinion of not being Armenian”}

    I have a new admirer: fresh accolades being bestowed upon this unworthy scribe.

    I am ‘primitive’.
    I am a ‘Fascist’.

    Thank you very much.
    btw: show me where I wrote so-and-so is not Armenian; do you understand the difference between a ‘Turk’ and ‘Turkophile’ ?
    One can be an Armenian and be Turkophile at the same time.
    Really.

    {““Agree with me or you’re not part of the nation.” Really?”}

    Ummm: I do not recall writing that sentence.
    Please point it out to me in my post.
    Then I will carefully review and reply if need be.
    Thank you kindly.

    {“ What if you, Avery, and Mr. Sassounian disagreed on something–which of you would be the last Armenian standing then?”}
    I have disagreed with Mr. Sassounian on occasion. Shocking, No ?
    And Mr. Sassounian will _always_ be the last Armenian standing in any case, because I just write poorly constructed, useless posts.
    Mr. Sassounian has been serving the Armenian Nation for decades in a variety of capacities.
    Unlike me, he has actually done tangible, useful things. For example, by spearheading the Diaspora aid efforts after the Spitak Earthquake.
    And besides, how can a ‘primitive’ and a ‘fascist’ even be in the same league as the incomparable Mr. Sassounian.
    It’s, like, a total outrage you would even consider that, homes.

    • Weak effort, Avery.

      1. “I have a new admirer: fresh accolades being bestowed upon this unworthy scribe.”

      No, I did not call YOU fascist and primitive; I called your debating tactics fascist and primitive. Unlike you, I don’t launch attacks against the person. But it is telling that you interpreted criticism of your post as criticism of yourself; for you, everything is personalized.

      2. “btw: show me where I wrote so-and-so is not Armenian”

      Okay, you wrote:
      “What guess you now, Random ‘Armenian’.”
      The quotation marks imply that the poster is not Armenian.

      3. ““Agree with me or you’re not part of the nation.” Really?”

      Yes, you suggested that Random Armenian was not Armenian because he disagreed with you and with Harout Sassounian.

      4. “And Mr. Sassounian will _always_ be the last Armenian standing in any case”

      There it is again: you focus on the person rather than on what the person is saying. What if you said something sensible and Mr. Sassounian said something demonstrably false?

      5. “It’s, like, a total outrage you would even consider that, homes.”

      Why are you speaking like a high school dropout?

    • { “No, I did not call YOU fascist and primitive;”}
      Yes you did.
      And you have also called me a ‘Dictator’ previously: I will add that to my list of commendations from my many admirers.
      Thank you, thank you very much.

      {“ quotation marks imply that the poster is not Armenian.”}
      No they don’t.

      {“ There it is again: you focus on the person rather than on what the person is saying.”}
      There you go again: psychoanalyzing yours truly.
      Or maybe calling someone ‘primitive’, ‘fascist’, ‘dictator’ is not focusing on the person.
      Can you psychoanalyze that effort and tell me if it is ‘weak’ or ‘strong’ ?

      {“ Why are you speaking like a high school dropout?”}
      Because I am. Like, can youse ask a harder question next ? This is, like, so much fun.

      btw: what kind of ‘Armenian’ calls our brothers and sisters in Artsakh ‘separatists’, same as invadonomad Turkabijanis do as a matter of policy and to denigrate and delegitimize the indigenous peoples of NKR ?

    • You just did the *exact same thing*, implying that I am not Armenian (through your use of quotation marks) because I said something you did not agree with (and that you misunderstood and are now mischaracterizing).

      Your debating tactics, by which you attack the patriotism of someone who disagrees with you, are indeed dictatorial, primitive, and fascistic.

    • Alex: “There it is again: you focus on the person rather than on what the person is saying. What if you said something sensible and Mr. Sassounian said something demonstrably false?”

      Exactly this. Disagreeing with specific points made by an individual is not a slight against that person, nor his/her intentions with regard to Armenia and Armenian causes. No one, including Mr. Sassounian, will always have perfect opinions and arguments.

  27. Truth and Justice must prevail on 28 January at the ECHR. Turkish official multi million denial industry and its export must face the music. Turkey must begin to grow up. It must at long last begin to face the very darkest pages of its history instead of inventing a fairy tale history. 28th January 2015 could be – should be – the beginning of the end for Turkish denial industry. Well done Sarkis Shahinian for your decade long and more perseverance and consistent campaigning; and well done Harout Sasounian for this article. More power to you Avery for patiently and very ably dealing with our “Armenian” and other ‘friends’.

  28. @Parap (Who posted on January 2, 2015 at 4:16 pm)

    “Please go back and re-read the comments. Aline was commenting on the original version of this article, in which Sassounian assumed that some of his readership is stupid enough to associate a “pretty face” with “brainlessness,” because God forbid, a woman be pretty AND smart, and God forbid we talk about a woman without commenting on her looks. (In other words, while Sassounian commented on Amal’s looks, he said nothing of the sort about George. He could have also said: “Who would have thought that such a handsome face as that of George Clooney could ever be a serious human rights activist?”)”

