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Lragir, Armenia
Oct 19 2007
TV COMPANIES HAVE RECEIVED `RECOMMENDATION' NOT TO COVER THE RALLY ON
OCTOBER 26
Statement of Yerevan Press Club, Committee to Protect Freedom of
Expression, `Asparez' Journalist's Club of Gyumri, Vanadzor Press
Club, Helsinki Committee of Armenia Vanadzor Office of Helsinki
Citizens' Assembly
We, the public organizations, express our concern over the negative
and unacceptable developments that have been recently observed with
regard to freedom of expression. The print media have been reporting
that for several days already correspondents of broadcast media do
not come to press conferences, organized at various press clubs. A
supposition was made that this attitude is imposed by various power
agencies. We realize that media do not have to cover all press
conferences; however, the simultaneous and unanimous display of
indifference to events of public importance only comes to confirm the
version of intervention by `invisible hand'.
We receive alarming information that over the past week heads of
private TV companies were invited to various agencies, where they
were `persuaded' to ignore the public events, appearances of certain
opposition figures, not to invite them to studios, not to interview
them and not to show them on air. In particular, the TV companies
have received a `recommendation' not to cover (either positively or
negatively) the rally of a number of political forces, scheduled for
October 26.
We remind that impeding the legitimate professional activities of
journalists is a criminal offence. Moreover, Clause 2 of Article 164
of the RA Criminal Code refers to the commitment of the same offence
by an official, using his/her position.
Having no common political preferences or dislikes, all of us think
it to be an urgent necessity that information and opinions be
disseminated freely, in particular, ahead of presidential elections,
and we call on authorities to abstain from interfering with the
editorial policy of media, primarily the broadcasters, since it
irreparably damages the freedom of expression and pluralism as
cornerstone principles of democracy.
Yerevan Press Club
Committee to Protect Freedom of Expression
`Asparez' Journalist's Club
Vanadzor Press Club
Helsinki Committee of Armenia
Vanadzor Office of Helsinki Citizens' Assembly
October 19, 2007
Oct 19 2007
TV COMPANIES HAVE RECEIVED `RECOMMENDATION' NOT TO COVER THE RALLY ON
OCTOBER 26
Statement of Yerevan Press Club, Committee to Protect Freedom of
Expression, `Asparez' Journalist's Club of Gyumri, Vanadzor Press
Club, Helsinki Committee of Armenia Vanadzor Office of Helsinki
Citizens' Assembly
We, the public organizations, express our concern over the negative
and unacceptable developments that have been recently observed with
regard to freedom of expression. The print media have been reporting
that for several days already correspondents of broadcast media do
not come to press conferences, organized at various press clubs. A
supposition was made that this attitude is imposed by various power
agencies. We realize that media do not have to cover all press
conferences; however, the simultaneous and unanimous display of
indifference to events of public importance only comes to confirm the
version of intervention by `invisible hand'.
We receive alarming information that over the past week heads of
private TV companies were invited to various agencies, where they
were `persuaded' to ignore the public events, appearances of certain
opposition figures, not to invite them to studios, not to interview
them and not to show them on air. In particular, the TV companies
have received a `recommendation' not to cover (either positively or
negatively) the rally of a number of political forces, scheduled for
October 26.
We remind that impeding the legitimate professional activities of
journalists is a criminal offence. Moreover, Clause 2 of Article 164
of the RA Criminal Code refers to the commitment of the same offence
by an official, using his/her position.
Having no common political preferences or dislikes, all of us think
it to be an urgent necessity that information and opinions be
disseminated freely, in particular, ahead of presidential elections,
and we call on authorities to abstain from interfering with the
editorial policy of media, primarily the broadcasters, since it
irreparably damages the freedom of expression and pluralism as
cornerstone principles of democracy.
Yerevan Press Club
Committee to Protect Freedom of Expression
`Asparez' Journalist's Club
Vanadzor Press Club
Helsinki Committee of Armenia
Vanadzor Office of Helsinki Citizens' Assembly
October 19, 2007