Armenia: Government must put an end to online harassment of journalists

Among others, journalists Ani Gevorgyan and Hripsime Jebejyan have been the target of death threats and threats of physical violence. The journalists’ union condemned a concerted and deliberate attack by activists close to the government and by some public officials. UAJ also accused the Prime Minister of having encouraged this online hate campaign. The union has referred the matter to the human rights defender of Armenia, Anahit Manasyan.

“Journalists work under conditions of real terror,” said UAJ President Satik Seyranyan. “They are really in danger”. The EFJ General Secretary Ricardo Gutiérrez called on the Armenian authorities to publicly denounce these threats and to identify, prosecute and punish the perpetrators, especially if they are official representatives of the public authorities.

The IFJ Deputy General Secretary Tim Dawson declared: “Harassment on social media seriously affects journalists’ mental health and their ability to do their jobs. Armenian government ministers should condemn these attacks and work to allow reporters the freedom to carry out their work”.