Amendments to the Law on Television and Radio is a direct threat to
freedom of speech in Armenia, independent experts think

arminfo
2007-06-29 11:08:00

Amendments to the Law on Television and Radio that at present are being
discussed in the National Assembly of Armenia are the direct threat to
freedom of speech in Armenia, expert of Yerevan press-club Mesrop
Harutyunyan said in Journalists’ Union, Friday.

He also added that the draft law is directed first of all against
broadcast of Radio Liberty. speech especially at the threshold of the
presidential election>, – Mesrop Harutyunyan said.

For his part, representative of the public organization "Internews",
David Sukiasyan, called this draft law and State Tax draft law as "made
hastily". All the arguments that balance will be reached in economic
field by means of these draft laws seem not serious, if they wanted
they could also find fault with broadcasting of such TV companies as
ORT, RTR, CNN and others at the territory of Armenia, but they did not
touch them and the blow is directed only against Radio Liberty. It is
inadmissible that for settlement of its political problems the state
interferes in the market rules, manipulating with such a strong
instrument as the state tax.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress