YEREVAN PRESS CLUB WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
JANUARY 16-22, 2009
HIGHLIGHTS:
"PRESS CLUB" CYCLE: ARMENIA’S IMPLEMENTATION OF PACE RESOLUTIONS
AN INCIDENT BY THE BUILDING OF SHENGAVIT COURT
DISPUTE BETWEEN GYUMRI MUNICIPALITY AND "GALA" TV COMPANY AGAIN CONSIDERED
BY PRIMARY JURISDICTION COURT
COURT OF CASSATION ADMITTED THE APPLICATION OF "A1+" FOR CONSIDERATION
CHIEF EDITOR OF "YERKIR" WEEKLY APPOINTED
LEVON KIRAKOSIAN PASSED AWAY
"PRESS CLUB" CYCLE: ARMENIA’S IMPLEMENTATION OF PACE RESOLUTIONS
On January 17 on the air of "Yerkir Media" TV company the first "Press Club"
program of the year was aired. The production of "Press Club" is made under
Yerevan Press Club project, supported by the Human Rights and Governance
Program of Open Society Institute. The guests of the TV program host, YPC
President Boris Navasardian were the RA National Assembly deputy, member of
"Heritage" faction Larisa Alaverdian, RA NA deputy, member of Republican
Party of Armenia faction Mkrtich Minasian, the Executive Director of
International Center for Human Development Tevan Poghosian. The discussion
centered on the session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of
Europe in late January that would consider the implementation of Armenia
with the PACE Resolutions 1609 (2008), 1620 (2008), and the response of the
country to the possibility of temporary suspension of Armenia’s voting
rights.
The next "Press Club" show will be aired on "Yerkir Media" on Saturday,
January 24, at 17.40.
AN INCIDENT BY THE BUILDING OF SHENGAVIT COURT
On January 16 free-lance journalist Gagik Shamshian suffered during an
incident next to the building of the court of general jurisdiction of
Shengavit community of Yerevan. Gagik Shamshian told YPC that he was
stricken off his feet by the policeman while shooting the action to support
the defendants charged with the so-called "Case of Seven" (the separate
trial of the case of seven supporters of the RA First President Levon
Ter-Petrosian, charged with the organization of mass disorders and attempts
for violent seizure of power). Gagik Shamshian said that as he was falling
down he slipped and hit his head against a post. Later, at the editorial
office of "Chorrord Ishkhanutiun" newspaper the journalist felt unwell and
was taken to one of Yerevan’s hospitals. According to Gagik Shamshian, after
an X-ray examination the doctor said he had a slight head injury. The
journalist also stressed he had a photograph of the police officer who
struck him. On January 19 Gagik Shamshian was called to the police
department of Shengavit community for explanations.
DISPUTE BETWEEN GYUMRI MUNICIPALITY AND "GALA" TV COMPANY AGAIN CONSIDERED
BY PRIMARY JURISDICTION COURT
On January 14, in accordance with the ruling of the RA Court of Cassation,
the court of general jurisdiction of Shirak region started new hearings on
the dispute between Gyumri municipality and the founder of "GALA" TV
company, "Chap" LLC, regarding the right to use the city TV tower. As it has
been reported, on October 31, 2008 the Court of Cassation abolished the
ruling of the court of primary jurisdiction of February 29, 2008, according
to which "GALA" founder was to stop using the city TV tower and to dissemble
the equipment installed on it (see YPC Weekly Newsletter, October 31 –
November 6, 2008). The Court of Cassation decided that the case be
redirected for re-consideration by the court of general jurisdiction of
Shirak region.
The hearings were to start on December 22, 2008, yet were delayed due to the
absence of the representative of Gyumri municipality. At the session of
January 14 the city administration submitted to the court the resolution of
the Gyumri Council of Elderly of December 25, 2008 that allows the
municipality to lease the city TV tower to the TV company for one years’
time with a monthly rent of 100,000 AMD (around $ 330). The representative
of "CHAP", on his behalf, noted that the LLC owner was not invited to the
session of the Council of Elderly and was notified of the resolution only on
January 13, 2009, that is, a day before the court session. Besides, in the
opinion of "CHAP", the rent is apparently exaggerated (according to the
information held by "CHAP", the balance cost of the TV tower amounts to
760,000 AMD and hence the annual rent exceeds the balance cost by almost
60%). Representative of "CHAP" filed two motions: about receiving a
certificate from the Gyumri territorial subdivision of the RA State Cadastre
regarding the possibility for "GALA" TV company to use another city TV tower
and about a technical court assessment of the tower in question. Both
motions were accepted by the court. The hearing will continue after the
responses to the motions are received.
COURT OF CASSATION ADMITTED THE APPLICATION OF "A1+" FOR CONSIDERATION
Attorney of "A1+" TV company founder, "Meltex" LLC, Ara Ghazarian, told YPC
that a verbal notification has been received from the RA Court of Cassation
to the effect that "Meltex" application of December 19, 2008 about the
review of the two rulings of the Court of Cassation was admitted for
consideration. This refers to rulings of February 27, 2004 and April 23,
2004 on suits of "Meltex" versus National Commission on Television and
Radio. As it has been reported, on February 27, 2004 the Court of Cassation
left unchanged the ruling of the RA Commercial Court of January 21, that did
not secure the demand of "Meltex" to annul the decision of the National
Commission on Television and Radio to grant "Cinemax" LLC a broadcast
license for 63rd UHF of Yerevan (claimed also by "A1+" TV company). On April
23, 2004 the Court of Cassation left in force the ruling of the Commercial
Court of March 23 that rejected the suit of "Meltex" on providing the
company with specific justification of the refusals to grant it a license in
competitions held on June 11 and July 18, 2003. The present application of
"Meltex" to the Court of Cassation was due to the new circumstance, the
judgment of the European Court of Human Rights of June 17, 2008 on the suit
of "A1+" founder versus the Republic of Armenia. The European Court had
recognized the refusals to grant "Meltex" a broadcast license to be a
violation of Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights, i.e., of
the right of the applicant to freely impart information and ideas (see YPC
Weekly Newsletter, January 8-15, 2009).
CHIEF EDITOR OF "YERKIR" WEEKLY APPOINTED
Since early 2009 "Yerkir" weekly (official organ of the "Dashnaktsutiun"
party Supreme Body) has a new Chief Editor. This is Ruben Margarian,
formerly the observer of "Golos Armenii" newspaper. Since June 2008, when
the previous head of "Yerkir" Spartak Seyranian was appointed to the
position of the RA Minister of Education and Science, the newspaper was
produced by the editorial board.
LEVON KIRAKOSIAN PASSED AWAY
On January 16, at the age of 81 member of Journalists Union and of Writers
Union of Armenia, Professor, Doctor of Philology Levon Kirakosian passed
away. Levon Kirakosian had worked in a number of media, also holding
managerial positions. Since 1991 he has been teaching at Yerevan State
University, since 1999 – at Russian-Armenian (Slavic) University as
Professor of Journalism Department. Levon Kirakosian was the first to
receive the title of Honorary Professor of the Russian-Armenian University.
He authored several books, over a hundred literary reviews and essays, he
was a true professional and an amazing person to talk to. Only a day before
his life ended we had been discussing with him future plans and ideas…
Yerevan Press Club expresses sincere condolences to the family and friends
of Levon Kirakosian.
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Editor of YPC Newsletter – Elina POGHOSBEKIAN
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From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress