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IFEX - News from the international freedom of expression community
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UPDATE - ARMENIA
8 October 2008
Amendments to broadcasting law will prevent TV station from returning to
air
SOURCE: ARTICLE 19, London
(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) - The following is a 6 October 2008 ARTICLE 19 press
release:
Armenia: Legislative Change in Spite of the ECtHR Decision
ARTICLE 19 is seriously concerned about the recent amendments to the
Armenian Law on Television and Radio introducing a moratorium on the
granting of broadcasting licences until mid-2010 due to the planned digital
switchover which, despite the recent judgment of the European Court of
Human Rights (ECtHR), will further prevent the TV station A1+ from
returning to air.
These legislative amendments were adopted on 10 September 2008 in an
extraordinary session of the Armenian Parliament without any prior
consultations with relevant stakeholders. The amendments are largely
believed to be directed against A1+, contrary to the ECtHR decision. A1+ is
an oppositional TV company, which lost its broadcasting licence in a
controversial tender in 2002 and has been unable to regain it in the twelve
consequent tenders ever since.
Following lengthy and unsuccessful domestic litigation, the case of A1+
subsequently came before the ECtHR, which in June 2008 held that the
company's right to freedom of expression had been violated as a result of
domestic legislation that lacked any explicit requirement for the national
regulatory authority to provide reasons for its decisions on refusal of
broadcasting licences.
While fully appreciating the endeavours of the Armenian government to keep
abreast with countries in the vanguard of technological progress, ARTICLE
19 asserts that legislative amendments that prevent rather than contribute
to restoring the rights of A1+ against the findings of the ECtHR do little
to improve the protection of freedom of expression in Armenia. ARTICLE 19
calls on the authorities in Armenia to lift the moratorium on the licensing
procedure and to ensure that A1+ participates in an open, transparent and
fair tender prior to the planned digital switchover.
ARTICLE 19 notes that Armenia has ratified the International Covenant on
Civil and Political Rights and the European Convention on Human Rights and
Fundamental Freedom (ECHR), which in Article 19 and Article 10 respectively
guarantee the fundamental human right to freedom of expression. Accession
to the ECHR implies, inter alia, unequivocal compliance with the judgments
of the ECtHR. ARTICLE 19, therefore, urges the Armenian authorities to
remain mindful of their international commitments on freedom of expression
by taking measures that uphold rather than depart from them.
ARTICLE 19 further urges the Armenian authorities to undertake more
profound reform of its legislation to bring about greater independence,
pluralism and diversity of its audiovisual services.
In particular, ARTICLE 19 calls on the Armenian government to explore the
mechanisms and approaches to amend the Constitution to ensure greater
independence of the country's regulatory authority, since the current
practice whereby appointments to the regulatory body are made solely by the
President and the Parliament falls foul of international standards on the
independence of the regulatory authorities.
Updates the A1+ television station licence denial case:
http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/947 40
For further information, contact ARTICLE 19, 6-8 Amwell Street, London,
EC1R 1UQ, U.K., tel: +44 20 7278 9292, fax: +44 20 7278 7660, e-mail:
[email protected], Internet: http://www.article19.org
The information contained in this update is the sole responsibility of
ARTICLE 19. In citing this material for broadcast or publication, please
credit ARTICLE 19.
______________________________________________ _________________
DISTRIBUTED BY THE INTERNATIONAL FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION
EXCHANGE (IFEX) CLEARING HOUSE
555 Richmond St. West, # 1101, PO Box 407
Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5V 3B1
tel: +1 416 515 9622 fax: +1 416 515 7879
alerts e-mail: [email protected] general e-mail: [email protected]
Internet site: http://www.ifex.org/
________________________________________ _______________________
UPDATE - ARMENIA
8 October 2008
Amendments to broadcasting law will prevent TV station from returning to
air
SOURCE: ARTICLE 19, London
(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) - The following is a 6 October 2008 ARTICLE 19 press
release:
Armenia: Legislative Change in Spite of the ECtHR Decision
ARTICLE 19 is seriously concerned about the recent amendments to the
Armenian Law on Television and Radio introducing a moratorium on the
granting of broadcasting licences until mid-2010 due to the planned digital
switchover which, despite the recent judgment of the European Court of
Human Rights (ECtHR), will further prevent the TV station A1+ from
returning to air.
These legislative amendments were adopted on 10 September 2008 in an
extraordinary session of the Armenian Parliament without any prior
consultations with relevant stakeholders. The amendments are largely
believed to be directed against A1+, contrary to the ECtHR decision. A1+ is
an oppositional TV company, which lost its broadcasting licence in a
controversial tender in 2002 and has been unable to regain it in the twelve
consequent tenders ever since.
Following lengthy and unsuccessful domestic litigation, the case of A1+
subsequently came before the ECtHR, which in June 2008 held that the
company's right to freedom of expression had been violated as a result of
domestic legislation that lacked any explicit requirement for the national
regulatory authority to provide reasons for its decisions on refusal of
broadcasting licences.
While fully appreciating the endeavours of the Armenian government to keep
abreast with countries in the vanguard of technological progress, ARTICLE
19 asserts that legislative amendments that prevent rather than contribute
to restoring the rights of A1+ against the findings of the ECtHR do little
to improve the protection of freedom of expression in Armenia. ARTICLE 19
calls on the authorities in Armenia to lift the moratorium on the licensing
procedure and to ensure that A1+ participates in an open, transparent and
fair tender prior to the planned digital switchover.
ARTICLE 19 notes that Armenia has ratified the International Covenant on
Civil and Political Rights and the European Convention on Human Rights and
Fundamental Freedom (ECHR), which in Article 19 and Article 10 respectively
guarantee the fundamental human right to freedom of expression. Accession
to the ECHR implies, inter alia, unequivocal compliance with the judgments
of the ECtHR. ARTICLE 19, therefore, urges the Armenian authorities to
remain mindful of their international commitments on freedom of expression
by taking measures that uphold rather than depart from them.
ARTICLE 19 further urges the Armenian authorities to undertake more
profound reform of its legislation to bring about greater independence,
pluralism and diversity of its audiovisual services.
In particular, ARTICLE 19 calls on the Armenian government to explore the
mechanisms and approaches to amend the Constitution to ensure greater
independence of the country's regulatory authority, since the current
practice whereby appointments to the regulatory body are made solely by the
President and the Parliament falls foul of international standards on the
independence of the regulatory authorities.
Updates the A1+ television station licence denial case:
http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/947 40
For further information, contact ARTICLE 19, 6-8 Amwell Street, London,
EC1R 1UQ, U.K., tel: +44 20 7278 9292, fax: +44 20 7278 7660, e-mail:
[email protected], Internet: http://www.article19.org
The information contained in this update is the sole responsibility of
ARTICLE 19. In citing this material for broadcast or publication, please
credit ARTICLE 19.
______________________________________________ _________________
DISTRIBUTED BY THE INTERNATIONAL FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION
EXCHANGE (IFEX) CLEARING HOUSE
555 Richmond St. West, # 1101, PO Box 407
Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5V 3B1
tel: +1 416 515 9622 fax: +1 416 515 7879
alerts e-mail: [email protected] general e-mail: [email protected]
Internet site: http://www.ifex.org/