Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Ngos: "Recently The Political Elites And The Business Tycoons Show A

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Ngos: "Recently The Political Elites And The Business Tycoons Show A

    NGOS: "RECENTLY THE POLITICAL ELITES AND THE BUSINESS TYCOONS SHOW ACTIVENESS IN EXERTING PRESSURE ON THE MEDIA"

    http://hetq.am/eng/news/23234/ngos-recently-the-political-elites-and-the-business-tycoons-show-activeness-in-exerting-pressure-on-the-media.html
    22:17, February 11, 2013

    In the beginning of this year, the Armenian journalistic organizations
    marked a notable decline of court cases against the media in 2012.

    This was also evidenced by the Human Rights Watch international
    organization, which noted in its latest report that politically
    motivated defamation lawsuits no longer appear to be a serious problem
    in Armenia.

    Nevertheless, recently, the political elites and the business
    tycoons show activeness in exerting pressure on the media, through
    filing lawsuits against media and claiming the highest amounts of
    pecuniary compensation. At the same time, motions on putting a ban on
    the property and assets of the media are being submitted along with
    the lawsuits. A vivid example of this is the lawsuit of the Armenian
    Second President Robert Kocharian and his son versus www.1in.am, as
    well as the two lawsuits of businessman Khachik Khachatrian versus
    "Zhoghovurd" daily.

    As regards the courts, it has become a common trend to partially uphold
    the motions on securing the suits, which bans the property of the
    media. Formally, these decisions seem to be intact, however, they lay
    ground for a fallacious practice, which can benefit the plaintiffs of
    exerting pressure on the media before a decision on the merits is made.

    We, the undersigned, consider such a campaign by the political and
    business elites against the media unacceptable, and urge them to be
    more tolerant and seek for off-court solutions.

    We also call upon the courts to show a more balanced approach and
    uphold the motions on banning the property of the media in highly
    exceptional cases, taking into account that this causes psychological
    pressure on the journalists, which may lead to self-censorship.

    We once again draw the attention of the RA National Assembly on
    the fact that the lack of necessary criteria for awarding pecuniary
    compensation, as defined in Article 1087.1 of RA Civil Code, is a
    temptation for the plaintiffs willing to settle accounts with the
    media. In this regard, we call to take respective steps for clarifying
    these legal provisions.

    Yerevan Press Club Committee to Protect Freedom of Expression
    Internews Media Support NGO "Asparez" Journalists' Club Media Diversity
    Institute-Armenia "Journalists for the Future" NGO Goris Press Club
    "Journalists for Human Rights" NGO "Protection of Rights without
    Borders" NGO Martuni Women's Community Council "Yerashkhik" Civil
    Society Center "Nor Serund" Humanitarian NGO

    February 11, 2013

Working...
X