Armenian government named “enemy of press”

Armenian government named “enemy of press”

Mediamax news agency
3 May 05

Yerevan, 3 May: The National Press Club [NPC] today conferred the
title of enemy of the press to the Armenian government.

NPC members said that throughout last year “the Armenian authorities
continued to carry out a systematic fight against freedom of speech”.

Members of the NPC board also said that “the Armenian government, on
the one hand, declares to the whole world its commitment to democracy,
on the other hand, it hinders the development and establishment of
free press”.

“Since there is undeclared war against the media, the National Press
Club considers it senseless to confer the title of enemy of the press
to an individual,” the NPC members said.

The National Press Club decided to confer the title of friend of the
press to no-one.

[Armenian President Robert Kocharyan was named the enemy of the press
for three years running.]