    Once again, you and Aline are just putting words in Mr. Sassounian’s mouth. That is assuming that you and her are two different people and you are not her posting under this sockpuppet alias.

    He listed all her credentials and then DARED to mention she is attractive. What was the result?Instead of cheering the fact that some celebrity FINALLY agreed to do the right thing and stand for our cause, we attack the person who posted an article cheering such news. Not a single hint in your or Aline’s both disgraceful comments of what this is all about. Instead all falsehoods, made ups stuff, putting words in other people’s mouths, personal attacks, accusations and faux victimhood.

    “As for Aline’s feminist perspective:”

    That’s not a perspective, that is lunacy.

    “in a world where women are still considered second-rate citizens,”

    You are talking at some random islamist primitive county. This article was not about that. Take it to the right forum, or choose the right article.

    “and in a country where (severe) domestic violence goes practically unpunished”
    Which country does not have domestic violence? Which one?
    And why is that relevant to THIS article?

    You can’t answer my points without MORE distractions and attempts to change the topic.

    “and sex-selective abortion is second to China (i.e., Armenia),”

    More made up statistics and things.
    Where are you getting this from?Pulling things from your backside?
    Why do you resort to lies?You think in this day and age of information freely available for anyone to verify, you lies can stand a simple scrutiny?

    So you have no problem with abortion, but only if it is sex selective?
    So killing of defenseless baby is evil only when it is sex based, otherwise it is good and should be allowed?
    Typical feminist. Selective morals, selective outrage, selective rights, to selective people.

    This is one of many reasons I have stopped taking people who peddle this nonsense seriously.
    You make up stuff, fail to back up your claims with numbers from reliable or credible sources and in the process show lack of morals, and respect for human life or for individual liberty.

    “it is not merely desirable but absolutely mandatory for everybody”

    Who appointed you or Aline to speak for “everybody”?
    Here is some news for you.
    Armenia is no longer part of the former Soviet union, so the totalitarian mentality of yours and Aline’s are neither wanted nor welcomed in Armenia or anywhere for that matter.
    Don’t assume you speak for anyone let alone for me. Do I make myself clear?
    Once you understand that little concept called personal liberty, maybe we can talk.

    “to speak up and be outraged at any hint of misogyny.”

    There was no such thing except in Aline’s head and yours
    Like I said, made up story, faux outrage and made up victimhood.

    “Your comments (and those of Emil) smack of that same type of misogyny that”

    I speak for myself and nobody else. There was no “misogyny” in my comments, stop making up stuff.
    Stop your deception, accusations and personal attacks to score a point.

    Disagreeing with feminists, and in fact opposing militant feminism is NOT “misogyny”, it is called standing up for decency and apposing radicals. Look it up.

    “feminists (i.e., smart, thinking men and women aware of the world around them) are fighting against.”

    Those lunatics you call ” smart, thinking men and women” are neither “smart” nor “thinking”, not even close.
    They are nothing but radicals and deceivers. I have yet to meet a single feminist who is a stable person and does not lash at people randomly. If you disagree, look at Aline’s comment and yours.
    You and feminists are indoctrinated into hate and hostility. Everyone is a woman hater until they prove otherwise, drop down on their knees and beg. Otherwise, it is war.
    Nothing but faux outrage, lies, personal attacks and accusations. All to score a point because you know you have no case and your lies have no ground to stand on.

    “Assuming that Aline is *wrong* in her observation,”

    Unlike you, I don’t assume. I have PROVEN her to be wrong. And that was no “observation” that was, once again, just plain stupid to lash at others randomly, turn this into a feminism victimhood while we should have celebrated getting a celebrity to be on our side.

    “instead of trying to understand where she is coming from,”
    Unlike you, I understand perfectly where she is coming from. I know exactly what she and her likes are about.

    “is assuming she’s not a smart, thinking woman. That’s patronising.”
    I have 0 respect for militant radicals, militant feminists included.

    I have no problem with sane feminists (as rare as they are) presenting their case in a sane matter, arguing like adults, which I have seen very little of. But personal attacks, childish accusations, arrogance, speaking as if you or her have a higher ground than the rest of us is what I have a problem with, do you get it now?

    And who are you to speak for Aline?
    You must be thinking that she is incapable of speaking for herself. You should stop patronizing women and stop your own misogyny.

    Telling women that they are weak, can’t do anything on their own, and need someone else to speak for them is patronizing. That is the real misogyny.
    This is exactly what turks and azerbaijanis want. The enemy within. A distraction of the real goal and real cause.

    The only ones benefiting from what you are doing are the turks and azerbaijanis. You are serving them by planting division and distraction among Armenians.

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