YEREVAN PRESS CLUB WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
OCTOBER 10-16, 2008
HIGHLIGHTS:
"PRESS CLUB" AND "PRESS CLUB+": PUBLIC COUNCIL PERSPECTIVES AND THE ROLE OF
POLITICAL PARTIES IN LOCAL SELF-ADMINISTRATION BODIES ELECTIONS
SUIT OF THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION CENTER VERSUS HRAZDAN MUNICIPALITY
FOUNDER OF "HAYKAKAN ZHAMANAK" LITIGATES THE DECISION OF KENTRON COMMUNITY
COUNCIL OF ELDERLY
"ARMAUTHOR" DEMANDS RECOVERY OF LEGAL SERVICE EXPENSES BY "YERKIR MEDIA"
JUA ANNOUNCED THE AWARDEES OF "AZDARAR"-2008
ASSOCIATION OF PRINT MEDIA DISTRIBUTORS CREATED
"PRESS CLUB" AND "PRESS CLUB+": PUBLIC COUNCIL PERSPECTIVES AND THE ROLE OF
POLITICAL PARTIES IN LOCAL SELF- ADMINISTRATION BODIES ELECTIONS
On October 15 another show of "Press Club" cycle went on air of "Yerkir
Media" TV company. It is produced by Yerevan Press Club with support of the
Open Society Institute Human Rights and Governance Grants Program. The
guests of the "Press Club" host, the President of Yerevan Press Club Boris
Navasardian, were Director of "Political Economy" Research Institute
Andranik Tevanian, founder of the Institute of Human Rights and Democracy
Armine Arakelian and Head of the Armenian Civil Servants Union Vache
Kalashian. The topic of discussion was the process of establishment and
perspectives of the Public Council that is being created by the initiative
of RA President.
The next program of "Press Club" cycle will be aired by "Yerkir Media" on
Wednesday, October 22, at 23.00.
On October 11 another show of "Press Club+" cycle went on air of "Yerkir
Media". It is produced by Yerevan Press Club with support of the Embassy of
Great Britain in Armenia. The "Press Club+" host, YPC President Boris
Navasardian, and the program guest, Chairman of Liberal Party of Armenia
Hovhannes Hovhannisian, discussed the role of political parties in the
elections to the local self-administration bodies. The audience composed of
representatives of civil society of Armavir and Vanadzor also participated
in the discussion. The talk show was aired in an incomplete format: it was
expected that the second guest will be a representative of one of the
leading coalition parties, but none of those addressed by the program
organizers responded to the invitation.
The next program of "Press Club+" cycle will be aired by "Yerkir Media" on
Saturday, October 18, at 17.40.
SUIT OF THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION CENTER VERSUS HRAZDAN MUNICIPALITY
On October 14 RA Administrative Court started hearings on the suit of
Freedom of Information Center versus Hrazdan municipality (Kotayk region).
The public organization applied to the court demanding to oblige Hrazdan
municipality to provide the copies of decisions of the Council of Elderly
and the mayor of Hrazdan for the second quarter of 2007, as well as to
publicize the legal acts adopted by the community management, in the
procedure stipulated by law and in the form accessible for the public.
Besides, Freedom of Information Center demanded to oblige Hrazdan
municipality to pay a fine of 50,000 drams (approximately $ 170) for
violation of Article 189.7 of the RA Code of Administrative Violations
("Failure to comply with obligation to provide information").
On November 2, 2007 Freedom of Information Center inquired the copies of the
above-mentioned documents from Hrazdan municipality. On November 22, without
getting any reply, the organization asked the RA Human Rights Defender for
assistance. The both addresses of the ombudsman to Hrazdan municipal
administration on December 17, 2007 and on February 14, 2008 remained with
no result. Then Freedom of Information Center applied to the court.
In the session of October 14 the defendant provided the required documents,
and thus one of the demands of the plaintiff was satisfied. Nevertheless, as
President of Freedom of Information Center Shushan Doydoyan stressed, the
organization is going to insist on two other demands – publicizing the legal
acts and the fine on Hrazdan municipality.
FOUNDER OF "HAYKAKAN ZHAMANAK" LITIGATES THE DECISION OF KENTRON COMMUNITY
COUNCIL OF ELDERLY
On October 10 the RA Administrative Court started hearings on the suit of
LLC "Dareskizb", founder of "Haykakan Zhamanak" daily, versus Council of
Elderly of Kentron community of Yerevan. The plaintiff demands to annul the
resolution of the Kentron community Council of Elderly of March 28, 2008,
according to which the future renting of the premises occupied by "Haykakan
Zhamanak" (37 Israelian str.) should be annulled and handed over to another
organization.
Attorney of "Dareskizb" LLC Tigran Atanesian informed YPC that, in
accordance to the contract, "Haykakan Zhamanak" editors’ office has been
renting the premises free of charge since 2003, and in August 2007 the
contract was extended for an indefinite period. The lawyer considers that
the resolution of the Council of Elderly was adopted with violations of
legislation, in particular, some provisions of the RA Law "On Local
Self-Administration Bodies", "On Principles of Administration and
Administrative Proceedings". The decision also contradicts a number of
principles of the European Charter on Local Self-Administration and Article
1 Protocol No.1 of the European Convention for the Protection of Human
Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.
Court decision on this case is scheduled to be announced on October 17.
"ARMAUTHOR" DEMANDS RECOVERY OF LEGAL SERVICE EXPENSES BY "YERKIR MEDIA"
On October 9 court of general jurisdiction of Kentron and Nork-Marash
communities of Yerevan started hearings on the suit of "Hayheghinak"
("Armauthor") versus "Yerkir Media" TV company. Public organization,
defending copyright, demands to oblige the TV company to pay the expenses on
lawyer services in the amount of 600,000 drams (approximately $ 1950),
sustained by it during the previous litigation between the two parties in
July 2008.
On July 4 Civil Court of Yerevan secured the suit of "Armauthor" demanding
to oblige "Yerkir Media" to conclude a licensed contract on using copyright
objects. "Yerkir Media" Director David Hakobian told YPC that the TV company
is ready to sign a contract with "Armauthor", but, as the court decision
came into force, NGO representatives did not address them with this
question and applied to the court with a new suit – about recovering lawyer
service expenses. David Hakobian thinks that the sum required by "Armauthor"
is too huge. In his turn, the head of "Armauthor" Susanna Nersisian told YPC
that in order to defend the interests of its clients the organization
engages well-reputed lawyers on contract basis, including foreign advisers,
whose services are very expensive, and a need of a court suit would not have
appeared if "Yerkir Media" timely signed the contract.
The October 9 session was suspended due to the Court’s demand from the
plaintiff of the original documents proving the expenses on lawyer services.
Next session is scheduled for October 27.
JUA ANNOUNCED THE AWARDEES OF "AZDARAR"- 2008
On October 16, at the Journalists Union of Armenia "Azdarar"-2008 award
ceremony was held. Dedicated to the Day of Armenian Press, the award was
established in 2004 by the Journalists Union of Armenia and the members of
the Club of JUA "Gold Pen" Awardees.
"Azdarar" awardees for 2008 were: Arpik Misakian, Chief Editor of Armenian
newspaper "Araj" published in France; Ida Martirosian, Chief Editor of
"Yerevan" magazine; "Urvagits" program cycle of "Kentron" TV company;
"Yerevan" program of Public Radio of Armenia; Hamlet Khachatrian, Chief
Editor of "Talin Ashkharh" newspaper, and photojournalist Ruben Mangasarian.
ASSOCIATION OF PRINT MEDIA DISTRIBUTORS CREATED
On October 8 Association of Print Media Distributors was registered in the
RA Ministry of Justice. President of the Association Armen Davtian informed
YPC that this public organization was founded by the representatives of
seven agencies of periodicals distribution. The goals of the Association are
the following: defense of professional interests of the distributors and
editors of the print media, shaping of a new civilized press market and a
system of press dissemination in the country.
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Editor of YPC Newsletter – Elina POGHOSBEKIAN
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Yerevan Press Club
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