YEREVAN PRESS CLUB WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
OCTOBER 17-23, 2008
HIGHLIGHTS:
"PRESS CLUB" AND "PRESS CLUB+": THE ROLE OF NGOs IN PUBLIC COUNCIL FORMATION
AND THE PROBLEM OF LAKE SEVAN
COVERAGE OF URGENT ISSUES DURING ELECTIONS TO THE LOCAL SELF-ADMINISTRATION
BODIES
MEETING OF HEADS OF THE MEDIA JOINING THE SELF-REGULATION INITIATIVE
MINISTRY OF JUSTICE INITIATES A NEW DRAFT LAW ON FREEDOM OF INFORMATION.
PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS ARE AGAINST
REFUTATION DEMANDED FROM "ARAVOT" DAILY
VARDENIS POLICE INSTITUTED CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS FOR IMPEDING OF JOURNALIST’S
WORK
LITIGATION OF "HAYKAKAN ZHAMANAK" FOUNDER VERSUS KENTRON COMMUNITY COUNCIL
OF ELDERLY REFUSED
NEEDS ASSESSMENT OF PUBLIC TELEVISION BY BBC WORLD SERVICE TRUST PUBLISHED
RSF INDEX: ONLY PEACE GUARANTEES PRESS FREEDOM
"PRESS CLUB" AND "PRESS CLUB+": THE ROLE OF NGOs IN PUBLIC COUNCIL FORMATION
AND THE PROBLEM OF LAKE SEVAN
On October 22 another show of "Press Club" cycle went on air of "Yerkir
Media" TV company. It is produced by Yerevan Press Club with support of the
Open Society Institute Human Rights and Governance Grants Program. The
guests of the President of the Committee to Protect Freedom of Expression,
Ashot Melikian, were Director of "Political Economy" Research Institute
Andranik Tevanian, founder of the Institute of Human Rights and Democracy
Armine Arakelian and the Chairman of National Youth Council of Armenia Aram
Sukiasian. "Press Club" participants continued the discussion on Public
Council initiated during the previous program (see YPC Weekly Newsletter,
October 10-16, 2008). The perspectives of the Public Council that is being
created by the initiative of RA President, were considered in the context of
the role of NGOs in its formation.
The next program of "Press Club" cycle will be aired by "Yerkir Media" on
Wednesday, October 29, at 23.00.
On October 18 another show of "Press Club+" cycle went on air of "Yerkir
Media". It is produced by Yerevan Press Club with support of the Embassy of
Great Britain in Armenia. The "Press Club+" host, YPC President Boris
Navasardian, and the program guests, Vice President of "Sevan" national park
Nikolay Simonian and Academic Secretary of Hydroecology and Ichthyology
Institute of RA National Academy of Science Evelina Ghukasian discussed the
problem of Lake Sevan from the aspect of elections to local
self-administration bodies. The audience composed of representatives of NGOs
and media of Gegharkunik region also participated in the discussion.
The next program of "Press Club+" cycle will be aired by "Yerkir Media" on
Saturday, October 25, at 17.40.
COVERAGE OF URGENT ISSUES DURING ELECTIONS TO THE LOCAL SELF-ADMINISTRATION
BODIES
On October 16-18 a seminar "Coverage of Problems of Public Importance during
the 2008 Elections to the Local Self-Administration Bodies in Armenia" took
place in Aghveran. The event was organized by Yerevan Press Club with
support of Friedrich Ebert Foundation.
Seminar participants, representatives of media and journalistic associations
of Armenia, discussed such questions as the role of local
self-administration institute in political structure of the country,
cooperation of media and civil society during the elections to the local
self-administration bodies, Armenian electoral legislation and the practice
of election coverage, as well as regional media activities. Also,
preliminary results (for September) of the monitoring of eleven Armenian TV
channels coverage on urgent issues during the elections to the local
self-administration bodies were presented. The research is administrated by
YPC in September-October 2008 under the project supported by the Embassy of
Great Britain in Armenia. Seminar participants also were introduced another
research conducted by YPC in September 2008 – monitoring of seven Armenian
print media coverage of urgent issues during the elections to the local
self-administration bodies. The study was realized under the YPC project,
with the assistance of Friedrich Ebert Foundation.
MEETING OF HEADS OF THE MEDIA JOINING THE SELF-REGULATION INITIATIVE
On October 18-19 in Aghveran a meeting took place among the members of Media
Ethics Observatory and heads of the media that supported Yerevan Press Club
initiative and signed the Code of Conduct of Media Representatives and the
Declaration on Election and Referendum Coverage Principles on March 10, 2007
(see YPC Weekly Newsletter, March 9-15, 2007). At present, these documents
were signed by 31 media. 8 journalistic associations also support the
initiative.
Current year’s MEO activities were introduced at the meeting. The mission of
this self-regulation body consists in the consideration of complaints and
appeals regarding the violations of the Code of Conduct and making judgments
on these. Participants also discussed precedents on professional ethics
violations, and some other issues.
The event was organized by YPC with support of the Open Society Institute.
MINISTRY OF JUSTICE INITIATES A NEW DRAFT LAW ON FREEDOM OF INFORMATION.
PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS ARE AGAINST
On October 23 discussion of draft law "On Freedom of Imparting Information"
developed by RA Ministry of Justice took place in the Academic Centre of
Ecological Right of the Yerevan State University Law Department.
Representatives of journalistic associations, also Yerevan Press Club, and
international organizations participated in the discussion.
Artak Gevorgian, Chief of the State Legal Department of Legal Acts
Assessment of RA Ministry of Justice, who introduced the draft law, pointed
out that the new document is called to replace the acting Law "On Freedom of
Information". Artak Gevorgian motivates it by the necessity to bring the
legislation in accordance to the amended Constitution. In particular, the
procedure of registration, classification and archiving of the information
processed by the owner of the information or imparted for him, is not
developed yet, as well as the procedure of providing duplicates (copies) of
information by state institutions and organizations, local
self-administration bodies. These requirements are stipulated by Articles 5
and 10 of the Law "On Freedom of Information", respectively. And even if the
relevant subordinate acts are developed for the acting Law "On Freedom of
Information", they, in the opinion of the representative of Justice
Ministry, can contradict to the Constitution.
Such an approach arose objections among discussion participants. They
stressed that the acting Law "On Freedom of Information" (adopted in
September 2003) is one of the few progressive documents that are highly
appraised by the international experts, and have proved their value on
practice. Regarding the necessity of developing and approving the by-laws in
accordance to the requests of Articles 5 and 10 of the Law (this obligation
was put on the government), the journalistic community has been reminding
about that for 5 years. And at present there are no obstacles for developing
necessary legislative amendments and procedures that will not contradict to
the Constitution, with the participation of the interested parties. The
journalistic associations expressed their readiness to participate in the
improvement of the acting Law and in the development of its by-laws.
Representatives of the Justice Ministry, in their turn, promised to
introduce the results of the discussion and the approaches of the
professional associations to their management.
REFUTATION DEMANDED FROM "ARAVOT" DAILY
On October 21 Civil Court of Yerevan started hearings of the case of Arthur
Ghevondian, RA police officer, versus "Aravot" daily. The plaintiff demands
to induce the newspaper to publish a refutation of the information in the
article "If Your Neighbor is a Policeman" ("Aravot", June 25, 2008) by Ruzan
Minasian, Correspondent of the daily. In the opinion of Arthur Ghevondian,
this article discredits his honor and reputation. The publication is devoted
to the court session on dispute between Arthur Ghevondian and his neighbors
regarding an annex on the roof of building. Litigation proceeding on this
case goes on for more than a year already.
During the session on October 21 the defendant motioned that the plaintiff
point out specific words or expressions in the article considered by him as
discrediting his honor and reputation. The court provided the plaintiff time
for getting prepared and scheduled the next session for October 30.
As Ruzan Minasian told YPC, she also intends to apply to the Media Ethics
Observatory to receive a professional judgment on the publication that
became the subject of trial.
VARDENIS POLICE INSTITUTED CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS FOR IMPEDING OF JOURNALIST’S
WORK
On October 20 "Hetq" on line informed that the Police of Vardenis
(Gegharkunik region) instituted criminal proceedings on Article 164
("Impeding the Legitimate Professional Activities of Journalist") on the
incident of July 29, 2008 that took place in Geghamabak village. On that day
"Hetq" Correspondent Sara Petrosian and "Kyavar" TV company cameraman
Vardges Khachatrian (Gavar, Gegharkunik region) arrived at Geghamabak to get
the material on the situation in the community after the elections of
village administration head on June 22, 2008. Gagik Barseghian, occupying
that position for last 9 years, was elected again. As Sara Petrosian told
YPC, after meeting the head of village administration, the journalists
talked to the village dwellers and then sat into a car willing to meet the
village head and receive his comments regarding the complaints of the
villagers. But the way of the car was blocked by a group of community people
leaded by Victor Barseghian, father of the village head. The latter, as the
journalist mentioned, started to threaten her and the cameraman and tried to
drag them through the open windows of the car. The journalists were forced
to stop their work and leave the village. Sara Petrosian said that stones
were thrown on their departing car.
The proceeding on the incident was instituted by Vardenis Police on October
10 versus a group of Geghamabak villagers, including Victor Barseghian,
father of the village head.
