YEREVAN PRESS CLUB WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
OCTOBER 16-22, 2009
HIGHLIGHTS:
"PRESS CLUB" CYCLE: REFLECTING THE PUBLIC OPINION ON ARMENIAN-TURKISH
RELATIONS IN MEDIA
PARLIAMENTARY HEARINGS ON BROADCASTING DIGITALIZATION
LITIGATION ON CASE OF NIKOL PASHINIAN STARTED
SUIT OF "GIND" PRINTING HOUSE VERSUS FOUNDER OF "CHORRORD ISHKHANUTIUN"
NEWSPAPER
BURGLARY OF PANORAMA.AM EQUIPMENT DISCLOSED
RSF INDEX: PRESS FREEDOM MUST BE DEFENDED EVERYWHERE IN THE WORLD
"AZDARAR"-2009 AWARDS CONFERRED
"PRESS CLUB" CYCLE: REFLECTING THE PUBLIC OPINION ON ARMENIAN-TURKISH
RELATIONS IN MEDIA
On October 20, another "Press Club" show went on the air of "Yerkir Media"
TV company. The cycle is produced under Yerevan Press Club project,
supported by the Open Society Institute. The guests of the program host, YPC
President Boris Navasardian were Aram Abrahamian, Chief Editor of "Aravot"
daily, and Vahan Asatrian, expert of International Centre for Human
Development. The discussion centered on the issue of reflecting the public
opinion on Armenian-Turkish reconciliation in media.
The next "Press Club" show will be aired on "Yerkir Media" on October 27, at
21.15.
PARLIAMENTARY HEARINGS ON BROADCASTING DIGITALIZATION
On October 22 hearings on "The Broadcasting Digitalization Process and the
Consequences of Its Implementation in Armenia" were held at RA National
Assembly. Nerses Eritsian, RA Minister of Economy, presented the strategy of
the digital broadcast implementation. CoE expert James Briggs’ report was
upon the practice of digitalization and solution of real-world problems in
other countries. Another CoE expert, Alec Thomas, spoke about the
utilization of the UHF spectrum in the Republic of Armenia. The final
presentation on ensuring pluralism and control in terms of broadcast
digitalization was presented by Grigor Amalian, Chairman of RA National
Commission on Television and Radio. None of the core questions raised by the
parliamentary hearings participants got an accurate response. For details
see the next issues of YPC Weekly Newsletter.
LITIGATION ON CASE OF NIKOL PASHINIAN STARTED
On October 20 court of general jurisdiction of Shengavit community of
Yerevan started litigation on the case of Nikol Pashinian, Chief Editor of
"Haykakan Zhamanak" daily. Nikol Pashinian is charged with Part 1 of Article
225 ("Mass riots") and Part 1 of Article 316 ("Violence against a
representative of power") of RA Criminal Code. As it has been reported,
Nikol Pashinian was announced wanted within the criminal proceedings,
instituted on the events of March 1, 2008 in Yerevan. On July 1, 2009 he
voluntarily surrendered to RA Prosecutor’s Office. "Haykakan Zhamanak" Chief
Editor received a preventive punishment of arrest (see YPC Weekly
Newsletter, September 3-10, 2009).
At the court sessions of October 20, 21, 22 lawyers of Nikol Pashinian made
several petitions, including challenging the judge and one of the public
prosecutors. All the petitions were turn down. The next session will take
place on October 26.
SUIT OF "GIND" PRINTING HOUSE VERSUS FOUNDER OF "CHORRORD ISHKHANUTIUN"
NEWSPAPER
On October 19 court of general jurisdiction of Kentron and Nork-Marash
communities of Yerevan started hearing the case on suit of "Gind" printing
house versus "Chorrord Ishkhanutiun" newspaper founder, "Ogostos" LLC. The
plaintiff demands to oblige "Ogostos" to pay off the debt for printing costs
in the amount of 2 million AMD (about $ 5,200). As Shogher Matevosian, Chief
Editor of "Chorrord Ishkhanutiun", informed YPC, the newspaper founder is
not indebted to the printing house, all the expenses are covered on the
ground of the contract. According to Shogher Matevosian, the conflict
between "Chorrord Ishkhanutiun" and "Gind" arose because of financial
disagreements. Since September 2009, the newspaper is being published at
"Mer Tparan" printing house.
