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Yerevan Press Club Weekly Newsletter - 03/26/2009

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  • Yerevan Press Club Weekly Newsletter - 03/26/2009

    YEREVAN PRESS CLUB WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

    MARCH 20-26, 2009

    HIGHLIGHTS:

    WELL-KNOWN ARMENIAN PHOTOJOURNALIST PASSED AWAY

    YPC ANNUAL REPORT FOR 2008

    "PRESS CLUB" CYCLE: THE GOALS AND THE PERSPECTIVES OF THE PUBLIC COUNCIL

    ISSUE-BASED REPORTING BY THE ARMENIAN MEDIA DURING THE ELECTIONS OF LOCAL
    SELF-GOVERNMENT

    "MEDIA SELF-REGULATION" BROCHURE ISSUED

    FREEDOM OF SPEECH DAY CELEBRATED IN GYUMRI

    HEARINGS OF GAGIK SHAMSHIAN'S CASE, ACCUSED FOR DISRESPECT TO COURT, STARTED

    THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION CENTER SUIT VERSUS NOR-NORK COMMUNITY PARTIALLY
    SECURED

    "ZHAMANAK" CHIEF EDITOR REFUSED EARLY RELEASE AGAIN

    FAST RESPONSE GROUP FORMED


    WELL-KNOWN ARMENIAN PHOTOJOURNALIST PASSED AWAY

    On March 21 at the age of 49, Ruben Mangasarian unexpectedly passed away. He
    was not only one of the best photojournalists, he was also in great demand.
    Prominent world print media and news agencies, with whom Ruben cooperated,
    are numerous. Endless travels across the post-Soviet area and exclusive
    photo-reports from hot spots. Prestigious awards and personal exhibitions in
    not less prestigious galleries. One would think that's all a real
    professional needs. However, Ruben never gave up the idea that the approach
    to photojournalism in his own country has to be changed: "The photo is not
    just a simple blotch to fill up newspaper pages. The best Armenian
    photojournalists should not prefer working for the foreign market." In 1995
    Ruben Mangasarian became one of the founders of Yerevan Press Club, the
    first professional journalistic association of post-communist Armenia. In
    1996 he established the first independent photo agency, "Patker". Then it
    went on like a snow-ball: many projects, including regional ones, education
    of the new generation of journalists. His last brainchild was the Armenian
    version of "National Geographic Traveler" magazine and "National Geographic
    Traveler-Armenia" Club. No time was left for hobbies: fishing and camping
    across Armenia. A person who had endless energy and was chronically tired.
    The heart couldn't bear it all...

    Yerevan Press Club expresses sincere condolences to the relatives, friends,
    associates, and to the whole journalistic community with the untimely death
    of Ruben Mangasarian.

    YPC ANNUAL REPORT FOR 2008

    In compliance with Article 12 "Transparency of financial sources" of the RA
    Law "On Mass Communication", we present the 2008 financial report of Yerevan
    Press Club Weekly Newsletter and the website http://www.ypc.am

    In 2008, a total of 5,232,600 AMD was spent for the publication of YPC
    Weekly Newsletter and the support of the website http://www.ypc.am in the
    English and Russian languages.

    The whole sum was covered by a grant provided by Open Society Institute.

    "PRESS CLUB" CYCLE: THE GOALS AND THE PERSPECTIVES OF THE PUBLIC COUNCIL

    On March 21, another "Press Club" show went on the air of "Yerkir Media" TV
    company. The cycle is produced under Yerevan Press Club project, supported
    by the Open Society Institute Human Rights and Governance Grants Program.
    The guests of the host, YPC President Boris Navasardian were Jemma
    Hasratian, President of "Women with University Education" NGO, Khosrov
    Harutiunian, Chairman of the Christian Democratic Union, and Artur Papian,
    Director of the Media Diversity Institute-Armenia. The discussion centered
    on the goals and the perspectives of the Public Council being formed by the
    RA President decree.

    The next "Press Club" show will be aired on "Yerkir Media" on Saturday,
    March 28 at 17.40.

    ISSUE-BASED REPORTING BY THE ARMENIAN MEDIA DURING THE ELECTIONS OF LOCAL
    SELF-GOVERNMENT

    On March 21-22 a seminar on "Issue-based Reporting by the Armenian Media
    during the Elections of Local Self-Government" was held in Aghveran. The
    event was organized by Yerevan Press Club under the project on "Improving
    the Media Coverage of Local Self-Government Elections in Armenia" supported
    by the British Embassy Yerevan. The seminar was opened by British Embassy
    Communication Manager Maria Sadoyan and YPC President Boris Navasardian.

