COURT REJECTED ADVOCATES’ PETITION
A1+
[08:44 pm] 30 May, 2007
The Court of Tver rejected the petition of Educated Media Foundation to
consider the legal procedure towards Manana Aslamazyan, the President
of the foundation, unwarranted.
To remind, on 18 April, 2007, officers of the Department of Economic
Security of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia carried out a
seizure of financial documents and electronic devices, the computer
servers, over a period of 11 hours in the offices of the Educated
Media Foundation, a non-governmental organization and the legal
successor of Internews Russia.
The raid was carried out in connection with the criminal charges
brought against Foundation President Manana Aslamazyan, who in January
2007 while going through customs after a private trip to Paris did
not fill out a declaration form for 9,550 Euros and 5,130 Rubles
(legally it is possible to bring $10,000 into the country without a
declaration form).
Thousands of journalists from every part of the country have signed
an open letter to President Putin in support of Manana Aslamazyan and
the Educated Media Foundation. Nevertheless, the pursuit is ongoing.
It is noteworthy that Armenian journalists also joined in solidarity
with fellow media professionals in Russia and in support of
Ms. Aslamazyan and the EMF,
Mesrop Movsesyan – President, "A1 + " TV and on-line news, Yerevan,
Armenia
Nouneh Sarkissian – Managing Director, Internews media support NGO,
Armenia
Boris Navasardian – President, Yerevan Press Club
Arthur Yezekyan – President , SHANT TV
Ara Shirinyan – filmmaker, producer, Shoghakat TV Company
Aram Abrahamyan – editor-in-chief, Aravot daily
David Aslanyan – Art Director, Yerkir Media TV, Yerevan, Armenia,
Member, International Federation of Journalists
Elina Pogosbekyan – Editor of the Weekly Bulletin and member of the
board, Yerevan Press Club