IN CASE OF COMPULSION TO REVEAL SOURCE OF INFORMATION, IT IS ENVISAGED CONDUCTING CLOSED-DOOR COURT EXAMINATION BY MEDIATION OF JOURNALISTS

Noyan Tapan
Oct 26, 2009

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 26, NOYAN TAPAN. The RA National Assembly on
October 26 finished discussing the bill of amendments and additions
to the Criminal Procedure Code. The bill was presented at the
previous four-day session. In the words of Hovhannes Margarian –
the main speaker, the bill’s author, member of "Orinats Yerkir"
parliamentary faction, the purpose of the bill is to protect the
rights of journalists.

Under the current law, those carrying out journalistic activities and
reporters are not obliged to reveal the source of information, except
in cases when, in particular, the court orders the reporter to do so
for the purpose of disclosing a grave or particularly grave crime in
a criminal case when the necessity of penal protection of society’s
interests outweighs the society’s concernment of not revealing the
source of information and all other means of social interests have
been exhausted.

H. Margarian said the bill aims to ensure the implementation of the
above mentioned provision in criminal procedure and the most efficient
protection of the rights of those carrying out journalistic activities
and reporters. In the indicated cases, the bill envisages conducting
a closed-door court examination by the mediation of reporters.

Under the current law, a closed-door court sitting is held in case
of crimes related to personal or family life, a person’s honor and
dignity, crimes againts sexual immunity and sexual freedom, in case
of state and officials secrets, also when there is a necessity to
protect the persons participating in a trial or their close relatives.