Armenia: Identities of the presidents and vice-presidents of the Social-Democratic Party (Hunchakian); treatment of party executives and families; state protection (1992-Aug. 2003)
Two political parties in Armenia use the term Hnchakian (Hnchakyan, Hunchak, Hunchakian, Hunchakyan, Hntchagian) or Hnchak (Hunchak)-meaning "bell" (AYF Dec. 1998)-in their party names (OSCE 15 Sept. 2003; ARMINFO 8 May 2002; Golos Armenii 13 May 2003a ; ibid. 13 May 2003c). These include the Social Democratic, or Democratic, Hnchakian Party (Sotsial Demokratakan Hnchakian Kusaktutiun, SDHK) (SDHK 14 Mar. 2003; Armenia 31 Jan. 2002; Leftist Parties of the World 10 July 2003; Political Parties of the World 2002, 22; CPA 11 Sept. 2000) and the Social-Democratic Party Hnchakian of Armenia (SDPGA) (SPYUR 4 Aug. 2003; Golos Armenii 13 May 2003a; ibid.13 May 2003b). Attempts to contact the SDHK and the SDPGA to clarify their relationship, if any, were unsuccessful.
The Research Directorate found numerous variations of these party names among the sources consulted (BBC Monitoring 9 May 2003; TCC Feb. 2002; CPA 11 Sept. 2000; ibid. 20 May 1999; SNARK 10 Oct. 1996; Noyan Tapan 28 Jan. 1998; Political Handbook 1995-1996 1996, 51; Political Handbook 1997 1997, 44; Political Handbook 1998, 1998, 49; Political Handbook 1999 1999, 52; OSCE 15 Sept. 2003; ARMINFO 8 May 2002; Golos Armenii 13 May 2003a; ibid. 13 May 2003c).
Several sources identify the chairman of the SDHK between 1996 and 1999 as Yeghia Najarian (Yegiya Nacharyan) (Political Handbook 1995-1996 1996, 51; Political Handbook 1997 1997, 44; Political Handbook 1998, 1998, 49; Political Handbook 1999 1999, 52; Europa 1998 1998, 444; Europa 1997 1997, 427; Europa 1996 1996, 415; SNARK 10 Oct. 1996; Noyan Tapan 28 Jan. 1998). In 1999, the SDHK elected George Hakobyan (Dzhordzh Akopyan) as their new chairman (CPA 11 Sept. 2000; OSCE 15 Sept. 2003), and numerous subsequent reports refer to Hakobyan as the SDHK chairman (BBC Monitoring 9 May 2003; HCAV 29 Apr. 2003; OSCE 23 Dec. 2002, 10; Armenia 31 Jan. 2002; Political Parties of the World 2002, 22).
Between 1999 and 2002 the Europa World Year Book identifies Ernest Sogomonian (Soghonian, Soghomonyan) as the SDHK party's chairman (Europa 2002 2002, 528; Europa 2001 2001, 507; Europa 2000 2000, 480; Europa 1999 1999, 466) as did a December 1999 European Forum report (EFDS Dec. 1999). However, sources also indicate that Sogomonian is the leader of the SDPGA (OSCE 15 Sept. 2003; SPYUR 4 Aug. 2003; Golos Armenii 13 May 2003a; ibid.13 May 2003b).
The Research Directorate was unable to obtain information detailing the names of SDHK/SDPGA vice-presidents or the deputy chairman between 1991 and 2003 among the sources consulted.
The SDHK was founded in 1887 (Political Parties of the World 2002, 22; Leftist Parties of the World 10 July 2003; SDHK 14 Mar. 2003) in Beirut (OSCE 15 Sept. 2003) and was registered in post-Soviet Armenia in 1991 (Political Parties of the World 2002, 22). In 2000, the SDHK reportedly had 3,000 members (CPA 11 Sept. 2000). Along with the Union of Intellectuals, the SDHK was a member of the Republic Bloc (Hanrapetoutioun) under the leadership of the Pan-Armenian National Movement (PANM) that won the 1995 election (Political Handbook 1999 1999, 52). However, despite contesting three constituencies in the subsequent 1999 parliamentary elections, the SDHK "made no impact" (Political Parties of the World 2002, 22), and by December 1999, the European Forum referred to SDHK as having "no political role anymore" (EFDS Dec. 1999). On 20 September 1999, the SDHK was one of nine parties to announce the formation of an opposition electoral bloc named Justice (Artarutyun, AD) (RFE/RL 21 Sept. 1999). A report published in the weeks leading up to the 25 May 2003 parliamentary elections still listed the SDHK as a member of the Justice bloc (BBC Monitoring 9 May 2003). Since 1999, the party has also been reported to be associated with the opposition bloc Socialist Armenia Union (OSCE 15 Sept. 2003; RFE/RL 17 Jan. 2002; TCC Feb. 2002; ARMINFO 28 Mar. 2002; ibid. 22 Nov. 2001) and the People's Patriotic Union (Orran 10 Sept. 2002). According to a senior political assistant for the Organization of Security and Co-Operation in Europe's (OSCE) office in Armenia, the SDHK almost collapsed after the 2003 presidential election, and, though it still declares itself in opposition to the current president, it is not politically active (OSCE 15 Sept. 2003).
