NEWS.am digest: 8 Armenian POWs returned from Baku; Pashinyan, Aliyev meet online
Armenian News - NEWS.am presents the daily digest of Armenia-related top news as of 07.02.22:
POWS
Eight Armenian prisoners of war (POWs) on Monday returned from Azerbaijan to Armenia through the mediation of the French government and the European Union.
Some of these POWs are the Armenian servicemen who were taken prisoner during the November 16, 2021 clashes.
French Ambassador to Armenia Anne Louyot, and the head of the EU Delegation to Armenia, Ambassador Andrea Wiktorin, were at the Yerevan airport where they met the plane carrying these POWs.
The POWs were transported from the Azerbaijani capital Baku to the Armenian capital on board a French plane.
ONLINE CONFERENCE
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev met via videoconference on February 4 through the mediation and participation of French President Emmanuel Macron, the co-chairing country of the OSCE Minsk Group, and European Council President Charles Michel, the press service of the Armenian government informed NEWS.am.
ARMENIAN JUDGE
Armenian Judge Boris Bakhshiyan has been arrested.
A Yerevan court on Monday granted the petition by the National Security Service (NSS) to remand suspended Bakhshiyan in custody.
Bakhshiyan is the judge who had commuted the pretrial measure of detention that was imposed against Ashot Minasyan—a.k.a. Ashot the Iron, the commander of the "Sisakan" detachment and a participant in the three wars—and released him on bail and a signature bond not to leave Armenia.
FREEDOM HOUSE
Freedom House notes with great concern the first criminal conviction of an Armenian citizen under the new provision of the Criminal Code criminalizing 'serious insults' against government officials.
“We call on the parliament to revoke this law that so brazenly violates the principles enshrined in the Armenian Constitution, the country’s OSCE commitments, and the European Convention on Human rights to which it is party," the organization noted.
PUTIN, XI
A joint Russian-Chinese statement approved as a result of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Beijing symbolizes a transition to a completely different structure of international relations, according to The Daily Telegraph.
The newspaper notes that Putin’s meeting with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in the Chinese capital that took place "at a moment of immense international tension," is ushering in "the arrival of a new geopolitical era." According to the article, "from now on, the dominance of the US-led global West will no longer be taken for granted - or tolerated."
The Daily Telegraph also emphasizes that the close partnership between China and Russia does not allow the US to shift the focus of attention to the situation in the Pacific region which Washington views as the priority foreign policy direction.
BEIJING 2022
It's already the third day of the winder Olympics Games in Beijing.
On a third day, Russia won the team figure skating competition, leaving behind the United States and Japan.
In slalom alpine skiing, Sweden rose to the top of the medal standings with 3 gold medals, leaving Russia and Norway behind.
Meanwhile, German Denise Herrmann won the title of champion in the 15 km women's biathlon, leaving behind French Anais Chevalier-Bouchet.
KYLIE JENNER
She shared the announcement with a black and white photo of the newborn's hand with the caption: "2/2/22."
The reality television star and businesswoman had given birth to the couple's first child, Stormi, on February 1, 2018.
RONALDO
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