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Yerevan Press Club Weekly Newsletter - 11/27/2008

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  • Yerevan Press Club Weekly Newsletter - 11/27/2008

    YEREVAN PRESS CLUB WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

    NOVEMBER 20-27, 2008

    HIGHLIGHTS:

    "PRESS-CLUB" AND "PRESS-CLUB+": POLITICAL DIVERSITY AND THE CONDITION OF
    FORESTS IN ARMENIA

    ONE OF THE ASSAULTERS OF JOURNALIST EDIK BAGHDASARIAN CONFESSED TO THE
    POLICE

    DECISION TO REVOKE THE SUIT VERSUS "ARAVOT" DAILY ANNOUNCED

    THE COURT REFUSED DEMANDS OF THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION CENTRE

    FIRST SESSION OF THE WORK GROUP ON BROADCASTING LEGISLATION IMPROVEMENT


    "PRESS-CLUB" AND "PRESS-CLUB+": POLITICAL DIVERSITY AND THE CONDITION OF
    FORESTS IN ARMENIA

    On November 26 another "Press Club" TV show went on the air of "Yerkir
    Media" TV company. The cycle is produced by Yerevan Press Club with the
    support of the Human Rights and Governance Grants Program of the Open
    Society Institute. The guests of the Chairman of the Committee to Protect
    Freedom of Expression Ashot Melikian were the secretary of the parliamentary
    faction of "Dashnaktsutyun" party Artashes Shakhbazian, member of the board
    of Armenian National Movement (ANM) Aram Manukian and member of the European
    Committee of Social Rights, doctor of philosophy Lyudmila Harutiunian. The
    discussion subject were the issues of political diversity and pluralism in
    Armenia.

    The next "Press Club" cycle program will be aired by "Yerkir Media" on
    Wednesday, December 3, at 23.00.

    On November 22 "Yerkir Media" aired another program of "Press Club+" cycle,
    produced by Yerevan Press Club with the support of the UK Embassy in
    Armenia. The Chairman of the Committee to Protect Freedom of Expression
    Ashot Melikian and the participants of the talk show, the chief forestry
    officer of "Armforest" state non-commercial organization Ruben Petrosian and
    the head of the Association "For Sustainable Human Development" Karine
    Danielian discussed the condition of the forests and their influence on the
    ecological situation in Armenia. The talk show also gave floor to the
    audience, composed of NGO representatives.

    The next "Press Club+" show will go on the air of "Yerkir Media" on
    Saturday, November 29, at 17.40.


    ONE OF THE ASSAULTERS OF JOURNALIST EDIK BAGHDASARIAN CONFESSED TO THE
    POLICE

    On November 26 Karen Harutyunian came to the police with an acknowledgement
    of guilt and confessed that he is one of the assaulters of Edik
    Baghdasarian. As it has been reported, on November 17 three strangers
    attacked the Chairman of "Investigative Journalists" NGO, Edik Baghdasarian
    and beat him (see YPC Weekly Newsletter, November 14-19, 2008).

    On November 24 the RA General Prosecutor's Office spread information that as
    a result of activities of the preliminary investigation an identikit of one
    of the attackers was composed and he was identified. It was also stressed
    that the law machinery makes efforts to arrest that person as well as other
    accomplices of the assault.

    As press-secretary of the RA General Prosecutor's Office Sona Truzian told
    YPC, Karen Harutyunian who gave him up to the police is the person whose
    identikit was composed and for whom measures of inquiry were applied.

    DECISION TO REVOKE THE SUIT VERSUS "ARAVOT" DAILY ANNOUNCED

    On November 26 session of the Civil Court of Yerevan took place, where
    decision was announced to revoke the suit of Arthur Ghevondian, RA police
    officer, versus "Aravot" daily and termination of the court proceedings.

    As it has been reported, the litigation reason was "If Your Neighbor Is a
    Policeman" article, published in "Aravot" on June 25, 2008. The plaintiff
    decided that this communication is discrediting his honor and dignity. At
    the session of November 14, correspondent of the daily Ruzan Minasian
    presented the expert assessment of Media Ethics Observatory on this article
    to the court, and the plaintiff announced that if "Aravot" published it, he
    would revoke the suit. In November 15 issue, the daily published the text of
    the expert assessment. On November 18 the court secured the petition of
    Arthur Ghevondian about revoking the suit and termination of court
    proceedings (see YPC Weekly Newsletter, November 14-19, 2008).

    THE COURT REFUSED DEMANDS OF THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION CENTRE

    On November 25, during the session on the suit of the Freedom of Information
    Centre (FOI) versus Hrazdan municipality (Kotayk region), RA Administrative
    Court refused two claims of the NGO to commit the city administration to
    paying a fine and to making the legal acts available to the public. As
    expert of the Center Anahit Kocharian told YPC, regarding the first demand
    the Court grounded its decision by the fact that NGOs do not have the right
    to file claims, demanding to pay an administrative fine; and regarding the
    second demand, the Court stated that initially the address of the NGO to the
    municipality did not contain such a demand.

    As it has been reported, in the session of October 14 Hrazdan municipality
    provided the Freedom of Information Center with required documents, and thus
    one of the demands of the plaintiff was satisfied. Nevertheless, the NGO
    decided to insist on two other demands containing in the statement of claim
    (see YPC Weekly Newsletter, October 10-16, 2008).

    FOI stated that the organization intends to lodge a complaint against the
    decision of the Administrative Court to higher instances.

    FIRST SESSION OF THE WORK GROUP ON BROADCASTING LEGISLATION IMPROVEMENT

    On November 20 the first session of the work group on broadcasting
    legislation improvement took place in the RA National Assembly. The group
    was formed under the standing parliamentary committee on science, education,
    culture, youth and sports. Representatives of a number of journalistic
    associations were also included in the working group. A package of
    amendments and additions regulating the broadcasting sphere was introduced
    to the legislation at the session. Agreement was achieved that the working
    group members will introduce their comments and offers to the committee in
    written form, for further discussion.


    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

    From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
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