YEREVAN PRESS CLUB WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
MAY 9-14, 2009
HIGHLIGHTS:
"PRESS CLUB" CYCLE: COMMUNAL SERVICES IN YEREVAN
MEDIA ETHICS OBSERVATORY RENDERED JUDGMENTS ON TWO COMPLAINTS
INVESTIGATION INTERESTED WITH PHOTOS MADE AT THE SITE OF ATTACK ON
COORDINATOR OF ARMENIA TODAY
PROCEEDINGS INSTITUTED ON CASE OF ASSAULT AGAINST NVER MNATSAKANIAN
"YERKIR" NEWSPAPER ISSUED THREE TIMES A WEEK
"TSAYG" TV COMPANY CELEBRATED ITS 18TH ANNIVERSARY
"PRESS CLUB" CYCLE: COMMUNAL SERVICES IN YEREVAN
On May 9 another "Press Club" show, dealing with the elections of Yerevan
Council of Elderly on May 31, 2009, went on the air of "Yerkir Media" TV
company. The "Press Club" cycle is produced under Yerevan Press Club
project, supported by the Open Society Institute. The guests of the program
host, YPC President Boris Navasardian were representatives of five parties
and one party bloc which were registered at the RA Central Electoral
Commission for running in the elections: Mikael Melkumian ("Prosperous
Armenia"), Emanuel Margarian (Popular Party), Sos Gimishian (Armenian
National Congress), Vazgen Petrosian (ARF "Dashnaktsutiun"), Emil Amyan
(Labor Socialist Party of Armenia), Vardges Eghiazarian (Republican Party of
Armenia). Only the representative of "Orinats Yerkir" party did not
participate in the program. Karineh Danielian, Chairwoman of the Association
"For Sustainable Human Development", and architect Gagik Sukhudian took part
in the show as experts. The discussion centered on the communal services in
Yerevan.
The next "Press Club" show will be aired on "Yerkir Media" on Saturday, May
16 at 17.25.
MEDIA ETHICS OBSERVATORY RENDERED JUDGMENTS ON TWO COMPLAINTS
On May 12 a session of the Media Ethics Observatory took place at the office
of Yerevan Press Club, on which judgments were rendered on two complaints.
The first one addressed by the "Heritage" party was dealing with some
publications in several media, and the other one – from "168 Zham" newspaper
and "Aravot" daily was on the piece published in "Azg" daily. As it has been
reported, Media Ethics Observatory (MEO) was formed on March 10, 2007 by the
heads of Armenian media who supported the YPC self-regulation initiative
(see YPC Weekly Newsletter, March 9-15, 2007).The mission of MEO consists in
considering the complaints-appeals regarding the violation of the Code of
Conduct of Media Representatives and rendering judgments on them. Recently,
the Code of Conduct and its addendum, the Declaration on Election and
Referendum Coverage Principles, were also signed by CS Publishing House,
which issues "TV-Mol" weekly, "Yes!" and "Naneh" magazines. As of today, 38
media join the initiative and 8 journalistic associations support it.
The complaint of "Heritage" party referred, specifically, to pieces
published by "168 Zham", "Chorrord Ishkhanutiun", "Haykakan Zhamanak",
"Zhamanak", "Hraparak" newspapers. According to the applicant, the pieces
contained false information, misinformation, or offensive expressions for
the party. To "Chorrord Ishkhanutiun", "Haykakan Zhamanak", "Zhamanak",
"Hraparak" newspapers, who are not members of the self-regulation
initiative, the MEO addressed letters, offering its mediation in the
conflict. Since the aforesaid newspapers did not respond to the proposal,
the appeal of "Heritage" party was considered only partially, regarding two
articles of "168 Zham" newspaper, which has signed the Code of Conduct.
The subject of the complaint became the pieces "The Client Is Always Right"
and "Citizen, Are You a Marker?" published by "168 Zham" on March 19, 2009.
By examining the first piece the MEO considered the title "The Client Is
Always Right", offensive, in the applicant’s view, to be "just an evaluating
opinion, the truth or agreement to reality of which cannot be proved". As an
argument MEO brought one of the provisions of the decision of European Court
on Human Rights on the case of "Lingens vs. Austria".
Regarding the second piece, "Citizen, Are You a Marker?", MEO noted that the
expression, containing false information, in "Heritage" opinion, is an
assumption made by the author of the piece, which she had a right to. The
expression, assessed by applicant as misinformation, contains a reference to
anonymous sources of information (allowed by Point 2.2 of the Code of
Conduct). On the basis of these sources the author makes evaluating opinion.
The other expressions challenged by "Heritage" party are a conclusion, which
is not subject to any prove.
Thus, MEO defined that in the aforesaid pieces of "168 Zham" on March 19,
2009 "there are no violations of Code of Conduct and international norms of
professional ethics".