On the session of October 19 the plaintiff made two petitions: to involve
publisher of "Chorrord Ishkhanutiun", "Trespassers W." LLC, as a third party
of the case, and to ban the newspaper’s issue. Both of the petitions were
secured.
Meanwhile, "Chorrord Ishkhanutiun" newspaper continues to be published in
the same frequency.
BURGLARY OF PANORAMA.AM EQUIPMENT DISCLOSED
According to the statement of press service of RA Police, Erebuni Police
Department disclosed the case of burglary at the office of Panorama.am news
portal, made in the morning of May 16, 2008. As it has been reported, as a
result of the burglary, Panorama.am lost its office equipment, including the
processor storing the editorial archives, as well as the money held at the
office. On July 16, 2008 the investigation of the case was suspended, as the
offenders were not identified (see YPC Weekly Newsletter, July 11-18, 2008).
On October 19 three young men were booked by the Police and plead guilty in
the robbery, press release of RA Police states. The fourth participant of
the crime is being retrieved by the law enforcement bodies.
RSF INDEX: PRESS FREEDOM MUST BE DEFENDED EVERYWHERE IN THE WORLD
On October 20 "Reporters without Borders"(RSF) international organization
released its eighth annual Worldwide Press Freedom Index. The study was
conducted in 175 countries and based on events between September 1, 2008 and
September 1, 2009. RSF index was compiled by surveying 15 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 40 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. Attention was
also given to the degree of impunity enjoyed by those responsible for press
freedom violations.
Press freedom must be defended everywhere in the world with the same energy
and the same insistence. That is the main conclusion drawn from "Reporters
without Borders" study. The organization was particularly concerned with the
state of press freedom in Europe. Even if the first 13 places are still held
by European countries (the first line is shared by Denmark, Finland,
Ireland, Norway and Sweden), year by year others such as France (43),
Slovakia (44-46) and Italy (49) continue their descent. At the same time the
"Reporters without Borders" emphasize the sharp rise of the state of press
in the USA (20-22). The USA has climbed on the 20th line, comparing to last
year, thanks to the US President Barak Obama effect. RSF also draws
attention on the deterioration of the situation in Iran (172), reaching the
gates of the infernal trio at the very bottom of the list – Turkmenistan
(173), North Korea (174) and Eritrea (175).
Of the former USSR countries the most benign is the situation in Estonia
(6), Lithuania (10) and Latvia (13-15). At a significant distance these are
followed by Georgia (81), Ukraine (89-90), Armenia (111), Tajikistan (113),
Moldova (114), Kyrgyzstan (125), Kazakhstan (142), Azerbaijan (146), Belarus
(151), Russia (153), Uzbekistan (160).
RSF study stresses drastic improvement of the situation in Georgia, who
leaped 39 positions, as compared to last year. Armenia’s ranking, going down
by 9 ranks comparing with the previous study, continues to decline. RSF
conditions this by several cases of physical violence against journalists
and political tension that continued to affect the media and society.
"AZDARAR"-2009 AWARDS CONFERRED
On October 16 at the Journalists Union of Armenia "Azdarar" award ceremony
for 2009 was held. The award, dedicated to the Armenian Press Day, was
established in 2004 by the Journalists Union of Armenia and members of the
"Gold Pen" JUA Awardee Club.
"Azdarar"-2009 was conferred to: "Aravot" daily; "Hayrenik" TV company;
"LyunSe" youth program of Public Radio of Armenia; Samvel Mikoyan, Chief
Editor of "Loru Marz" Vanadzor newspaper; photojournalist Martin Shahbazian;
Harut Sassounian, publisher and Chief Editor of "California Courier" weekly
(USA).
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Editor of YPC Newsletter – Elina POGHOSBEKIAN
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