YEREVAN PRESS CLUB WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
APRIL 23-29, 2004
HIGHLIGHTS:
ROUND TABLE ON WORLD PRESS FREEDOM DAY
PACE DEMANDS TO CREATE FAIR CONDITIONS FOR THE FUNCTIONING OF MEDIA IN
ARMENIA
INVESTIGATIONS THAT INCITE DOUBT
ALL THE POSSIBILITIES EXHAUSTED
“A1+” CONTINUES THE FIGHT FOR RETURN ON AIR
MIKAEL DANIELIAN DOES NOT BELIEVE THAT THOSE WHO ATTACKED HIM WILL BE
REVEALED
“KENTRON” TV COMPANY CHANGES OWNER AND NAME
NEW PROFESSIONAL HOLIDAY ESTABLISHED
ROUND TABLE ON WORLD PRESS FREEDOM DAY
Yerevan Press Club congratulates all the colleagues on World Press Freedom
Day and invites to take part in a round table, devoted to this date. The
event is organized by “Partnership for Open Society” initiative and will be
held on May 3 at 12.00 at Yerevan “Congress” Hotel.
PACE DEMANDS TO CREATE FAIR CONDITIONS FOR THE FUNCTIONING OF MEDIA IN
ARMENIA
On April 28 at the session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of
Europe Resolution on honoring of obligations and commitments by Armenia was
passed, focusing on the inner political situation in the country. The
document says that the actions of Armenian authorities with regard to the
protest actions held by opposition run contrary to the PACE Resolution on
Armenia, adopted on January 27, 2004 (see YPC Weekly Newsletter, January
23-29, 2004). Among other issues the PACE is concerned over the freedom of
expression issues. “Freedom of expression continues to be seriously
curtailed and several acts of violence against journalists, which took place
during the recent events, were carried out or were allowed to happen by the
police and security forces”, the Resolution point out.
The PACE also called on Armenian authorities to immediately investigate – in
a transparent and credible manner – the recent incidents and inform the
Assembly of their findings, as well as “create fair conditions for the
normal functioning of the media, notably as regards the issuing of
broadcasting licenses to television companies, particularly to television
channel ‘A1+'”.
The Resolution notes that if by the September session of PACE no progress in
implementing the recommendations is achieved, the Assembly “resolves to
reconsider the credentials of the Armenian delegation”.
INVESTIGATIONS THAT INCITE DOUBT
The violence against journalists that occurred during the opposition rallies
of April 5 and 13 were condemned by Armenian and international
organizations, also professional associations, who called on the authorities
of the country to hold everyone guilty accountable. On a number of episodes
when media representatives were injured, criminal proceedings were
instituted. However the situation of today arises doubt that the law
enforcement bodies are interested to determine and punish the people who
used force against journalists on professional duty.
Thus, on April 24 “Haikakan Zhamanak” published an article “Investigation
Course Becoming a Disgrace”, where the actions of the law enforcement bodies
are described. The actions were a reply to two letters by “Haikakan
Zhamanak” to the General Prosecutor reporting the cases of impeding the
work of the daily’s correspondent Haik Gevorgian and the acts of violence
directed at him.
As it has been reported, Haik Gevorgian was injured both on April 5 and 13
(see details in YPC Weekly Newsletter, April 2-8, 2004 and April 9-15,
2004). At the same time according to the journalist in the second case the
Deputy Head of the RA Police Hovhannes Varian personally took his photo
camera and ordered to a group of people who accompanied him and had batons
on them, to beat him. Because of this “Haikakan Zhamanak” addressed the RA
General Prosecutor demanding to hold Hovhannes Varian accountable (see YPC
Weekly Newsletter, April 16-22, 2004).
In the publication of April 24 “Haikakan Zhamanak” points out the fact that
both its reports on the incidents with Haik Gevorgian on April 5 and 13 are
currently considered by the investigative bodies within the proceedings,
instituted, in fact, against the opposition parties. As the newspaper
writes, “the potential object of the case” started by Article 258 of the RA
Criminal Code (“public disorder”) with regard to events of April 5 is the
opposition party “National Unity”, while the opposition “Justice” block is
accused of an attempt of a violent regime overthrow in the early morning of
April 13.
According to “Haikakan Zhamanak”, the prosecutor’s office, instead the two
ways for proceeding applications, as stipulated by the legislation – to
institute criminal proceedings basing on a press report or to refuse in
instituting it – chose to act in the third manner, which, in the opinion of
the editorial office is inadequate and does not allow to expect those guilty
to be punished.
ALL THE POSSIBILITIES EXHAUSTED
On April 23 the RA Court of Cassation confirmed the decision of the RA
Commercial Court on the suit of “Meltex” LLC, the founder of “A1+” TV
company, versus the National Commission on Television and Radio. As it has
been reported, on March 23 the Commercial Court declined the claim of “A1+”
to provide specific justification for the refusals to grant broadcast
licenses in the competitions held by the National Commission on June 11 and
July 18, 2003 (see YPC Weekly Newsletter, March 19-25, 2004).
