Nikol Pashinyan attempting to suppress the freedom of speech and neutralize news outlets – Media Advocate

Panorama, Armenia

Media Advocate initiative has issued a statement on the recent statement made by acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan about the work of reporters in Armenia. 

To remind, Pashinyan suggested the media sector in Armenia has turned into 'a real garbage dump' and promised to introduce legal mechanisms and rules of conduct to regulate the sector. 

"During the campaign Pashinyan is widely using hate speech and threats recorded on numerous occasions. Apart from targeting politicians, Nikol Pashinyan also threatens and insults reporters and media outlets," the initiative said in a statement on Friday.

"Media Advocate condemns this statement. These authorities in the face of Deputy Speaker of Parliament Alen Simonyan planned to adopt legislation outlawing the use of hate speech, while every speech made by Nikol Pashinyan contains elements of hate speech and threats. This practice is so obvious that it has received condemnation even from the Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II," the statement said. 

According to the source, with his behaviors, Pashinyan dishonor his colleagues, does not respect his own specialty, attempts to suppress the freedom of speech and neutralize the news outlets.