"DANGER OF ADOPTING BILLS THREATENING FREE SPEECH IN ARMENIA STILL
GREAT," ALL ARMENIAN MASS MEDIA ASSOCIATION MENTIONS
YEREVAN, JULY 4, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The All Armenian Mass
Media Association expressed its anxiety about the fact that
irrespective of the fact that the bill seriously threatening free
speech in Armenia was not adopted, the danger of adopting such
legislative acts is still great.
It is mentioned in the statement made by the All Armenian Mass Media
Association on July 3 that "The fact that there were only three votes
lacking for the adoption of the bill presented by the government is a
basis to beware of the fact that the current bill may again be
submitted to the RA National Assembly after some insignificant
alterations and receive its approval."
The All Armenian Mass Media Association considers inadmissible the fact
that the RA authorities again drafted a legislative initiative without
organizing public discussions, as in case it was adopted, the RA
citizens’ right of free access to information would be limited. "The
Association believes that this initiative was not grounded with either
legally or economically serious reasons, it is just the continuation of
the policy of the RA authorities, which concerns the establishment of
universal supervision over electronic mass media in Armenia," is
mentioned in the statement.
In the opinion of the All Armenian Mass Media Association, the adoption
of such a bill can be of serious danger to the cooperation of the
Armenian and Disporan mass media as well, since the "foreign mass
media" term includes also the mass media of the Diaspora.
The All Armenian Mass Media Association calls to all those, who
appreciate democratic values and Armenian-Diasporan cooperation, to
unite efforts in order to prevent the adoption of any similar
legislative act in the future.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
