"INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISTS" PUBLISHES REPORT ON MEDIA VIOLENCE IN ARMENIA
Natasha Harutyunyan

2 010/03/03 | 15:24

media

A press conference was called today to announce the publication of
an extensive report entitled,"Violence, intimidation and legal cases
against journalists and the media in Armenia 2010â~@³.

The report, published by the Investigative Journalists, NGO, with
OSCE assistance, highlights acts of violence and legal intimidation,
directed at journalist and reporters in Armenia over the past two
years. Participating at the report launch were Karel Hofstran , OSCE
Deputy Director in Armenia and Liana Sayadyan, Deputy Editor of "Hetq".

Karel Hofstran noted the importance of the report’s subject, both
for Armenia and worldwide, and stated that principles guaranteeing
the freedom of the press have constantly been validated by various
international conventions.

The report is a compilation of articles already published in the pages
of Hetq and that most of the assaults against journalists featured
remain unresolved. The OSCE official said that the organization would
continue to assist "Hetq" for the vital contribution it renders to
the Armenian public.

Criminal cases initiated by the courts regarding attacks on
journalists are also analyzed from a legal viewpoint, based on Armenian
constitutional law and international legal norms.

"Hetq" Deputy Editor Liana Sayadyan said that during the past two
years there has been an unprecedented rise in the number of assaults
and other acts of intolerance against reporters worldwide. She stated
that 76 reporters have been killed during the past two years and that
in the first two months of 2010, four reporters have been murdered
and 190 arrested.

"There has been a parallel rise in violence and intimidation directed
against reporters in Armenia as well. During the past two decades, one
sees a clear tendency to silence the voice of journalist, especially
during politically active years. There has been no visible political
will on the part of Armenian law enforcement to expose those who plan
and commit such violence," Liana Sayadyan said