Syrian-Armenian photographer’s exhibit opens at UNJanuary 9, 2015 - 12:01 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - The UN representative of the opposition Syrian National Coalition demanded that the United Nations take down a new photo exhibit sponsored by the Syrian government, saying Syria is using it to "whitewash the regime's war crimes," the Associated Press reported. The "My Homeland" exhibit opened Thursday, Jan 9, with photographs of ruined Aleppo. The UN secretary-general's spokesman had no immediate comment on the letter from Najib Ghadbian asking the UN to "correct this grave mistake." A spokeswoman for Ghadbian, Katie Guzzi, said they had not had an official response from the UN, according to the AP. Ghadbian said the photos paint Syria's government as victim, not aggressor. The fighting in Syria that began with protests against Assad in 2011 has killed more than 200,000 people and forced millions to flee. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has accused both the Syrian government forces and opposition forces of targeting civilians, though former UN human rights chief Navi Pillay last year said atrocities by the Syrian government "far outweigh" crimes by opposition fighters. Ghadbian called the photographer behind the new exhibit, Hagop Vanesian, a propagandist, saying that he at times has been embedded with Syrian forces in Aleppo. In a phone call, Vanesian told the AP his work is "humanitarian" and said he's not a politician. "I just photograph the suffering of the people," he said. Vanesian, who was born in Aleppo and has been a volunteer photographer with the aid group Syrian Arab Red Crescent, said he left the divided northern city eight months ago. Last summer, he posted photos of Facebook of him shaking hands with Syria's ambassador to the UN, as well as black-and-white portraits of the ambassador, Bashar Ja'afari. "The war in Syria changed my life but not my principals," Vanesian's Twitter profile says. Photo: Hagop Vanesian Top stories Six total incidents have burned 19 old-growth trees. Friday night 8 trees were torched along the beautiful main entrance. The EU does not intend to conduct military exercises with Armenia, Lead Spokesperson for EU Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Peter Stano says. Hikmet Hajiyev has said that there is no place for USAID operation in Azerbaijan any longer. A telephone conversation between Putin and Pashinyan before the CSTO summit is not planned, Peskov says. Partner news | Ucom equips four bus stops in Ijevan with free Wi-Fi Ucom now provides free Wi-Fi coverage in smart bus stops in four communities of Ijevan. Armenia, Russia discuss life extension of Metsamor nuclear plant Issues regarding the extension of life of the 2nd power unit of the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant were discussed in Yerevan. Armenians stage more campaigns against territorial concessions to Azerbaijan Protesters blocked more roads across Armenia on Friday, April 26 in continuing attempts to scuttle territorial concessions to Azerbaijan. Czech-Armenian military cooperation discussed in Yerevan A delegation led by the Director General for the Industrial Cooperation Division of the Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic visited Armenia. |