Head of Armenian reporters’ union accuses authorities of controlling media

Mediamax news agency
29 Jun 04

YEREVAN

The chairman of the Gyumri-based Asparez journalists’ club, Levon
Barsegyan, has accused the Armenian authorities of violating freedom
of speech and of the desire to control the media.

Addressing a seminar organized by the Yerevan Press Club and the
Friedrich Naumann Fund in Yerevan today, Levon Barsegyan said that
“Armenian TV companies have the right to criticize the work of the
country’s legislative and executive branches but not the president of
the country”.

According to him, at present Armenia seriously lacks independent
media, like A1+ which was deprived of the right to broadcast two years
ago. At the same time, Barsegyan noted that “the major part of
Armenia’s mass media is controlled by the president’s administration”.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress