The regulations governing journalists’ professional activities at the National Assembly are not new and have been in force since 2021, Acting Speaker of Parliament and Deputy Speaker Ruben Rubinyan said in a Facebook post.

Rubinyan was responding to criticism following the adoption of new security rules for the National Assembly’s premises and building, with critics claiming that the decision restricts the professional activities of accredited journalists.

“The ‘new and unprecedented tightening and restrictions’ on journalists’ professional activities in the National Assembly have been in force since 2021,” Rubinyan wrote.

According to him, the latest amendments to the decision on security rules in the National Assembly building did not introduce any changes related to journalists’ professional activities.

“The latest amendments to the decision on security rules in the National Assembly building did not include any changes concerning journalists’ professional activities, let alone restrictions on them,” Rubinyan said.

He urged journalists to compare the previous and the new regulations.

Earlier, security rules for the National Assembly’s premises and building were approved by a decision signed by Rubinyan.

Under the decision, security and protection of the National Assembly’s premises are provided by the State Protection Service.

According to the rules, accredited journalists may carry out their professional activities in designated areas, while work in other parts of the parliament building requires permission from the Chief of Staff-Secretary General of the National Assembly.

Lists of journalists wishing to attend committee meetings must be submitted at least two hours before the meeting begins, while journalistic activity is prohibited in specially controlled areas.

The rules also prohibit photographing, filming or recording State Protection Service personnel while they are performing their duties. People in the galleries of the National Assembly chamber are also prohibited from using photographic, film or video equipment, as well as telephone or radio communication devices.

The issue was also commented on by Marianna Ghahramanyan, an elected lawmaker from the Strong Armenia Alliance, who argued that the decision restricts journalists’ freedom of movement and creates additional obstacles to covering parliamentary activities.