Tweet
FREEDOM OF SPEECH LIMITATION SIGNIFICANT HUMAN RIGHTS PROBLEM IN ARMENIA, US DEPARTMENT OF STATE REPORTS
tert.am
25.05.12
US Department of State has published the annual report on Human Rights
Practices for 2011.
In a section relating to Armenia, the report registers that in 2008
Serzh Sargsian became president after a significantly flawed election.
The ruling coalition, led by Sargsian's Republican Party of Armenia,
continued to dominate the political system. Security forces reported
to civilian authorities.
According to the report, the most significant human rights problems
were limitations on citizens' right to change their government,
freedom of speech and press, and the independence of the judiciary.
"The government released the remaining six opposition members detained
in connection with the 2008 clashes between security forces and
protesters disputing the outcome of the 2008 presidential election.
Since April 28 the government began permitting demonstrations and
opposition rallies in previously restricted areas of the capital
city, and all were held without incident, although demonstrators from
outside of Yerevan at times were impeded in their attempts to travel
to rallies," the report registers.
Referring to the media, the report states that the media, in particular
television, continued to lack diversity of political opinion and
objective reporting. The government decriminalized libel and defamation
but established high new civil fines that encouraged journalists and
media outlets to practice self-censorship. The process used to switch
from analog to digital television reduced media pluralism.
As to the courts, the report claims that they remained subject to
political pressure from the executive branch, and judges operated in
a judicial culture that expected courts to find the accused guilty
in almost every case. "During the year suspicious deaths occurred
in the military under noncombat conditions, while hazing and other
mistreatment of conscripts by officers and fellow soldiers, and a
lack of accountability for such actions, continued," the report runs.
The report says many prisons were overcrowded, unsanitary, and
lacking in medical services for inmates. "Police reportedly beat
citizens during arrest and interrogation. Authorities continued to
arrest and detain criminal suspects without reasonable suspicion and
to detain individuals arbitrarily due to their opposition political
affiliations or political activities. Authorities and laws restricted
religious freedom for certain groups. Corruption remained a problem,
with authorities taking limited measures to curb it. Domestic violence
remained a problem but largely went unreported to authorities,"
the report states.
The full text of the report is available here.
http://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/humanrightsreport/index.htm?dynamic_load_id=186326#wrapper
From: Baghdasarian
tert.am
25.05.12
US Department of State has published the annual report on Human Rights
Practices for 2011.
In a section relating to Armenia, the report registers that in 2008
Serzh Sargsian became president after a significantly flawed election.
The ruling coalition, led by Sargsian's Republican Party of Armenia,
continued to dominate the political system. Security forces reported
to civilian authorities.
According to the report, the most significant human rights problems
were limitations on citizens' right to change their government,
freedom of speech and press, and the independence of the judiciary.
"The government released the remaining six opposition members detained
in connection with the 2008 clashes between security forces and
protesters disputing the outcome of the 2008 presidential election.
Since April 28 the government began permitting demonstrations and
opposition rallies in previously restricted areas of the capital
city, and all were held without incident, although demonstrators from
outside of Yerevan at times were impeded in their attempts to travel
to rallies," the report registers.
Referring to the media, the report states that the media, in particular
television, continued to lack diversity of political opinion and
objective reporting. The government decriminalized libel and defamation
but established high new civil fines that encouraged journalists and
media outlets to practice self-censorship. The process used to switch
from analog to digital television reduced media pluralism.
As to the courts, the report claims that they remained subject to
political pressure from the executive branch, and judges operated in
a judicial culture that expected courts to find the accused guilty
in almost every case. "During the year suspicious deaths occurred
in the military under noncombat conditions, while hazing and other
mistreatment of conscripts by officers and fellow soldiers, and a
lack of accountability for such actions, continued," the report runs.
The report says many prisons were overcrowded, unsanitary, and
lacking in medical services for inmates. "Police reportedly beat
citizens during arrest and interrogation. Authorities continued to
arrest and detain criminal suspects without reasonable suspicion and
to detain individuals arbitrarily due to their opposition political
affiliations or political activities. Authorities and laws restricted
religious freedom for certain groups. Corruption remained a problem,
with authorities taking limited measures to curb it. Domestic violence
remained a problem but largely went unreported to authorities,"
the report states.
The full text of the report is available here.
http://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/humanrightsreport/index.htm?dynamic_load_id=186326#wrapper
From: Baghdasarian