YEREVAN PRESS CLUB WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
DECEMBER 18-24, 2009
HIGHLIGHTS:
"PRESS CLUB" CYCLE: THE YEAR’S POLITICAL EVENTS AND THEIR INFLUENCE ON
DEMOCRATIC REFORMS
SEMINAR PARTICIPANTS DISCUSSED THE ISSUES OF BROADCAST SPHERE
SUIT VERSUS GAGIK SHAMSHIAN REVOKED
JUA "GOLDEN PEN"-2009 AWARDEES ANNOUNCED
"PRESS CLUB" CYCLE: THE YEAR’S POLITICAL EVENTS AND THEIR INFLUENCE ON
DEMOCRATIC REFORMS
On December 22, the last "Press Club" show of the year went on the air of
"Yerkir Media" TV company. The 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 Stepan Grigorian, Head of
Analytical Center for Globalization and Regional Cooperation, Ara Galoyan,
Program Director of "Shoghakat" TV company, and Elina Chilingarian,
correspondent of youth program "MaxLiberty" of Radio Free Europe/Radio
Liberty Armenian Service. The discussion centered on the main political
events of the year and their influence on democratic reforms in Armenia.
"Press Club" cycle will be renewed on "Yerkir Media" in January 2010.
SEMINAR PARTICIPANTS DISCUSSED THE ISSUES OF BROADCAST SPHERE
On December 16-18 in Aghveran a seminar "The Broadcast Policy and the
Armenian Legislation" was held. The event was organized by Yerevan Press
Club with the assistance of Friedrich Ebert Foundation. The seminar was
attended by heads of TV and radio companies, members of National Commission
on Television and Radio, representatives of journalistic associations.
The report of Yerevan Press Club President Boris Navasardian dealt with the
problems of refinement of the broadcast regulating legislation. President of
Audio-Visual Reporters Association Arzuman Harutiunian raised the issues of
optimization the advertising legislation. Expert of Yerevan Press Club
Heriknaz Harutiunian presented the results of monitoring the implementation
of broadcast and advertising legislation by Armenian TV companies,
administered by YPC in 2009. In the panel discussions on the fulfillment of
broadcast legislation also took part Grigor Amalian, Chairman of National
Commission on Television and Radio, and Aleksan Arakelian, Head of Financial
Department of Public Television of Armenia. Movses Hakobian, lawyer of
Center for Information Law and Policy, told about the legal basis of
switching to digital broadcasting. Ashot Simonian, Director of "Television
Network of Armenia" SCSJ spoke about the technical problems of
digitalization.
SUIT VERSUS GAGIK SHAMSHIAN REVOKED
On December 18 court of general jurisdiction of Arabkir and Kanaker-Zeytun
communities of Yerevan started the hearings on the suit of Criminal
Executive Department of RA Ministry of Justice versus free lance journalist
Gagik Shamshian. As it has been reported, on April 17, 2009 court of general
jurisdiction of Kentron and Nork-Marash communities of Yerevan sentenced
Gagik Shamshian to a fine of 350,000 AMD (about $ 950) for disrespect to
court. On July 15, 2009 RA Criminal Court of Appeal pardoned the journalist.
Gagik Shamshian considered the decision to be illegal and addressed to the
RA Procuracy and to RA Court of Cassation. The Procuracy confirmed that the
journalist should not have been pardoned on the abovementioned case, as an
amnesty had already been applied on him by another case. On September 16,
2009 the Court of Cassation cancelled the decision on amnesty (see YPC
Weekly Newsletter, September 11-17, 2009).
With regard to the delay in payment of fine the Criminal Executive
Department of Ministry of Justice filed a suit demanding to replace the fine
penalty applied towards Gagik Shamshian by public works.
At the session of December 18 court of primary jurisdiction revoked the
suit, on the ground that Gagik Shamshian had already paid off the fine
before the hearings started.
JUA "GOLDEN PEN"-2009 AWARDEES ANNOUNCED
On December 22 the ceremony of "Gold Pen" Award of the Journalists Union of
Armenia was held. The Award is conferred every three years for best
publicist stories.
The winners of "Golden Pen"-2009 are: Hakob Avedikian, Chief Editor of
"Azg’" daily, and Rober Haddeler, Chief Editor of "Marmara" Armenian
newspaper, issued in Istanbul.
N.B. Dear readers, please note that the YPC Weekly Newsletter will next be
issued in January 2010. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
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Editor of YPC Newsletter – Elina POGHOSBEKIAN
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