YEREVAN PRESS CLUB WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
APRIL 9-15, 2010
HIGHLIGHTS:
MEDIA MONITORING OF ARMENIAN-AZERBAIJANI RELATIONS
A NEW DEVELOPMENT IN THE CASE ON THE INCIDENT IN FRONT OF RA PROCURACY
PARLIAMENTARY HEARINGS ON DRAFT LAWS DECRIMINALIZING LIBEL AND INSULT
TAX OFFICERS DEMAND LIABILITY REPAYMENT BY "GALA" TV COMPANY
MEDIA MONITORING OF ARMENIAN-AZERBAIJANI RELATIONS
The book "Armenian-Azerbaijani Relations in Media of Armenia and Azerbaijan"
is placed on YPC website, or home.ypc.am in "Studies" section (in
English, in Russian). The book presents the findings of monitoring 16 media
in Armenia and Azerbaijan during three months in 2008-2009. The research is
illustrative of the level of attention of media studied towards various
aspects of Armenian-Azerbaijani relations, including the influence that the
protocols, signed between Turkey and Armenia on October 10, 2009, had on
them, the degree of accuracy of the information on these relations and on
developments in the neighboring country, as well as the presence and the
frequency of hatespeech elements in the newspaper and TV pieces. The
research was administered by Yerevan Press Club and "Yeni Nesil" Journalists
Union of Azerbaijan under the project "Unbiased Coverage of
Armenian-Azerbaijani Relations in Media", implemented by Eurasia Partnership
Foundation with the support of UK Foreign Commonwealth Office.
A NEW DEVELOPMENT IN THE CASE ON THE INCIDENT IN FRONT OF RA PROCURACY
On April 13 the investigator of Kentron Police Department of Yerevan
informed the free lance journalist Gagik Shamshian about the withdrawal of
the investigation on the case of the incident, which took place on February
24, 2010 in front of the RA Procuracy building. The case was dismissed in
the absence of corpus delicti in the actions. Besides, Gagik Shamshian was
told that with regard to the same incident criminal proceedings on charges
of false denunciation were instituted against him. As it has been reported,
on February 24 before the beginning of the session of the RA Procuracy
Collegium a dispute occurred between Gagik Shamshian, who was shooting in
the street, and investigator of the General Investigative Department of the
Police. Later, while providing medical assistant to the journalist, it
turned out that his eardrum was injured. Criminal proceedings on Articles
164 ("Impeding the legitimate professional activities of journalist") and
118 ("Beating") of the RA Criminal Code were instituted (see details in YPC
Weekly Newsletter, February 19-25, 2010).
PARLIAMENTARY HEARINGS ON DRAFT LAWS DECRIMINALIZING LIBEL AND INSULT
On April 9 in RA National Assembly hearings on draft laws decriminalizing
libel and insult, as well as introducing the institute of moral loss
compensation, were held. As it has been reported, the drafts were initiated
by NA deputies Hovhannes Margarian ("Orinats Yerkir" party), Ruben Gevorgian
("Prosperous Armenia" party) and Hovhannes Sahakian (Republican Party of
Armenia). The package of draft laws "On Introducing Amendments and
Supplements to the RA Civil Code", "On Introducing Amendments to the RA
Criminal Code" and "On Introducing an Amendment to the RA Criminal Procedure
Code" was adopted in first hearing on March 18 (see YPC Weekly Newsletter,
March 12-18, 2010).
The representatives of journalistic community, who were present at the
parliamentary hearings, voiced a number of key observations regarding the
document. According to YPC President Boris Navasardian, the package has to
be reconsidered in first hearing, for some structural changes should be
introduced to it.
For implementing the recommendations a working group, staffed by
representatives of journalistic associations, including YPC, was formed
under the NA Standing Commission on Science, Education, Culture, Youth and
Sport Issues.
TAX OFFICERS DEMAND LIABILITY REPAYMENT BY "GALA" TV COMPANY
On April 8 "GALA" TV company of Gyumri released a statement, noting that
State Revenue Committee by the RA Government demanded the founder of the TV
company, "CHAP" LLC, to repay income tax for 2008 and the delinquency charge
of a total of 822,000 AMD (more than $ 2,000). The owner of "CHAP" LLC Vahan
Khachatrian refuses to fulfill the demands of the tax inspection, as in 2008
the TV company worked in wane and did not have a single advertiser within 8
months, the statement emphasizes. As it has been reported, the tax audit at
"CHAP" and the consecutive litigations started as soon as, on October 22,
2007, Vahan Khachatrian announced about the attempts of various power
agencies to exert pressure on "GALA" (see details in "On Freedom of Speech
in Armenia" report for 2008 on YPC web-site or home.ypc.am in
"Studies" section).
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Editor of YPC Newsletter – Elina POGHOSBEKIAN
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