Very little information pertaining to the SDPGA's political activities and affiliations was found among the sources consulted, and the Research Directorate was unable to find reports of SDHK or SDPGA members or their families being mistreated by authorities.
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.
References
Armenia. 31 January 2002. Ministry of Foreign Affairs. "Minister Meets with Representatives of the Three Diaspora Political Parties on ArmeniaDiaspora Conference." <http://www.armeniadiaspora.com/conference2002/htms/pre_conf.htm February> [Accessed 12 Aug. 2003]
Armenian Youth Federation-YOARF, USA (AYF) [Watertown, MA]. December 1998. "The Origin and Development of the Armenian Revolutionary Movement." <http://www.ayf.org/fom/dec_98_arfhist/arfhist.shtml> [Accessed 12 Aug. 2003]
ARMINFO [Yerevan]. 8 May 2002. "Headlines of 8 May: Hnchakyan Party of Armenia Has Nothing to Do with Hnchakyan Party." (Felist.com Archive) <http://felist.com/archive/media.arminfo/200205/08224008.html> [Accessed 12 Aug. 2003]
_____. 28 March 2002. "Armenia: Union Urges Unification in the Face of Attacks on Freedom of Speech." (FBIS-SOV-2002-0328 29 Mar. 2002/Dialog)
_____. 22 November 2001. "Armenian Pro-Socialist Forces Continue Unification Process." (FBIS-SOV-2001-1122 23 Nov. 2001/Dialog)
BBC Monitoring. 9 May 2003. "Guide to Armenian Parliamentary Elections May 2003." (Armenia Daily Digest 13 May 2003/Eurasianet.org) <http://www.eurasianet.org/resource/Armenia/hypermail/200305/0036.shtml> [Accessed 12 Aug. 2003]
Center for Policy Analysis, American University of Armenia (CPA). 11 September 2000. "Political Parties of Armenia." (Eurasianet.org) <http://www.eurasianet.org/departments/election/armenia/partpro1.html> [Accessed 12 Aug. 2003]
_____. 20 May 1999. "1999 National Assembly Elections: Parties/Blocs Running for Proportional Party List Seats - Final Version." (Eurasianet.org) <http://www.eurasianet.org/departments/election/armenia/table.html> [Accessed 12 Aug. 2003]
Europa World Year Book 2002. 2002. 43rd ed. Vol. 1. London: Europa Publications.
Europa World Year Book 2001. 2001. 42nd ed. Vol. 1. London: Europa Publications.
Europa World Year Book 2000. 2000. 41st ed. Vol. 1. London: Europa Publications.
Europa World Year Book 1999. 1999. 40th ed. Vol. 1. London: Europa Publications.
Europa World Year Book 1998. 1998. 39th ed. Vol. 1. London: Europa Publications.
Europa World Year Book 1997. 1997. 38th ed. Vol. 1. London: Europa Publications.
Europa World Year Book 1996. 1996. 37th ed. Vol. 1. London: Europa Publications.
European Forum for Democracy and Solidarity (EFDS) [Amsterdam]. December 1999. "Political Parties in Armenia." <http://www.europeanforum.bot-consult.se/cup/armenia/parties.htm> [Accessed 6 Aug. 2003]
Golos Armenii [in Russian]. 13 May 2003a. "Social-Democratic Party Hnchak, Armenia (SDPGA)." <http://www.golos.am/2000/we/party/gnch.ht> [Accessed 13 Aug. 2003]
_____. 13 May 2003b. "Sogomonian, Ernest Michaelovich." <http://www.golos.am/2000/we/personalii/pers_files/sog_ern.htm> [Accessed 13 Aug. 2003]
_____. 13 May 2003c. "Social-Democratic Party Hnchak" (SDPG). <http://www.golos.am/2000/we/party/sdpg.htm> [Accessed 13 Aug. 2003]
Helsinki Citizens' Assembly of Vanadzor. 29 April 2003. Civil Initiative Weekly. No. 4. <http://www.hcav.am/20034tert.html> [Accessed 12 Aug. 2003]
Leftist Parties of the World. 10 July 2003. "Armenia." <http://www.broadleft.org/am.htm> [Accessed 12 Aug. 2003]
Noyan Tapan [Yerevan, in Russian]. 28 January 1998. "Armenia: Armenian Party Leaders Offers to Be President's Man." (FBIS-SOV-98-028 3 Feb. 1998/Dialog)
Organization of Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). 15 September 2003. Correspondence Received from the Senior Political Assistant.
_____. 23 December 2002. Office of Democratic Institutions and Human Rights. "Republic of Armenia, Presidential Election 19 February 2003." OSCE/ODIHR Needs Assessment Mission Report 11-15 December 2002. <http://www.osce.org/odihr/documents/reports/election_reports/am/arm_2003_nam.pdf> [Accessed 12 Aug. 2003]
Orran [Yerevan, in Armenian]. 10 September 2002. "Newspaper Divides Armenia's Numerous Political Parties into Three Camps." (BBC Monitoring 11 Sept. 2002/Eurasianet.org) <http://www.eurasianet.org/resource/Armenia/hypermail/200209/0018.shtml> [Accessed 12 Aug. 2003]
Political Handbook of the World: 1999. 1999. Edited by Arthur S. Banks, Thomas C. Muller. Binghamton, NY: CSA Publications.
Political Handbook of the World: 1998. 1998. Edited by Arthur S. Banks, Thomas C. Muller. Binghamton, NY: CSA Publications.
Political Handbook of the World: 1997. 1997. Edited by Arthur S. Banks, Thomas C. Muller. Binghamton, NY: CSA Publications.
Political Handbook of the World: 1995-1996. 1996. Edited by Arthur S. Banks, Thomas C. Muller. Binghamton, NY: CSA Publications.
Political Parties of the World. 2002. 5th ed. Edited by Alan J. Day. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale Group.
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL). 17 January 2002. Newsline. Vol. 6, No. 117, Part I. "Armenian Left-Wing Alliance Formalized." <http://www.rferl.org/newsline/2002/01/2-TCA/tca-170102.asp> [Accessed 12 Aug. 2003]
_____. 21 September 1999. Newsline. Vol. 3, No. 184. "New Left-Wing Alliance Formed in Armenia." (Hellenic Resources Network) <http://www.hri.org/news/Balkans/rferl/1999/99-09-21.rferl.html>[Accessed 12 Aug. 2003]
SNARK News Agency [Yerevan]. 10 October 1996. "Armenia: Dashnaktsutyun Gave $2.5 Million to Manukyan Campaign." (FBIS-SOV-96-199 15 Oct. 1996/Dialog)
Social Democrat Hunchakian Party (SDHK). 14 March 2003. Australian Leadership. "Historical." <http://www.hunchak.org.au/historical/index.html> [Accessed 12 Aug. 2003]
SPYUR Co. Ltd. 4 August 2003. "Social-Democratic Party Hnchakyan of Armenia." <http://www.spyur.am/hnchak.htm> [Accessed 12 Aug. 2003]
Transcaucasus: A Chronology [Washington]. February 2002. Vol. XI, No. 2. "Republic of Armenia." (Armenia Daily Digest 12 Feb. 2002/Eurasianet.org) <http://www.eurasianet.org/resource/armenia/hypermail/200202/0032.shtml> [Accessed 12 Aug. 2003]
Additional Sources Consulted
Political Parties of Eastern Europe
Countries of the World (1992-2003)
Unsuccessful attempt to contact the Organization of Security and Co-Operation in Europe (OSCE) Mission in Yerevan
Unsuccessful attempt to contact the SDGPA
Unsuccessful attempt to contact the SDHK
Internet sites, including:
Aragil Electronic Newsletter
Armenia
Armenia Daily Digest
Armenia This Week
Central Electoral Commission of Armenia
CIA World FactBook 2002
Europa World Year Book (1992-1995)
Hye Toon
Politicalresources.net
Noyan Tapan News Agency
Snark News Agency