ArmenPress
June 29 2004

JOURNALISTS URGED TO JOIN EFFORTS TO DEFEND THEIR RIGHTS

YEREVAN, JUNE 29, ARMENPRESS: Boris Navasardian, the chairman of
the Yerevan Press Club, joined today both pro-government and some
opposition figures to commend president Kocharian for his “positive,
frank and interesting’ speech at June 23 PACE session.
He was speaking at another discussion on current political
developments in Armenia and their reflection in mass media, organized
by the Yerevan Press Club in cooperation with Friedrich Nauman
Foundation.
Another speaker, Levon Barseghian, the chairman of Asparez Press
Club in Armenia’s second largest town of Gyumri, said the reflection
of the most recent developments by mass media was “very polarized.”
He said analytical stories and comments were faulty and incomplete.
In his estimation, even the pro-opposition mass media was critical of
the opposition and its modus operandi in the last month.
Asparukh Panov, the deputy coordinator of Friedrich Nauman’s
projects in Bulgaria, Moldova and the South Caucasus said Armenian
domestic developments were also reflected in foreign media,
particularly, the events of April 13 morning when the authorities
used force to disperse an anti-government rally staged by the
opposition.
Before wrapping up the discussion the Yerevan Press Club, the
Union of Armenian Journalists, Internews organization and the
Committee for Defense of Freedom of Speech issued a joint statement
calling on all mass media and journalists to act more consistently
when the point in question is their professional solidarity and
violation of their right to free collection and dissemination of
information.