YEREVAN PRESS CLUB WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
FEBRUARY 20-26, 2009
HIGHLIGHTS:
"PRESS CLUB" CYCLE: AMENDMENTS TO THE RA CRIMINAL CODE
"NONSENSE" IS ADOPTED IN THE FIRST HEARING
EMPLOYEE OF "HAIKAKAN ZHAMANAK" WAS RETAINED BY THE MILITARY POLICE
"GIND" PUBLISHING HOUSE REVOKED THE SUIT AGAINST THE FOUNDER OF "HAYK" DAILY
RA PRESIDENT CONCERNED WITH THE QUALITY OF TV AND RADIO PROGRAMS
PTRC COUNCIL MEMBERS APPOINTED
"YERKIR MEDIA" STARTS A LIVE ON-LINE BROADCASTING
"PRESS CLUB" CYCLE: AMENDMENTS TO THE RA CRIMINAL CODE
On February 21 on the air of "Yerkir Media" TV company another "Press Club"
show was aired. The cycle is produced under Yerevan Press Club project,
supported by the Human Rights and Governance Grants Program of Open Society
Institute. The guests of the program host, YPC President Boris Navasardian
were RA National Assembly deputies of "Dashnaktsutiun" faction Artsvik
Minasian, of "Heritage" party Zaruhi Postanjian, attorney Haik Halumian. The
discussion focused on the amendments to the RA Criminal Code, being
considerate by the parliament, in particular, on Articles 225 ("Mass
Disorders ") and 300 ("Usurpation of State Power").
The next "Press Club" show will be aired on "Yerkir Media" on Saturday,
February 28, at 17.40.
"NONSENSE" IS ADOPTED IN THE FIRST HEARING
On February 26 in a regular session of the RA National Assembly the package
of amendments to the RA laws "On Television and Radio", "Statutes of the RA
National Assembly", "Statutes of the RA National Commission on Television
and Radio", "On State Duty" was adopted in the first hearing. As it has been
reported, the document was included in the agenda of the previous
parliamentary session and became a subject to criticism by a number of
journalist organizations. In the statement released on February 3 by Yerevan
Press Club, Internews Media Support NGO, Committee to Protect Freedom of
Expression, and Media Diversity Institute-Armenia, the amendments to the
broadcast legislation were qualified as "nonsense" to say the least: "The
quality of that document has exceeded our worst expectations: the number of
lexical, logical and legal lapses has made it useless to subject it to
detailed analysis." First of all, the statement signatories pointed at the
"crude substitution of concepts": instead of the legislative guarantees of
social-political diversity at the Council of Public Television and Radio
Company, the drafters suggest professional diversity. Since the very first
days of the adoption of the Broadcast Law in 2000, it has been talked about
the need for such guarantees. "Secondly, the drafters have invented an oath
for the members of the Council, as well as the National Commission on
Television and Radio, without devising any real guarantees for the
independence of those bodies, the necessity of which is being constantly
talked about. The demand to take an oath of devotion to civil society,
freedom of information, and other lofty principles, in the absence of
reliable mechanisms contributing to independence, pluralism and
accountability to the society, only increases concentration of hypocrisy
that is already a serious problem in our public life", the statement of four
journalistic associations says. The associations have noted that the two
above-mentioned crucial shortcomings of the legislative package are but a
small part of unacceptable provisions and absurdities contained in it. The
statement signatories urged the deputies of the RA National Assembly "to
quickly forget the package proposed for discussion for the current four-day
session, return to one of its previous versions and work at the fundamental
revision of the document, taking into account the numerous remarks and
suggestions" of both local and international experts (see YPC Weekly
Newsletter, January 30 – February 5, 2009).
Meanwhile, the deputies unanimously voted for the package of amendments,
successfully passing it in the first hearing. In the course of the
legislative package discussion, the Head of the NA Standing Commission on
Science, Education, Youth Issues and Sport Armen Ashotian announced that
after the document is adopted at the first hearing it will be presented to
the Venice Commission for experts’ assessment. In that case why did the
amendments have to be adopted to be sent for expert assessment only
afterwards?! The draft on the amendments to the RA Law "On Freedom of
Conscience and Religious Organizations" was also on the agenda, and it was
also criticized. It was decided to send it to the same Venice Commission
before presenting the draft for parliament debates. What prevented the
deputies from doing the same thing in the case of the broadcast legislation,
which is no less important?! Especially, since the journalistic associations
have been insisting on the need of fundamental reforms of the broadcast
legislation for whole nine years. Doesn’t this present yet another proof of
full absence of interest in the improvement of the broadcast sphere? In
fact, here we are witnessing just imitation of such reforms, and this time
it is quite unprofessional, having only one aim – to retain the control over
broadcasting.
EMPLOYEE OF "HAIKAKAN ZHAMANAK" WAS RETAINED BY THE MILITARY POLICE
On February 24 "Haikakan Zhamanak" newspaper published an article "Now the
Military Police. Was a New Bug Being Installed?", reporting that on Saturday
February 21 at one of the Yerevan streets an employee of the daily, the
Executive Editor Hrach Hakobian, was detained. As the article noted, Hrach
Hakobian was taken to the RA Military Police, where he was kept for 9 hours.
As "Haikakan Zhamanak" writes, representatives of the Military Police tried
to determine whether Hrach Hakobian was in contact with some personality
wanted by the police. During Hakobian’s stay at the Police, the article goes
on saying, his personal belongings were seized, including the keys to the
editorial office and the mobile phone. Quoting other details of what had
happened, "Haikakan Zhamanak" supposed that "the force structures had
implemented some planned operation" against the daily.
