ARMENIA PREFERS TO BE THE “GOLDEN MEAN”
A1 Plus | 16:00:33 | 15-09-2004 | Social |
Armenia is the 2nd among South Caucasus states in the rating list for
violence committed towards speech freedom and journalists. Speech
freedom is in the worst state in Azerbaijan. Freedom of speech in
Georgia is considered partly restricted.
Comparing legislation on Mass Media of the 3 states, Azerbaijan’s
Press Club, Armenia’s Committee for Speech Freedom Protection and
Georgia’s Association of Young Lawyers have published a two-language
joint manual in Russian and English.
South Caucasian laws on information spreading are described and
compared at the aspect of European standards in the book.
“Armenia has regressed since 2001-2002”, Mesrop Harutyunyan, expert
of Armenia’s Committee for Speech Freedom Protection, said during
the presentation of the book. The study showed that the recent law
on Mass Media approved in Armenia is much more liberal in the aspect
of the obligatory registration of Mass Media and the theoretical
independence of them.
It was also stated the other day Georgian Parliament has approved
Law on “Speech Freedom and Self-Expression” but President Saakashvili
hasn’t yet ratified it.