ARMENIA’S HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDER ON CC RULING

Tert.am
30.11.11

Nov. 30, Human Rights Defender of Armenia Karen Andreasyan spoke of
the ruling the RA Constitutional Court (CC) issued on Nov. 15.

The ruling confirms the constitutionality of Article 1087.1 of the
RA Civil Code.

On May 18, 2010, amendments to the RA Criminal Code, authored by the
RA Human Rights Defender, decriminalized libel and affront.

“As regards a general assessment, I realize it is the intrigue of
today’s meeting. When, immediately after the CC issued its ruling,
I was asked about my opinion ~V the mass media provided wide coverage
of the subject ~V the CC dismissing my claim, I expressed my formal
disagreement with that wording. That is, I do not think the CC
dismissed my claim. According to law, the Human Rights Defender does
not ask the CC to rule a law unconstitutional. He only asks the CC to
check the facts up in the Constitution. I did not ask the CC to rule
[this article] unconstitutional. It would have negative consequences.

The media outlets that have problems of judicial nature now ~V this
ruling cannot be favorable for them,” Andreasyan said.

In fact, the RA Human Rights Defender offers joining efforts to
defend freedom of speech. According to him, oligarchs must behave
with dignity instead of trying to make newspapers go bankrupt.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress