Yerevan Press Club Weekly Newsletter – 09/24/2009

YEREVAN PRESS CLUB WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

SEPTEMBER 18-24, 2009

HIGHLIGHTS:

"PRESS CLUB" RESUMED

COURT HEARINGS ON THE CASE OF RADIO "HAY" VERSUS RA NATIONAL ASSEMBLY DEPUTY
STARTED

AWARDS FOR JOURNALISTS ON THE INDEPENDENCE DAY

"HETQ" WEEKLY ISSUED

"PRESS CLUB" RESUMED

>From September 22 the "Press Club" program cycle was resumed on the air of
"Yerkir Media" TV company. The cycle is produced under Yerevan Press Club
project, supported by the Open Society Institute. On Tuesdays, at 21.15 the
"Press Club" participants – representatives of state structures, political
parties, NGOs and media – will be discussing the development of democratic
institutions in Armenia.

On September 22 the guests of the program host, YPC President Boris
Navasardian were Larisa Alaverdian, RA National Assembly deputy, Secretary
of "Heritage" parliamentary faction, and Stepan Grigorian, Head of
Analytical Center for Globalization and Regional Cooperation. The program
participants focused on the issue of public debate culture, pluralism in the
Armenian media in the light of Armenian-Turkish relations coverage.

The next "Press Club" show will be aired on "Yerkir Media" on September 29,
at 21.15.

COURT HEARINGS ON THE CASE OF RADIO "HAY" VERSUS RA NATIONAL ASSEMBLY DEPUTY
STARTED

On September 24 the court of general jurisdiction of Avan and Nor Nork
communities of Yerevan started hearing the suit of Radio "HAY" founder,
"Radio ‘HAY’ " LLC, versus RA National Assembly deputy Styopa Safarian,
recently elected as Head of "Heritage" faction. The plaintiff demands to
oblige the defendant to publish a refutation and apologize for the
expression, discrediting the business reputation of Radio "HAY". The reason
for the suit became a phrase from a piece by Styopa Safarian, titled
"Voyage, Voyage to Madrid and Dagestan". The article was published in
"Hraparak" daily on August 20, 2009. In the piece Styopa Safarian argues, in
absentia, with one of the leaders of ruling Republican Party of Armenia. The
deputy recalls some quotations made by the RPA leader during one of the two
shows, "Armenian Feedback", aired on Radio "HAY" on July 30 and July 31,
2009. The author of the article describes these shows as "a two-series
concert ordered by the President’s administration".

At the session of September 24 the defendant made a petition to grant him
some additional time for preparing to the hearings. The petition was
secured. The next court session is appointed on October 7.

AWARDS FOR JOURNALISTS ON THE INDEPENDENCE DAY

On September 17 by the decree of RA President Serzh Sargsian the Chief
Editor of "Azg" daily Hagob Avedikian and Chief Editor of "Golos Armenii"
newspaper Flora Nakhshkarian honored the title of "Journalist Emeritus" –
for fruitful journalistic work of many years.

By another presidential decree Tsvetana Paskaleva, author and host of
"Light" program of "Ararat" TV channel, and Margarita Simonian, Chief Editor
of "Russia Today" TV company, were conferred with "Movses Khorenatsi" medal
– for the significant contribution in development of journalism and high
professionalism.

The awards were honored to the journalists to mark the 18th Anniversary of
the Independence of Armenia, celebrated on September 21.

"HETQ" WEEKLY ISSUED

"Hetq", current affairs weekly, was issued. The weekly founder is "Hetq"
LLC, whose shareholders are the "Investigative Journalists" NGO and a number
of journalists. The Chief Editor of "Hetq" is Edik Baghdasarian, Chairman of
"Investigative Journalists". The newspaper is issued on Thursdays on 8 pages
with a print run of 2,000 copies.

When reprinting or using the information above, reference to the Yerevan
Press Club is required.

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Editor of YPC Newsletter – Elina POGHOSBEKIAN
_____________________________________ _______
Yerevan Press Club
9B, Ghazar Parpetsi str.
0002, Yerevan, Armenia
Tel.: (+ 374 10) 53 00 67; 53 35 41; 53 76 62
Fax: (+374 10) 53 56 61
E-mail: [email protected]
Web Site:

www.ypc.am