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Reporters Without Border Slams Armenia Over Media 'persecutions'

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  • Reporters Without Border Slams Armenia Over Media 'persecutions'

    REPORTERS WITHOUT BORDER SLAMS ARMENIA OVER MEDIA 'PERSECUTIONS'

    Tert.am
    02.05.11

    Reporters Without Border media watchdog has slammed Armenia over the
    lawsuits filed against media outlets, saying they pose a threat to
    the newspapers' existence.

    According to the RFE/RL the organization said in a statement
    released on Sunday that it is concerned about the "disproportionate
    compensations" claimed by plaintiffs under those court cases.

    The compensations, the RWB said, put the existence of those media
    outlets at risk and contribute to the development of an atmosphere
    of self-censorship and therefore the practice of using legal actions
    against newspapers should be stopped.

    Further, the representatives of the organization mentioned that
    though the criminal punishment for libel and insult was lifted in
    April in 2010 in Armenia - something that was perceived as a step
    towards democratization of the country - legal persecutions against
    newspapers still continue.

    The organization also said that in the first three months in 2011
    alone 12 lawsuits were filed against media outlets and that their
    overall target have been the independent ones.

    It also said that three lawsuits were field against the Armenian daily
    Zhamanak, one against the Haykakan Zhamanak and one against Hraparak.

    "The plaintiff is the family of the former president Robert Kocharyan.

    Kocharyan also turned to the court recently, accusing the Hraparak
    daily of libel and insult. Though there may have been some grounds
    to bring a legal action, the plaintiff's demand to put a hold on
    the property and funds of the daily was completely groundless,"
    read the statement.

    "Though that decision was later reviewed, the actions by the former
    president continue to pose a threat [to media] as it can be assumed
    that the real goal of those lawsuits is to send the daily bankrupt,"
    the statement added.




    From: A. Papazian
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