MORE JOURNALISTS SUBJECTED TO VIOLATION IN 2010 IN ARMENIA

Tert.am
08.04.10

The Committee for Protection of Freedom of Speech will from now on
release quarterly reports on freedom of speech in Armenia instead
of an annual one as it was previously, head of the Committee Ashot
Melikyan and expert Mesrop Harutunyan informed journalists at a press
conference today.

In reference to the data of the first quarter the experts mentioned
that this year more journalists have been subjected to violation – 5
journalists against last year’s 3 during the same period. In 2010 there
were 3 cases when the right to get information and disseminate it has
been encroached. While last year there were 2 such cases of violations.

According to Harutunyan under tense political atmosphere the assaults
on journalist have been increased. With the exception of one case, all
the other violations took place during the additional parliamentary
elections in constituency number 10. In all cases the perpetrators
have not identified and not punished. One of the observers, deployed
by the Free Society Institute, threatened a journalist saying "I
will break your head apart, I will break off your mobile phone,
I will cut your ears."

The Committee has also found out that no single TV channel has covered
the elections in constituency number 10.