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Yerevan Press Club Weekly Newsletter - 04/15/2010

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  • Yerevan Press Club Weekly Newsletter - 04/15/2010

    YEREVAN PRESS CLUB WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

    APRIL 9-15, 2010

    HIGHLIGHTS:

    MEDIA MONITORING OF ARMENIAN-AZERBAIJANI RELATIONS

    A NEW DEVELOPMENT IN THE CASE ON THE INCIDENT IN FRONT OF RA PROCURACY

    PARLIAMENTARY HEARINGS ON DRAFT LAWS DECRIMINALIZING LIBEL AND INSULT

    TAX OFFICERS DEMAND LIABILITY REPAYMENT BY "GALA" TV COMPANY


    MEDIA MONITORING OF ARMENIAN-AZERBAIJANI RELATIONS

    The book "Armenian-Azerbaijani Relations in Media of Armenia and Azerbaijan"
    is placed on YPC website, www.ypc.am or home.ypc.am in "Studies" section (in
    English, in Russian). The book presents the findings of monitoring 16 media
    in Armenia and Azerbaijan during three months in 2008-2009. The research is
    illustrative of the level of attention of media studied towards various
    aspects of Armenian-Azerbaijani relations, including the influence that the
    protocols, signed between Turkey and Armenia on October 10, 2009, had on
    them, the degree of accuracy of the information on these relations and on
    developments in the neighboring country, as well as the presence and the
    frequency of hatespeech elements in the newspaper and TV pieces. The
    research was administered by Yerevan Press Club and "Yeni Nesil" Journalists
    Union of Azerbaijan under the project "Unbiased Coverage of
    Armenian-Azerbaijani Relations in Media", implemented by Eurasia Partnership
    Foundation with the support of UK Foreign Commonwealth Office.

    A NEW DEVELOPMENT IN THE CASE ON THE INCIDENT IN FRONT OF RA PROCURACY

    On April 13 the investigator of Kentron Police Department of Yerevan
    informed the free lance journalist Gagik Shamshian about the withdrawal of
    the investigation on the case of the incident, which took place on February
    24, 2010 in front of the RA Procuracy building. The case was dismissed in
    the absence of corpus delicti in the actions. Besides, Gagik Shamshian was
    told that with regard to the same incident criminal proceedings on charges
    of false denunciation were instituted against him. As it has been reported,
    on February 24 before the beginning of the session of the RA Procuracy
    Collegium a dispute occurred between Gagik Shamshian, who was shooting in
    the street, and investigator of the General Investigative Department of the
    Police. Later, while providing medical assistant to the journalist, it
    turned out that his eardrum was injured. Criminal proceedings on Articles
    164 ("Impeding the legitimate professional activities of journalist") and
    118 ("Beating") of the RA Criminal Code were instituted (see details in YPC
    Weekly Newsletter, February 19-25, 2010).

    PARLIAMENTARY HEARINGS ON DRAFT LAWS DECRIMINALIZING LIBEL AND INSULT

    On April 9 in RA National Assembly hearings on draft laws decriminalizing
    libel and insult, as well as introducing the institute of moral loss
    compensation, were held. As it has been reported, the drafts were initiated
    by NA deputies Hovhannes Margarian ("Orinats Yerkir" party), Ruben Gevorgian
    ("Prosperous Armenia" party) and Hovhannes Sahakian (Republican Party of
    Armenia). The package of draft laws "On Introducing Amendments and
    Supplements to the RA Civil Code", "On Introducing Amendments to the RA
    Criminal Code" and "On Introducing an Amendment to the RA Criminal Procedure
    Code" was adopted in first hearing on March 18 (see YPC Weekly Newsletter,
    March 12-18, 2010).

    The representatives of journalistic community, who were present at the
    parliamentary hearings, voiced a number of key observations regarding the
    document. According to YPC President Boris Navasardian, the package has to
    be reconsidered in first hearing, for some structural changes should be
    introduced to it.

    For implementing the recommendations a working group, staffed by
    representatives of journalistic associations, including YPC, was formed
    under the NA Standing Commission on Science, Education, Culture, Youth and
    Sport Issues.

    TAX OFFICERS DEMAND LIABILITY REPAYMENT BY "GALA" TV COMPANY

    On April 8 "GALA" TV company of Gyumri released a statement, noting that
    State Revenue Committee by the RA Government demanded the founder of the TV
    company, "CHAP" LLC, to repay income tax for 2008 and the delinquency charge
    of a total of 822,000 AMD (more than $ 2,000). The owner of "CHAP" LLC Vahan
    Khachatrian refuses to fulfill the demands of the tax inspection, as in 2008
    the TV company worked in wane and did not have a single advertiser within 8
    months, the statement emphasizes. As it has been reported, the tax audit at
    "CHAP" and the consecutive litigations started as soon as, on October 22,
    2007, Vahan Khachatrian announced about the attempts of various power
    agencies to exert pressure on "GALA" (see details in "On Freedom of Speech
    in Armenia" report for 2008 on YPC web-site www.ypc.am or home.ypc.am in
    "Studies" section).


    When reprinting or using the information above, reference to the Yerevan
    Press Club is required.

    You are welcome to send any comment and feedback about the Newsletter to:
    [email protected]

    Subscription for the Newsletter is free. To subscribe or unsubscribe from
    this mailing list, please send a message to: [email protected]

    Editor of YPC Newsletter - Elina POGHOSBEKIAN
    _____________________________________ _______
    Yerevan Press Club
    9B, Ghazar Parpetsi str.
    0002, Yerevan, Armenia
    Tel.: (+ 374 10) 53 00 67; 53 35 41; 53 76 62
    Fax: (+374 10) 53 56 61
    E-mail: [email protected]
    Web Site: www.ypc.am
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