"GIND" PUBLISHING HOUSE REVOKED THE SUIT AGAINST THE FOUNDER OF "HAYK" DAILY
On February 20 the publication of "Hayk" daily was suspended. The reason was
the suit versus the founder of the newspaper, "Hayk Editorial Office" LLC,
filed on February 18 by "Gind" publishing house with the Yerevan Civil Court
demanding to pay the liability.
On February 19 as a measure to secure the suit the property and the assets
of the newspaper were arrested. As YPC was informed by the Chief Editor of
"Hayk" Gegham Nazarian, the debt of about 2 million 700 thousand AMD (around
$ 9,000) was accumulated during the period of August-December 2008. In
January 2009, Gegham Nazarian noted, there was an agreement reached with
"Gind" to the effect of continued publishing of the newspaper with the
gradual repayment of the debt till April 1, 2009. According to head of
"Hayk", as of February 9, 2009 the editorial office paid all the publishing
expenses, as well as 400,000 AMD as debt repayment. Along with this, on
February 9 the newspaper changed the publishing house and started to be
issued at "A. Markosian", where, as "Hayk" Editor mentioned, the prices were
lower.
On February 23, as a result of negotiations between the newspaper and the
publishing house, "Gind" revoked its suit upon the condition of "Hayk"
repaying the dept till April 1, 2009.
At the moment of release of YPC Weekly Newsletter, the publication of "Hayk"
daily has not been resumed.
RA PRESIDENT CONCERNED WITH THE QUALITY OF TV AND RADIO PROGRAMS
On February 20 a working meeting of RA President Serge Sargsian with the
Chairman of the National Commission on Television and Radio Grigor Amalian
was held. According to the information placed on the official presidential
web-site (), at the meeting problems of broadcasting sphere
and prospects of its development were discussed. Serge Sargsian, the press
release says, "shared the recently voiced public concern with the quality of
TV and radio programs", "stressed the need for qualitative changes" and "the
importance of reforming the broadcast legislation", "expressing his
willingness to assist the process". The President, the press release notes,
"commissioned the National Commission Chairman to come up with a format that
would enable the civil and public structures to influence the content of the
TV and radio companies".
PTRC COUNCIL MEMBERS APPOINTED
On February 20 by the decree of the RA President Serge Sargsian Vahram
Baghdasarian and Stepan Zakarian were appointed as members of the Council of
Public TV and Radio company for 6 years of service.
As it has been reported, the competition for filling in vacancies in PTRC
Council was announced due to the term of expiration of two Council members.
As the competition jury announced, 21 applications had been received (see
YPC Weekly Newsletter, February 6-12, 2009 and January 23-29, 2009).
According to the broadcast legislation, Armenian citizens, who are reputed
and competent professionals in journalism, law, TV and radio management,
science, culture and arts, have higher education and are fluent in Armenian
language, can take part in the competition. The following individuals are
ineligible for the position of PTRC Council member: members of governing
bodies of political parties; foreign citizens and people with no
citizenships; heads of public and private TV and radio companies;
individuals having contractual relations with TV and radio companies.
The newly appointed member of PTRC Council Stepan Zakarian worked in a
number of Armenian media, also at managerial positions. In 1995-1996 he was
the Director of the State Radio Company of Armenia, in 1999-2007 he held a
seat at the RA National Assembly. The other appointee is Vahram
Baghdasarian, who holds two doctoral degrees, in technical sciences and
economics, heads the chair of IT and applied sciences at Vanadzor
Pedagogical Institute. In 1995-2007 he was a deputy of the RA National
Assembly.
All the biographical data above were taken by us from the web site of the
parliament. Besides, as we found out, Vahram Baghdasarian is known in his
native town, Vanadzor, also as a businessman and the owner of "VaBa" TV
company that recently changed its name to "9th Channel".
Article 31 of the RA Law "On Television and Radio" contains, in particular,
the following demand: "The President of Republic of Armenia, in accordance
with the procedure for the competition previously ratified appoints one of
the competition winners to be a member of the Council (of Public TV and
Radio Company – Ed. Note). The information about it – with due justification
– is published in media." Meanwhile, in the report about the appointment of
the abovementioned PTRC Council members by the RA President no "due
justification" was presented. It remains unclear what the choice of the
winners among 21 applicants was based on.
On the day when the decree on appointing the members of the PTRC Council was
released, President Serge Sargsian met the Chairman of the National
Commission on Television and Radio (see the report above "RA President
Concerned with the Quality of TV and Radio Programs") – the body that
regulated broadcasting. At the meeting the need to improve the quality of TV
and radio programs was stressed. The President also commissioned the head of
the NCTR to develop a format for the public to be able to influence "the
content of the TV and Radio companies".
These initiatives can only be welcome. But will our TV picture become better
if we keep wanting what is better and keep doing what we always do – ignore
the letter of the law and avoid transparency?
"YERKIR MEDIA" STARTS A LIVE ON-LINE BROADCASTING
"Yerkir Media" TV company has started a live online broadcast on the
. So far the broadcasting on the web is in test mode.
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
_____________________________________ _______
Yerevan Press Club
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0002, Yerevan, Armenia
Tel.: (+ 374 10) 53 00 67; 53 35 41; 53 76 62
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From: Baghdasarian