ARMENIAN JOURNALISTS REPORT PROBLEMS IN COVERING OPPOSITION TRIAL

Haykakan Zhamanak
Jan 10 2009
Armenia

Armenian journalists and media representatives issued a statement on
9 January reporting an attempt to impede their work at the trial of
seven opposition members charged with the organization of the March
2008 post-election riots in Yerevan.

The statement said that court bailiffs prevented journalists from
entering the courtroom during all the three court sessions despite
a court decision at the 19 December 2008 session not to restrain
mass media activities and to allow journalists to be present in the
courtroom and take pictures and make audio and video recordings. The
statement said journalists were not let into the courtroom during
court sessions, which started on 19 December 2008 and continued on
23 and 27 December 2008 and on 9 January, although the courtroom was
"half-empty". Instead the journalists were provided with a separate
room from which they could observe the trial.

In their statement, the journalists said the existing situation was in
violation of the Armenian Constitution and the law on mass media. The
journalists urged relevant agencies to create the necessary conditions
for the work of the journalists who cover the trial and ensure the
public’s right to receive "full and comprehensive" information about
the course of the trial. The statement was signed by journalists
of Chorrord Ishkhanutyun, Zhamanak, Haykakan Zhamanak and Aravot
opposition newspapers, A1plus website and others.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress