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YEREVAN PRESS CLUB WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
JUNE 28 - JULY 4, 2013
HIGHLIGHTS:
MARGARITA KHACHATRIAN VERSUS "HRAPARAK": COURT OF CASSATION RULES IN FAVOR
OF NEWSPAPER
HEARINGS ON SUIT OF FOI CENTER AGAINST RA NATIONAL ASSEMBLY STARTED
INTERNEWS REBRANDS AND TURNS INTO MEDIA INITIATIVES CENTER
"CHORRORD INKNISHKHANUTIUN" NEWSPAPER GOES BACK TO ITS OLD NAME
MARGARITA KHACHATRIAN VERSUS "HRAPARAK": COURT OF CASSATION RULES IN FAVOR
OF NEWSPAPER
On July 4, RA Court of Cassation ruled on the dispute between Margarita
Khachatrian, Chairwoman of "Zinvor" ("Soldier") Association of NGOs, and
"Hraparak" daily founder, "Hraparak Oratert" LLC. Hraparak.am, the
newspaper's website, reported about this
on the same day. As we have informed, Margarita Khachatrian had contested at
court the piece about her visit to one of the military units. The piece was
published in "Hraparak" on April 21, 2011. The Head of "Zinvor" demanded
refutation, moral damage for libel and insult in the amount of 2 million AMD
(about $ 5,400) and the court costs. Later, Margarita Khachatrian dropped
the financial claims towards "Hraparak" founder, demanding only refutation.
On July 30, 2012, the Court of General Jurisdiction of Kentron and
Nork-Marash Administrative Districts of Yerevan dismissed the lawsuit.
Margarita Khachatrian appealed this ruling. On November 23, 2012, RA Civil
Court of Appeals stroke down the ruling of Court of General Jurisdiction,
obliged "Hraparak" to publish a refutation, and bound its founder to
compensate the court costs of Margarita Khachatrian in the amount of 14,000
AMD (see YPC Weekly Newsletter, November 23-29, 2012
).
On December 21, 2012, the founder of "Hraparak" contested the ruling of the
second instance court at the Court of Cassation, which submitted the
complaint into consideration on February 21, 2013, and examined it on July
4. The Court of Cassation abolished the ruling of the Civil Court of
Appeals, thus sustaining the July 30, 2012 decision of the Court of General
Jurisdiction, which had dismissed the suit of Margarita Khachatrian.
HEARINGS ON SUIT OF FOI CENTER AGAINST RA NATIONAL ASSEMBLY STARTED
On July 3, RA Administrative Court started hearing the suit of Freedom of
Information Center (FOI Center) versus the National Assembly of Armenia.
As we have reported, on November 22, 2012, the FOI Center sent an inquiry to
the National Assembly, asking to inform whether the NA Chairman's decrees
are placed on the parliament's website, www.parliament.am, and to provide
the copies of the decrees, adopted in the first 6 months of 2012. Since the
NGO did not receive a reply, it re-sent its inquiry on December 5, 2012. In
its email, sent on the same day, the NA informed that it needed additional
time for answering the request, thus it would provide the information in 30
days. Meanwhile, the NA submitted the information only on March 4, 2013,
i.e., three months later. Moreover, the information was not full: according
to the FOI Center, copies of twelve decrees of the NA Speaker were missing.
On March 7, the FOI Center made another request to the parliament demanding
the copies of the missing documents. In its March 18 reply, the National
Assembly stated that the documents cannot be provided since they contain
personal data about the employees. At the same time, the parliament did not
justify sufficiently its refusal. On April 22, the Administrative Court
submitted into consideration the suit of FOI Center versus the National
Assembly. The plaintiff demanded the Court to hold that its right to receive
information was violated and to oblige the parliament to provide the
requested 12 copies of the NA Chairman's decree (see YPC Weekly Newsletter,
April 12-18, 2013 ).
At the July 3 hearings, the Court demanded from the respondent the copies of
the twelve decrees (without the confidential personal data) for its
consideration.
The next court session will take place on August 7.
INTERNEWS REBRANDS AND TURNS INTO MEDIA INITIATIVES CENTER
On July 3, Internews Media Support public organization registered its new
name and logo. From now on Internews will be known as Media Initiatives
Center (MIC). According to Nouneh Sarkissian, the Managing Director of the
MIC (once called Internews), the renaming signifies a new stage in the
development and self-identification of the NGO, but it does not mean that
the values and mission of Internews will change. The Media Initiatives
Center will continue to cooperate with all its partners, including the
Internews offices in various countries. The email addresses and the website
of the organization will remain the same until the rebranding process is
over.
It is to be noted that the Media Initiatives Center (once known as
Internews) operates in Armenia since December 1996. The Internews Media
Support public organization was registered in February 1998. The mission of
the NGO is to contribute to the development and dissemination of free,
independent and pluralistic information through applying creative and
innovative approaches, thus assisting in the establishment of democratic
values, diverse and harmonious development of the society.
"CHORRORD INKNISHKHANUTIUN" NEWSPAPER GOES BACK TO ITS OLD NAME
Starting from July 2, "Chorrord Inknishkhanutiun" ("Fourth Self-Power") is
being published under its old name, "Chorrord Ishkhanutiun" ("Fourth
Power"). The newspaper has also changed its founder - "West Pole" LLC, and
has increased in price - 200 AMD against the former 100 AMD.
As we have reported, on October 19, 2009, the Court of General Jurisdiction
of Kentron and Nork-Marash Administrative Districts of Yerevan banned the
publication of "Chorrord Ishkhanutiun" due to the lawsuit of "Gind" printing
house filed versus the newspaper's founder, "Ogostos" LLC. The Court ruled
to uphold the ban before the paper's founder's liabilities for printing
costs are covered. Some journalistic and human rights organizations,
including Yerevan Press Club, assessed this ban as a violation of the right
to free dissemination of information and called to fix the problems, which
were purely financial. Meanwhile, since November 10, 2009, the newspaper was
being issued under the title of "Chorrord Inknishkhanutiun" and with a new
founder - "Trespassers W." LLC (see details in 2009 Yerevan Press Club
Report "On Freedom of Speech in
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: Baghdasarian
JUNE 28 - JULY 4, 2013
HIGHLIGHTS:
MARGARITA KHACHATRIAN VERSUS "HRAPARAK": COURT OF CASSATION RULES IN FAVOR
OF NEWSPAPER
HEARINGS ON SUIT OF FOI CENTER AGAINST RA NATIONAL ASSEMBLY STARTED
INTERNEWS REBRANDS AND TURNS INTO MEDIA INITIATIVES CENTER
"CHORRORD INKNISHKHANUTIUN" NEWSPAPER GOES BACK TO ITS OLD NAME
MARGARITA KHACHATRIAN VERSUS "HRAPARAK": COURT OF CASSATION RULES IN FAVOR
OF NEWSPAPER
On July 4, RA Court of Cassation ruled on the dispute between Margarita
Khachatrian, Chairwoman of "Zinvor" ("Soldier") Association of NGOs, and
"Hraparak" daily founder, "Hraparak Oratert" LLC. Hraparak.am, the
newspaper's website, reported about this
on the same day. As we have informed, Margarita Khachatrian had contested at
court the piece about her visit to one of the military units. The piece was
published in "Hraparak" on April 21, 2011. The Head of "Zinvor" demanded
refutation, moral damage for libel and insult in the amount of 2 million AMD
(about $ 5,400) and the court costs. Later, Margarita Khachatrian dropped
the financial claims towards "Hraparak" founder, demanding only refutation.
On July 30, 2012, the Court of General Jurisdiction of Kentron and
Nork-Marash Administrative Districts of Yerevan dismissed the lawsuit.
Margarita Khachatrian appealed this ruling. On November 23, 2012, RA Civil
Court of Appeals stroke down the ruling of Court of General Jurisdiction,
obliged "Hraparak" to publish a refutation, and bound its founder to
compensate the court costs of Margarita Khachatrian in the amount of 14,000
AMD (see YPC Weekly Newsletter, November 23-29, 2012
).
