VIOLENCE AGAINST JOURNALISTS SHOULD BE CONDEMNED
KarabakhOpen
31-10-2007 11:15:09
Recently pressure on media has intensified in Armenia – charges were
brought against editors of two opposition newspapers detained during
a peaceful march, TV channels boycott press conferences and briefings
of political activists, the tax service is currently checking Gala
TV for refusing to obey this "decision". The state of things is
aggravated as Armenia is being switched into the pre-election mode.
Vahram Atanesyan, leader of the Democratic faction and chair of
the National Assembly Committee of Foreign Affairs, thinks attitude
to journalists is a sensitive issue. "Persecution of journalists,
both physical and moral, must be condemned. On the other hand, if a
journalist undergoes violence not during his or her work, maybe it is
worthwhile to listen to the arguments of the other side," the member
of parliament said. For instance, reports on the events of October
23 show that the editors of the newspapers who were detained were not
doing their job. "They participated in a march. When the clash between
the police and the participants of the march occurred, nobody thought
there were journalists. The law and the unwritten social rules protect
a journalist when they are doing their job. In any case, I think in
this complicated situation journalists should do their job and avoid
involvement in political processes, although like other citizens of
Armenia, they have the right to have their own opinion and express
it. I think the reaction of the police was inadequate. Meanwhile,
it is already an indicator of the professionalism of policemen,"
Vahram Atanesyan says.
The representative of the ARF Dashnaktsutyun Central Committee
Jirair Shahijanyan also thinks "violence against reporters should be
condemned." "There is also a matter of ethics which the reporters must
respect. Political analyses and the media cannot resemble yellow press.
The media are the fourth power, but unfortunately it does not have
an adequate role in the political and public life of our country,"
Jirair Shahijanyan says.
Gagik Petrosyan, member of the board of the Azat Hayrenik Party,
said in an interview with Karabakh-Open.com he has heard of no cases
of violence against reporters. "But if there are any, they should be
condemned," Gagik Petrosyan says.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