    Vice-Chairman of "Democracy" NGO Hrair Tovmasian introduced to the seminar
    participants the legislation on the elections of local self-government in
    the framework of the amended status of Yerevan city and the upcoming
    elections of the Yerevan Council of Elderly on May 31.

    The Editor of YPC Weekly Newsletter Elina Poghosbekian presented the results
    of the monitoring the issue-based reporting by 11 Armenian TV channels
    during the elections of self-government in the context of studying the
    information demand by the audience. Soon, this research (in Armenian,
    English and Russian) will be placed on YPC web site www.ypc.am in the
    "Studies" section. It will also be published as a brochure.

    The report of YPC President Boris Navasardian was dealing with the trends of
    the media coverage of the local elections. The Expert of the Committee to
    Protect Freedom of Expression Mesrop Harutiunian centered on the role of the
    media self-regulation during the local election campaigns.

    Aram Abrahamian, Chief Editor of "Aravot" daily, and Gegham Manoukian,
    Director of News and Current Affairs Programs of "Yerkir Media" TV company,
    reflected on particularities of media coverage of the local elections
    drawing from the experience of the media which they head.

    "The Issue-Based Reporting during Presidential and Local Self-Government
    Elections in Armenia in 2008" brochure was presented at the seminar. The
    book was published by YPC under a project, supported by Friedrich Ebert
    Foundation. The edition tells about the monitoring results of seven Armenian
    print media, administered by YPC in the period of presidential and local
    self-government elections (respectively, on January-February and September,
    2008). The research (in Armenian, English and Russian) can be found on YPC
    web site www.ypc.am in the "Studies" section.

    "MEDIA SELF-REGULATION" BROCHURE ISSUED

    "Media Self-Regulation" brochure was published by Yerevan Press Club with
    the support of Open Society Institute. The book presents the activities of
    the Media Ethics Observatory for 2008, including the considered complaints
    and judgments made by MEO. It also introduces the similar self-regulation
    institutions of 21 European countries.

    Media Ethics Observatory was established on March 10, 2007 by the heads of
    Armenian media who supported the self-regulation initiative of Yerevan Press
    Club (see YPC Weekly Newsletter, March 9-15, 2007). The mission of the MEO
    is to consider the complaints about violations of the Code of Conduct of
    Media Representatives and make judgments on them. As of today, the Code of
    Conduct and the supplement to it, the Declaration of Election and Referenda
    Coverage Principles, have been signed by 35 media. The initiative is
    supported also by 8 journalistic associations.

    "Media Self-Regulation" brochure (in Armenian) is presented on YPC web site
    www.ypc.am in "Publications" section.

    FREEDOM OF SPEECH DAY CELEBRATED IN GYUMRI

    On March 25, the Day of Freedom of Speech was celebrated in "Asparez"
    Journalists' Club of Gyumri. A year ago, on March 25, the founder of "GALA"
    TV Company, "CHAP" LLC, recovered the tax liability, which almost put the TV
    company on the edge of closing down. The funds for paying off the debt were
    donated by individuals and organizations, both Armenian and international.
    The tax inspections at "CHAP" LLC (and the following lawsuits) started, as
    soon as, on October 22, 2007, the "CHAP" owner Vahan Khachatrian issued a
    statement regarding the attempts of various power agencies to exert pressure
    on the TV channel.

    The event's initiator, "Asparez" Journalists' Club, noted that on March 25
    "we honor everyone who supported the protection of "GALA" TV company and the
    Freedom of Speech".

    HEARINGS OF GAGIK SHAMSHIAN'S CASE, ACCUSED FOR DISRESPECT TO COURT, STARTED

    On March 24, court of general jurisdiction of Kentron and Nork-Marash
    communities of Yerevan started the hearings on the suit of free-lance
    journalist Gagik Shamshian, accused on part 1 of Article 343 of RA Criminal
    Code ("Disrespect to Court"). As it has been reported, on August 5, 2008
    during a session of the court of general jurisdiction of Kentron and
    Nork-Marash communities of Yerevan Gagik Shamshian was dismissed from the
    courtroom upon the order of Judge Gagik Avetisian. At first the journalist
    was locked in the basement of the court and was later taken to the Kentron
    Police Department, where he stayed for over two hours. The criminal
    proceedings were instituted in September, and the charge was brought against
    journalist on December 24, 2008 (see YPC Weekly Newsletter, December 19-25,
    2008).

    On the court session of March 24, the defendant objections presented to the
    judge and the public prosecutor were declined. The next session will be
    called on March 30.

    THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION CENTER SUIT VERSUS NOR-NORK COMMUNITY PARTIALLY
    SECURED

    On March 23, the RA Administrative Court released its ruling on the suit of
    Freedom of Information Center versus the administration of Nor-Nork
    community of Yerevan. The NGO suit demanded to recognize the actions of the
    community administration in answering to the inquiry unlawful, to commit it
    to providing with necessary information, to impose a fine on the Nor-Nork
    community Head David Petrosian in the amount of 50,000 AMD (around $ 130),
    as well as to compensate the amount of 4,000 AMD, paid by the NGO as a state
    duty for addressing the court.

    On August 1, 2008 Freedom of Information Center made an inquiry to the
    administration of Nor-Nork community, asking for the number and the
    addresses of apartments, owned by the community, as well as for the court
    statistics regarding the eviction of residents from unprivatized apartments.
    The community did not answer to the inquiry and the NGO claimed the court.
    The hearings on the case started on January 26, 2009. In February the
    community of Nor-Nork provided with the requested information, and FOI
    Center recalled its demand to recognize the community actions in answering
    to the inquiry unlawful. On the session of March 6, the court considered the
    other two demands - on fine imposing on Nor-Nork Head and on expense
    compensation.

    On March 23, the court secured the suit partially, committing the Nor-Nork
    community of Yerevan to compensating 4,000 AMD paid by FOI Center as a state
    duty for addressing the court.

    As the plaintiff lawyer, Karen Mejlumian, says, in the end of July and in
    the beginning of August, 2008 similar inquiries were made to the 12
    communities of Yerevan by the Freedom of Information Center. The three of
    the communities - Arabkir, Davitashen and Nor-Nork either provided
    incomplete information, or did not answer to it. And Freedom of Information
    Center brought an action against them. On December 30, 2008 the
    Administrative Court secured all the demands of the NGO suit versus Arabkir
    community (see YPC Weekly Newsletter, January 8-15, 2009). As for the action
    against Davitashen community, it was withdrawn, because the requested
    information was provided before the court hearings.

    "ZHAMANAK" CHIEF EDITOR REFUSED EARLY RELEASE AGAIN

    On March 20 the Commission on Early Release refused the petition of
    "Erebuni" criminal executive institution on the early release of "Zhamanak"
    daily Chief Editor, Arman Babajanian, sentenced to 3.5 years of imprisonment
    for document fraud to avoid compulsory military service.

    On March 23 the heads of "Aravot", "Hayk', "Hraparak', "Taregir", "Chorrord
    Ishkhanutiun", "168 Zham", " Haykakan Zhamanak", "Zhamanak" newspapers,
    "A1+" TV company, "Lragir.am" online publication released a statement, which
    questions the lawfulness of the decision of the Commission on Early Release.
    "According to some of the members of the Commission, who were present at the
    session", the statement notes, following the ballot results the petition was
    secured, and, subsequently, Arman Babajanian had to be released.
    "Nevertheless, after the end of the session, for some unknown reasons, the
    minutes of the session were forged and changed, as a result, Arman
    Babajanian's name did not appear in the list of the early released", the
    statement stresses. Defining the incident as "manifestation of lawlessness"
    and "political order, made from a single center", the heads of 10 media
    called "the competent bodies to eliminate the violation of law without delay
    and bring the offenders to account".

    Regarding the refuse of Arman Babajanian's release on parole, on March 25
    the heads of five human rights organizations made a statement in which they
    criticized the activities of the Commission on Early Release. In particular,
    the human rights defenders are concerned that "exact standards are not
    defined in the legislation regulating the decision making process of the
    commission", "the decisions of the commissions cannot be appealed" and "most
    of the commission members, including all the commission chairmen represent
    security structures".

    In fact, the petition on Arman Babajanian's early release is turned down
    for the fourth time (see YPC Weekly Newsletter, July 11-18, 2008).

    FAST RESPONSE GROUP FORMED

    The Committee to Protect Freedom of Expression formed a fast response group
    in Yerevan. There is a hotline (tel.: +374 93 10 70 85; E-mail:
    [email protected]), on which you can inform about the cases of exerting
    pressure on media and journalists, as well as impeding of their professional
    activities. The fast response group has also representatives in the regions
    of Armenia.


    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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