OMBUDSMAN OF ARMENIA FOR LIFTING THE STATE OF EMERGENCY DECLARATION PROVISION RESTRICTING THE MEDIA

arminfo
2008-03-12 13:49:00

ArmInfo. Ombudsman of Armenia Armen Haroutunyan has reiterated his
call upon political forces for dialogue.

A. Haroutunyan said at the National Press Club, Wednesday, that
public polarization is the key problem for Armenia. The parties should
display readiness for a dialogue to maintain the healthy atmosphere
in the country.

Ombudsman stressed that the call for a dialogue made by the
prime minister Serzh Sargsyan applied to all the political forces
irrespective of the result of their participation in the presidential
election. A. Haroutunyan blamed the stand of some media in coverage
of events before and after clashes on 1 March. ‘I think inadmissible
the statements that the protesters in front of the building of the
French Embassy in Yerevan were mostly criminals. One must remember
that the greatest part of them were the people that were dissatisfied
with the policy of the authorities and wanted to expressed their
opinion’, Ombudsman said. He also stressed the necessity of lifting
the provision of the State of Emergency that restricts the media
since public needs various media coverage that is a key component of
a democratic state. As regards the arrestees and detainees suspected
in participation in 1 March clashes, the Ombudsman called upon
law- enforcement agencies to strictly observe the Code of Criminal
Procedure and other legal acts basing on the principles of presumption
of innocence.