LITIGATION OF FOUNDER OF "HAYKAKAN ZHAMANAK" VERSUS KENTRON COMMUNITY
COUNCIL OF ELDERLY REFUSED
On October 17 RA Administrative Court refused the litigation of LLC
"Dareskizb", founder of "Haykakan Zhamanak" daily, versus Council of Elderly
of Kentron community of Yerevan. As it has been reported, the plaintiff
demanded to find invalid the resolution of the Kentron community Council of
Elderly of March 28, 2008, according to which the future renting of the
premises occupied by "Haykakan Zhamanak" had to be annulled (see YPC Weekly
Newsletter, October 10-16, 2008)
NEEDS ASSESSMENT OF PUBLIC TELEVISION BY BBC WORLD SERVICE TRUST PUBLISHED
On October 17 presentation of report "Needs Assessment of Armenia’s Public
Television Company" prepared by the BBC World Service Trust, took place in
Yerevan. The research was commissioned by OSCE Office in Yerevan and
conducted on July 14-18, 2008.
"Public television should raise its ambitions in providing programming of a
broadly educational nature that would serve to the interests of different
groups of the community", said during the presentation of the report one of
its authors, Michael Randall, Projects Manager for Europe and CIS at the BBC
World Service Trust (cited from the press release of OSCE Office in
Yerevan). He also stressed that strengthening of PTA public "heavily relies
on political will and change in attitude at the government level".
Authors of the report particularly recommend to the Public Television of
Armenia to create a long-term consultancy program for development of new
programs and reorganization of working methods.
Full report in Armenian and English can be found on OSCE web-site:
RSF INDEX: ONLY PEACE GUARANTEES PRESS FREEDOM
On October 22 "Reporters Without Borders" international organization
released its seventh annual Worldwide Press Freedom Index. The study was
conducted in 173 countries and based on events between September 1, 2007 and
September 1, 2008. RSF index was compiled by surveying 18 partner
organizations and 130 correspondents of RSF, as well as journalists,
researchers, lawyers and human rights activists. The respondents were
assessing the press freedom in each country with a questionnaire compiled by
RSF and including 49 criteria: ranging from various forms of pressure on
journalists and media to legislative restrictions, the behavior of
authorities towards the state-owned media and foreign press. It also
includes the degree of impunity enjoyed by those responsible for press
freedom violations.
It is not economic prosperity but peace that guarantees press freedom. That
is the main lesson to be drawn from "Reporters Without Borders" study. Thus
democratic countries embroiled in wars outside their territory have a very
different approach to freedom of speech inside and outside their country.
This can be noticed from the example of USA and Israel that received two RSF
ranking indices each. By domestic ranking USA shared 36-41 lines, while its
extra-territorial ranking is 119. Israel occupied lines 46 and 149,
accordingly. Consequences of war affected other countries as well decreasing
their ranks dramatically. While several emerging countries not engaged in
wars, especially in Africa and the Caribbean, give better and better
guarantees for media freedom. Among other factors defining the state of
press freedom, the study particularly points out corruption and political
hatred.
Another important conclusion is that the international community’s conduct
towards authoritarian regimes is not effective enough to change the
situation. This refers to China (167th in RSF index), Cuba (169) and three
more countries – Turkmenistan (171), North Korea (172) and Eritrea (173) –
occupying the bottom ranks, similarly to the previous RSF study (see YPC
Weekly Newsletter, October 12-18, 2007).
The first places of the RSF index were shared by Iceland, Luxemburg and
Norway. In general, European countries prevail in the top twenty: they got
18 positions together with Canada and New Zealand. All European Union
countries made into the top 60.
Of the former USSR countries the most benign is the situation in Estonia
(4-6), Latvia (7-12) and Lithuania (16-19). At a significant distance these
are followed by Ukraine (87), Moldova (98), Armenia (102-103, sharing with
Turkey), Tajikistan (106), Kyrgyzstan (111-112), Georgia (120), Kazakhstan
(125). Even lower ranks are occupied by Russia (141), Azerbaijan (150),
Belarus (154), and Uzbekistan (162). Among those only Ukraine, Russia and
Tajikistan slightly improved their positions, as compared to the previous
RSF study, Kazakhstan’s rating remains the same, while in the rest of the
CIS countries regress is registered.
RSF study stresses deterioration of the situation in the Caucasus since last
year, in particular, in Armenia going down by 25 ranks (it had 77th line in
the previous index), and Georgia going down by 54 ranks (66th line in the
previous index). Both countries, as outlined by the "Reporters Without
Borders", "had major problems and introduced states of emergency". Besides,
several journalists fell victim to the sudden outbreak of war in Georgia,
RSF stresses.
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
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Yerevan Press Club
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