YEREVAN PRESS CLUB WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
MAY 7-13, 2010
HIGHLIGHTS:
RA MINISTRY OF ECONOMY ELABORATED AMENDMENTS TO RA LAW "ON TELEVISION AND
RADIO"
PROCURACY WILL REEXAMINE CASES REGARDING JOURNALISTS
PRESIDENT OF STEPANAKERT PRESS CLUB CALLS MEDIA COMMUNITIES OF AZERBAIJAN,
ARMENIA AND MOUNTAINOUS KARABAGH "TO CEASE THE FIRE"
COURT OF CASSATION REVOKED THE APPLICATIONS ON RECONSIDERATION OF NIKOL
PASHINIAN’S JUDGMENT
RA MINISTRY OF ECONOMY ELABORATED AMENDMENTS TO RA LAW "ON TELEVISION AND
RADIO"
On May 13 RA Government endorsed the draft law "On Introducing Amendments
and Supplements to RA Law ‘On Television and Radio’". It is supposed that
the draft will be submitted to RA National Assembly and soon passed, in
order the broadcast licensing competitions (which are to be announced on
July 20, 2010) to be held with compliance to new legislation.
The draft was elaborated by RA Ministry of Economy and stored on the
Ministry website (). Namely, it prescribes the new order of
holding competitions and granting licenses with regard to the provisions for
switching from analog to digital broadcasting. Thus, it is proposed that the
licensing competitions are held by the National Commission on Television and
Radio once every 10 years, starting from July 20, 2010. The number of TV
channels in the digital broadcast network is limited by 18. At the same
time, 9 TV channels will be national (two – public, 6 – private, and one for
rebroadcasting), while the other 9 will be broadcasting in Yerevan (5 –
private and 4 for rebroadcasting). Moreover, private TV channels of Yerevan
are to have a certain orientation: entertainment, youth, music, children,
information and analytical. It is also foreseen that the new licenses will
come into force since January 20, 2011.
Amendments to the Broadcast Law will be discussed at the conference "Media
Legislation and Self-Regulation Initiatives", being organized on May 14 by
"Partnership for Open Society" initiative.
PROCURACY WILL REEXAMINE CASES REGARDING JOURNALISTS
Upon the order of RA General Prosecutor Aghvan Hovsepian a working group of
4 persons was formed. The group will be engaged in the reexamination of
investigation records, as well as the criminal proceedings instituted during
2008-2010 on cases with media representatives, including the ones of
impeding journalistic activities. Besides, the working group is to verify
the legitimacy of the decisions rendered on those cases, reported "Aravot"
daily on May 11, 2010.
PRESIDENT OF STEPANAKERT PRESS CLUB CALLS MEDIA COMMUNITIES OF AZERBAIJAN,
ARMENIA AND MOUNTAINOUS KARABAGH "TO CEASE THE FIRE"
On May 7 President of Stepanakert Press Club Gegham Baghdasarian addressed
the heads of media and journalistic organizations of Azerbaijan, Armenia and
Mountainous Karabagh, calling to stop "the adverse actions in the
information field, starting from March 12, 2010, at 00.01". Namely, on this
day, in 1994, a cease fire was concluded between the Karabagh conflict
parties.
In his message the head of Stepanakert Press Club emphasized the
exacerbating tensions in the region for the last years and the improper role
of media in the continuous information warfare which becomes more dangerous
and which "plays a role of artillery preparation, contributing to the
imminent forceful resolution, fraught with disastrous consequences for the
whole South Caucasus region".
"In this tight situation and on the eve of the 16th anniversary of the cease
fire (May 12, 1994), I consider necessary to come forward with an initiative
on an "armistice" in the information field of all conflicting parties. I am
convinced that the cessation of the information warfare will foster the
continuation of peaceful dialogue, will contribute to reaching real
compromises and mutual acceptable decisions on the Karabagh conflict
settlement", the message of Gegham Baghdasarian says.
Suggesting the journalistic communities of Azerbaijan, Armenia and
Mountainous Karabagh to conclude a truce since May 12, Gegham Baghdasarian
explained: "First of all this means refusal of articles insulting the honor
and dignity of whole nation and its representatives, as well as pieces
inciting dissension between nations and promulgating war."
COURT OF CASSATION REVOKED THE APPLICATIONS ON RECONSIDERATION OF NIKOL
PASHINIAN’S JUDGMENT
On May 5 RA Court of Cassation revoked the applications on reconsideration
of the decision of RA Criminal Court of Appeal on the case of Nikol
Pashinian, Chief Editor of "Haykakan Zhamanak" daily (submitted by the
defendant and prosecution parties). As it has been reported, on January 19,
2010 court of general jurisdiction sentenced Nikol Pashinian to seven years
of imprisonment. On March 9, 2010 Criminal Court of Appeal, by applying an
amnesty on Nikol Pashinian, cut down his unexpired term of imprisonment by
half (see YPC Weekly Newsletter, March 5-11, 2010).
Both parties appealed the decision of the Criminal Court of Appeal. The
lawyers of Pashinian demanded to acquit their client of all charges, while
the prosecutor claimed to return him guilty not only for mass riots, but
also for violence against a representative of power. The parties’
applications were not submitted to consideration, as, according to the Court
of Cassation, they were not duly justified for reconsidering the decision of
the Court of Appeal.
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Editor of YPC Newsletter – Elina POGHOSBEKIAN
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Yerevan Press Club
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0002, Yerevan, Armenia
Tel.: (+ 374 10) 53 00 67; 53 35 41; 53 76 62
Fax: (+374 10) 53 56 61
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