Armenian leader gets “Press enemy” title on media day
Mediamax news agency
3 May 04
YEREVAN
The national press club today gave the title of “Press enemy” to
Armenian President Robert Kocharyan and the chairwoman of the
permanent commission on science and education, Granush Akopyan.
Mediamax news agency reported that members of the national press
club’s board announced that the Armenian president received this title
for the signing of a law “On the mass media” adopted by the National
Assembly. This law, according to the head of the national press club,
prejudices journalists’ rights and violates freedom of speech.
The national press club’s board announced that Granush Akopyan
received the title of “Press enemy” for lobbying for amendments to the
above law.
The national press club gave the title of “Press enemy” to Armenian
President Robert Kocharyan in 2002 and 2003.
Commenting on the 2002 decision of the National Press club, the
Armenian president said that he looked at it “with humour”. At the
same time, Robert Kocharyan noted that “the worst thing is that
journalists are becoming a tool in the hands of the politicians”.
“This kind of journalism does not exist as far as I am concerned, I
remember them as part of the opposition. Good luck to them,” Robert
Kocharyan said in May 2002.