On December 21, 2012, the founder of "Hraparak" contested the ruling of the
second instance court at the Court of Cassation, which submitted the
complaint into consideration on February 21, 2013, and examined it on July
4. The Court of Cassation abolished the ruling of the Civil Court of
Appeals, thus sustaining the July 30, 2012 decision of the Court of General
Jurisdiction, which had dismissed the suit of Margarita Khachatrian.
HEARINGS ON SUIT OF FOI CENTER AGAINST RA NATIONAL ASSEMBLY STARTED
On July 3, RA Administrative Court started hearing the suit of Freedom of
Information Center (FOI Center) versus the National Assembly of Armenia.
As we have reported, on November 22, 2012, the FOI Center sent an inquiry to
the National Assembly, asking to inform whether the NA Chairman's decrees
are placed on the parliament's website, www.parliament.am, and to provide
the copies of the decrees, adopted in the first 6 months of 2012. Since the
NGO did not receive a reply, it re-sent its inquiry on December 5, 2012. In
its email, sent on the same day, the NA informed that it needed additional
time for answering the request, thus it would provide the information in 30
days. Meanwhile, the NA submitted the information only on March 4, 2013,
i.e., three months later. Moreover, the information was not full: according
to the FOI Center, copies of twelve decrees of the NA Speaker were missing.
On March 7, the FOI Center made another request to the parliament demanding
the copies of the missing documents. In its March 18 reply, the National
Assembly stated that the documents cannot be provided since they contain
personal data about the employees. At the same time, the parliament did not
justify sufficiently its refusal. On April 22, the Administrative Court
submitted into consideration the suit of FOI Center versus the National
Assembly. The plaintiff demanded the Court to hold that its right to receive
information was violated and to oblige the parliament to provide the
requested 12 copies of the NA Chairman's decree (see YPC Weekly Newsletter,
April 12-18, 2013 ).
At the July 3 hearings, the Court demanded from the respondent the copies of
the twelve decrees (without the confidential personal data) for its
consideration.
The next court session will take place on August 7.
INTERNEWS REBRANDS AND TURNS INTO MEDIA INITIATIVES CENTER
On July 3, Internews Media Support public organization registered its new
name and logo. From now on Internews will be known as Media Initiatives
Center (MIC). According to Nouneh Sarkissian, the Managing Director of the
MIC (once called Internews), the renaming signifies a new stage in the
development and self-identification of the NGO, but it does not mean that
the values and mission of Internews will change. The Media Initiatives
Center will continue to cooperate with all its partners, including the
Internews offices in various countries. The email addresses and the website
of the organization will remain the same until the rebranding process is
over.
It is to be noted that the Media Initiatives Center (once known as
Internews) operates in Armenia since December 1996. The Internews Media
Support public organization was registered in February 1998. The mission of
the NGO is to contribute to the development and dissemination of free,
independent and pluralistic information through applying creative and
innovative approaches, thus assisting in the establishment of democratic
values, diverse and harmonious development of the society.
"CHORRORD INKNISHKHANUTIUN" NEWSPAPER GOES BACK TO ITS OLD NAME
Starting from July 2, "Chorrord Inknishkhanutiun" ("Fourth Self-Power") is
being published under its old name, "Chorrord Ishkhanutiun" ("Fourth
Power"). The newspaper has also changed its founder - "West Pole" LLC, and
has increased in price - 200 AMD against the former 100 AMD.
As we have reported, on October 19, 2009, the Court of General Jurisdiction
of Kentron and Nork-Marash Administrative Districts of Yerevan banned the
publication of "Chorrord Ishkhanutiun" due to the lawsuit of "Gind" printing
house filed versus the newspaper's founder, "Ogostos" LLC. The Court ruled
to uphold the ban before the paper's founder's liabilities for printing
costs are covered. Some journalistic and human rights organizations,
including Yerevan Press Club, assessed this ban as a violation of the right
to free dissemination of information and called to fix the problems, which
were purely financial. Meanwhile, since November 10, 2009, the newspaper was
being issued under the title of "Chorrord Inknishkhanutiun" and with a new
founder - "Trespassers W." LLC (see details in 2009 Yerevan Press Club
Report "On Freedom of Speech in
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: Baghdasarian