YEREVAN PRESS CLUB WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
OCTOBER 19-25, 2007
HIGHLIGHTS:
"PRESS CLUB" CYCLE: POLITICAL TRADITIONS AND CULTURE
AUTHORITIES INTERVENING WITH THE EDITORIAL POLICY OF BROADCAST MEDIA
EDITORS OF "CHORRORD ISHKHANUTIUN" AND "HAIKAKAN ZHAMANAK" DETAINED DURING
THE CRACKDOWN ON THE MARCH
"PRESS CLUB" CYCLE: POLITICAL TRADITIONS AND CULTURE
On October 24 another "Press Club" show went on the evening air of "Yerkir
Media" TV company. The guest of the program host Ashot Melikian, the
Chairman of the Committee to Protect Freedom of Expression, was the Deputy
Chairman of the Republican Party of Armenia, deputy of the RA National
Assembly Galust Sahakian. The subject for discussion was the upcoming
presidential elections, in particular, the formation of political traditions
and culture, the possibility of civilized debate between the power and
opposition.
The next program of "Press Club" cycle will be aired by "Yerkir Media" on
Wednesday, October 31 at 21.40.
The "Press Club" cycle is produced under a project of Media Diversity
Institute, supported by Open Society Institute Assistance
Foundation-Armenia.
AUTHORITIES INTERVENING WITH THE EDITORIAL POLICY OF BROADCAST MEDIA
On October 19 Yerevan Press Club, Committee to Protect Freedom of
Expression, "Asparez" Journalist’s Club of Gyumri, Vanadzor Press Club,
Helsinki Committee of Armenia, Vanadzor Office of Helsinki Citizens’
Assembly released the following statement:
"We, the public organizations, express our concern over the negative and
unacceptable developments that have been recently observed with regard to
freedom of expression. The print media have been reporting that for several
days already correspondents of broadcast media do not come to press
conferences, organized at various press clubs. A supposition was made that
this attitude is imposed by various power agencies. We realize that media do
not have to cover all press conferences; however, the simultaneous and
unanimous display of indifference to events of public importance only comes
to confirm the version of intervention by "invisible hand".
We receive alarming information that over the past week heads of private TV
companies were invited to various agencies, where they were "persuaded" to
ignore the public events, appearances of certain opposition figures, not to
invite them to studios, not to interview them and not to show them on air.
In particular, the TV companies have received a "recommendation" not to
cover (either positively or negatively) the rally of a number of political
forces, scheduled for October 26.
We remind that impeding the legitimate professional activities of
journalists is a criminal offence. Moreover, Clause 2 of Article 164 of the
RA Criminal Code refers to the commitment of the same offence by an
official, using his/her position.
Having no common political preferences or dislikes, all of us think it to be
an urgent necessity that information and opinions be disseminated freely, in
particular, ahead of presidential elections, and we call on authorities to
abstain from interfering with the editorial policy of media, primarily the
broadcasters, since it irreparably damages the freedom of expression and
pluralism as cornerstone principles of democracy", the statement of six NGOs
said.
On October 22 the statement of the founder of "GALA" TV company of Gyumri
Vahan Khachatrian was disseminated. The statement was prompted by attempts
of various power agencies to exert pressure on the TV company that had
occurred over the past week.
The statement of Vahan Khachatrian says in particular: "Dear compatriots,
every TV company owner must first of all realize that television is not a
private but a public asset.
The medium is to give impartial and diverse coverage of all processes in the
society. It must introduce the public to the whole spectrum of political
processes equally, allowing people to make its own conclusions.
The Independent News Channel of Gyumri ("GALA" is the abbreviation of the
Armenian name of the TV company – Ed. note) was established and formed on
the basis of these very principles and throughout its two-year activities
remains loyal to these principles.
I would like to stress that the stance of "GALA" TV company will not change
in future either, and I, as the company owner, would be stopping any
attempts of intervention made by any structures or persons."
EDITORS OF "CHORRORD ISHKHANUTIUN" AND "HAIKAKAN ZHAMANAK" DETAINED DURING
THE CRACKDOWN ON THE MARCH
On October 23 at 19.00 at one of the central streets of Yerevan the police
applied force against several dozens of march participants, who disseminated
leaflets and informed with loudspeaker the citizens about the opposition
rally, scheduled for October 26. As YPC was told by the Chief Editor of
"Chorrord Ishkhanutiun" newspaper Shogher Matevosian, who took part in the
march, their way was first blocked by the police, later joined by the "red
berets" – the special troops. The representatives of law enforcement bodies
demanded that loudspeaker be not used and then applied force and tear gas,
Shogher Matevosian said. Over a dozen of march participants were detained
and taken to the Police of Center community of Yerevan, including
journalists – Shogher Matevosian herself and the Chief Editor of "Haikakan
Zhamanak" daily Nikol Pashinian. The detained left the police at about 4.00
in the morning of October 24. All that time representatives of parties,
NGOs, journalists were gathered by the building.
According to Shogher Matevosian, during the crackdown on the march the
correspondent of "Chorrord Ishkhanutiun" Gohar Vezirian was injured and had
to seek medical assistance. The Editor of "Chorrord Ishkhanutiun" noted that
currently the condition of Gohar Vezirian has deteriorated. Violence was
exercised against Nikol Pashinian, too.
According to the press release of the RA Police of October 24, due to public
disorder and resistance (as a result of which "four police officers with
corporal injuries needed medical assistance") the Investigative Department
of the Police of Center Community of Yerevan instituted criminal proceedings
on Articles 258 ("Public disorder") and 316 ("Violence against power
representative") of the RA Criminal Code. Some of the detained, including
Nikol Pashinian and Shogher Matevosian, as suspects on the case, were
committed to not leaving the places of permanent residence, the press
release of the RA Police stresses. The document, however, fails to dwell on
the march participants injured and the application of special means.
On the same day, October 23, in Nor Nork community of Yerevan the police
detained four members of the youth wing of the Armenian National Movement,
who were also distributing leaflets, announcing the upcoming rally of
October 26. As YPC was told by the photo correspondent of "Haik" newspaper
David Jalalian, having been informed about it, staff of "Haik" arrived at
the police department. According to Jalalian, when the police noticed he was
taking pictures, they prohibited the shooting "on administrative premises".
The journalist’s camera was taken away. It was soon returned – with shots
deleted.
When reprinting or using the information above, reference to the Yerevan
Press Club is required.
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Editor of YPC Newsletter – Elina POGHOSBEKIAN
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Yerevan Press Club
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0002, Yerevan, Armenia
Tel.: (+ 374 10) 53 00 67; 53 35 41; 53 76 62
Fax: (+374 10) 53 56 61
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