Thus, after this ruling by the Court of Cassation, “A1+” exhausted all the
possibilities to challenge the results of the broadcast licensing
competitions in the Armenian judicial bodies.
“A1+” CONTINUES THE FIGHT FOR RETURN ON AIR
On April 24 the Freedom of Expression Assistance Fund and the initiative
group to protect “A1+” TV company announced a rally to be held on the World
Press Freedom Day. The demands, addressed to the authorities at a similar
protest action on April 2 (see YPC Weekly Newsletter, April 2-8, 2004), have
not been implemented and retain their urgency. These are, namely, the need
to hold a broadcast licensing competition for the vacant frequencies as soon
as possible and the involvement of the representatives of the public sector
in the evaluation of the bids presented.
The rally will be held on May 3 at 16.00 in Yerevan at the square in front
of “Moscow” cinema house.
MIKAEL DANIELIAN DOES NOT BELIEVE THAT THOSE WHO ATTACKED HIM WILL BE
REVEALED
The Chairman of Armenian Helsinki Association Mikael Danielian is positive
that despite the immediate assignment of the RA President Robert Kocharian
to General Prosecutor Aghvan Hovsepian, those guilty in attacking him will
never be found and punished. He announced this at a press-conference on
April 23.
As it has been reported on March 30 Mikael Danielian was attacked by unknown
people (see details in YPC Weekly Newsletter, March 26 – April 1, 2004). On
April 1 he was visited at the hospital by the investigator of prosecutor’s
office of Arabkir community, Yerevan, who informed Mr. Danielian about the
institution of criminal proceedings, however, according to Mr. Danielian, he
was not well enough at that stage to give testimony. The next visit of the
investigator, this time with a forensic expert, to Mr. Danielian was only
made on April 14 when he was recovering at home and the traces of the
beating had already disappeared. The conversation with the investigator
convinced the head of the Helsinki Association that the assignment of the
President will not be carried out. In the opinion of Mikael Danielian, the
authorities of Armenia, despite the appeals and addresses of the
international human rights organizations are not interested to disclose the
crimes committed both against him and against journalists on April 5 and 13.
“KENTRON” TV COMPANY CHANGES OWNER AND NAME
Recently the information about the sale of “Kentron” TV company and the
change of its head was officially confirmed (see YPC Weekly Newsletter,
April 16-22, 2004). On April 24 the new head of the TV company that will
interrupt the broadcasts for 10 days and will go on air with a new name,
“Aravot” TV, was appointed – it is the Chief Editor of homonymous newspaper
Aram Abrahamian. According to Aram Abrahamian, the new owner of the TV
company is the non-party deputy of the RA National Assembly (elected by the
party list of the Republican party of Armenia, though), the head of “Milta”
LLC Murad Guloyan, a fellow-villager of another NA deputy, president of
“Multi Group” Company Gagik Tsarukian.
Aram Abrahamian (who, at the time when “A1+” was on air, hosted the popular
“PostScript> program) announced on the pages of “Aravot (the journalist also
says he will continue to head this daily) that he will continue to assist
the return of “A1+” on the air, will take part in all the actions to support
it as well as will offer the TV company to take part in the preparation of
programs for “Aravot” TV. The delicacy of the situation is that the 37th UHF
where now “Kentron”/”Aravot” broadcasts used to be taken by “A1+”. By the
results of the competition, finalized by the National Commission on
Television and Radio on April 2, 2002, “A1+” lost the broadcast license for
the frequency to “Sharm” company, the founder of “Kentron” TV company.
However, as Aram Abrahamian assured, should a new competition for this
frequency be announced, “Aravot” TV will not take part in it and will assist
the victory of “A1+”.
It should also be mentioned that on November 1, 2002, the suit of “A1+”
founder “Meltex” LLC versus the Republic of Armenia was accepted for
consideration by the European Court for Human Rights (see YPC Weekly
Newsletter, November 2-8, 2002). The suit challenges the rulings of the
judicial authorities of the country on the legitimacy of broadcast licensing
competitions, held by the National Commission. Considering the fact that
almost a year and a half has passed since the acceptance of the suit the
hearings at the European Court may start pretty soon and it is quite
possible that the 37th frequency will become the center of new developments
again.
NEW PROFESSIONAL HOLIDAY ESTABLISHED
In Armenia a new professional holiday is established – the Day of Press
Worker. According to the decision of the Government passed on April 22, this
holiday will be celebrated annually on October 16. On this day in 1794 in
the city of Madras, India, the first Armenian periodical publication,
“Azdarar”, was produced.
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Editor of YPC Newsletter – Elina POGHOSBEKIAN
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