At the same time, MEO noted that it shares the concern of "Heritage" about
the surge of negative information about the party at the period when the
question whether "Heritage" will participate to the Yerevan Council of
Elderly elections on May 31, 2009 was being settled. "Nevertheless, the
absence of accurate information always gives raise to assumptions, which
cannot be considered as a violation of the Code of Conduct", the MEO
judgment said.
The subject of the complaint of Chief Editor of "168 Zham" newspaper Satik
Seyranian and Chief Editor of "Aravot" daily Aram Abrahamian was the piece
"Campaign of Armenian National Movement launched on the "Chief’s" Order"
published by "Azg" daily on March 11, 2009. In the applicants’ opinion, the
piece contained untrue passages about "Aravot" and "168 Zham" newspapers.
The article coarsely violates a number of the Code of Conduct provisions,
signed by the conflict parties, the appeal of heads of "168 Zham" and
"Aravot" noted.
By examining the piece of "Azg" daily MEO concluded that Points 1.1 and 1.3
of the Code of Conduct have been violated. Point 1.1 stipulates: "Prior to
publishing, to check the accuracy of information from any source, not to
conceal and not to distort facts, and not to publish obviously false
information." According to Point 1.3, it is necessary "to rely on accurate
facts when making analysis and comment". MEO considered "the party
affiliation (to Armenian National Movement – Ed. Note) attributed to "168
Zham" and "Aravot" newspapers not to be an evaluating opinion, but nothing
else than not proved false information". The author of the piece should have
checked the information. Thus, the comments of the author regarding those
newspapers are based on untrue information.
At the same time, MEO called "Azg" daily and the other media, members of the
self-regulation initiative, "not to allow the political struggle between the
party groups to become a struggle between the media, to refrain from pieces,
discrediting each other, and to adhere to ‘common standards of professional
journalism’, as the preamble of the Code of Conduct says".
INVESTIGATION INTERESTED WITH PHOTOS MADE AT THE SITE OF ATTACK ON
COORDINATOR OF ARMENIA TODAY
On May 8 free-lance journalist Gagik Shamshian was convened to the RA
National Security Service (NSS) to give evidence on the case of attack
against Argishti Kivirian, Coordinator of ARMENIA Today news agency,
Director of "Bagin" legal company. As it has been reported, on April 30 at
about 5.00 strangers with bats assaulted Argishti Kivirian on his way home
from the office which is located in the next entrance. Argishti Kivirian in
grave health condition and with multiple injuries, also on his head, was
taken to hospital, where he spent a week under in-patient treatment. Upon
the attack on Argishti Kivirian the police has instituted criminal
proceedings on Article 117 of RA Criminal Code, "Intentional non-grave
health injuries". Such qualification of the incident was strictly criticized
by lawyers, human rights organizations. The case investigation was
transmitted to the Investigative Department of RA National Security Service
(see YPC Weekly Newsletter, May 1-8, 2009).
As Gagik Shamshian informed YPC, the reason he was convened to the NSS were
the photos made by him at the site of attack, on which the bloody bat and
the gun shells are pictured. It should be noted that the photos were placed
on the Internet sites on the very day of the incident (later they were
published by the press). Nevertheless, the RA Police report did not say
anything about the detection of shells. According to Gagik Shamshian, he has
confirmed the authenticity of the photos at the NSS and has given to
investigators the source files of the digital photos.
PROCEEDINGS INSTITUTED ON CASE OF ASSAULT AGAINST NVER MNATSAKANIAN
Mashtots Police Department of Yerevan instituted criminal proceedings on the
case of assault against Nver Mnatsakanian, the author and host of
"Perspective" program cycle of "Shant" TV company. The proceedings are
instituted on Point 3 of Part 2 of Article 113 of RA Criminal Code
("Premeditated injury of medium gravity"). As it has been reported, the
incident took place on May 6 over midnight. Two strangers, who were waiting
for Nver Mnatsakanian to come back from work, attacked him at the entrance
of his house. Giving blows to the journalist and knocking him off his feet,
the assaulters escaped. Nver Mnatsakanian was given medical assistance at
the hospital (see YPC Weekly Newsletter, May 1-8, 2009). Presently, the
journalist has recommenced his professional activities.
"YERKIR" NEWSPAPER ISSUED THREE TIMES A WEEK
"Yerkir" newspaper, the official organ of Supreme Body of "Dashnaktsutiun"
party, has changed its periodicity and volume. The 16 pages weekly is now
published three times a week – on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays on 8 A3
pages.
"TSAYG" TV COMPANY CELEBRATED ITS 18TH ANNIVERSARY
On May 10 "Tsayg" TV company of Gyumri celebrated the 18th anniversary since
its foundation.
Yerevan Press Club congratulates colleagues and wishes them further success
and prosperity.
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Editor of YPC Newsletter – Elina POGHOSBEKIAN
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