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EXPERTS SAY MEDIA FREEDOM HURT AFTER ARMENIA ENTERS INTO EEU
10.08.2014 09:49 epress.am
http://www.epress.am/en/2014/10/08/experts-say-media-freedom-hurt-after-armenia-enters-into-eeu.html
Armenia's membership into the Eurasian Economic Union will have grave
consequences in terms of freedom of speech, said today, by Chairman
of Committee to Protect Freedom of Expression Ashot Melikyan and
president of the Gyumri-based Journalists' Club "Asparez" Levon
Barseghyan during a press conference.
Ashot Melikyan conducted a comparison between the levels of freedom
of speech among Armenia and the EEU's other members. According to
the expert, Armenia is in a much better situation, and that the
other member states (Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan) have a lot to
learn from Armenia in areas such as internet access. He specifically
discussed Armenia's preliminary draft reform about "fake" information
on the internet as a violation against freedom of speech. According
to him, passing similar bills would be easier after entering the EEU.
Levon Barseghyan believed that the most pessimistic scenario after
entering the EEU is that the situation of Armenia's mass media may
become similar to that of Russia's. He stressed that the discussion
of pluralism in Russia is not allowed and that journalists, as well
as Russian experts are "Vladimir Putin's media gun."
The most positive scenario, according to the expert, Armenia would
be allowed a certain level of media freedom.
"They'll say, speak as much as you want, you are a small nation,
our army is in your country, we see your economic flows, and the KGB
is tracking everyone's phones," noted Barseghyan. However, in his
opinion, the present situation of journalists in Armenia is not to be
envied either. Within the past 3 years, there have been 250 cases of
violence registered against journalists, however, only 4 cases had
a subsequent investigation in the matter.
The Armenian government is set to sign an accession treaty to enter
the Russian-led Eurasian Economic Union on October 10, 2014 in Minsk,
Belarus after repeated delays and continuing negotiations. According to
the Reporters Without Border Freedom Index 2014, Armenia far surpassed
the other member states with a score of 78, while Kazakhstan was
ranked 161, Belarus 157, and Russia 148.
10.08.2014 09:49 epress.am
http://www.epress.am/en/2014/10/08/experts-say-media-freedom-hurt-after-armenia-enters-into-eeu.html
Armenia's membership into the Eurasian Economic Union will have grave
consequences in terms of freedom of speech, said today, by Chairman
of Committee to Protect Freedom of Expression Ashot Melikyan and
president of the Gyumri-based Journalists' Club "Asparez" Levon
Barseghyan during a press conference.
Ashot Melikyan conducted a comparison between the levels of freedom
of speech among Armenia and the EEU's other members. According to
the expert, Armenia is in a much better situation, and that the
other member states (Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan) have a lot to
learn from Armenia in areas such as internet access. He specifically
discussed Armenia's preliminary draft reform about "fake" information
on the internet as a violation against freedom of speech. According
to him, passing similar bills would be easier after entering the EEU.
Levon Barseghyan believed that the most pessimistic scenario after
entering the EEU is that the situation of Armenia's mass media may
become similar to that of Russia's. He stressed that the discussion
of pluralism in Russia is not allowed and that journalists, as well
as Russian experts are "Vladimir Putin's media gun."
The most positive scenario, according to the expert, Armenia would
be allowed a certain level of media freedom.
"They'll say, speak as much as you want, you are a small nation,
our army is in your country, we see your economic flows, and the KGB
is tracking everyone's phones," noted Barseghyan. However, in his
opinion, the present situation of journalists in Armenia is not to be
envied either. Within the past 3 years, there have been 250 cases of
violence registered against journalists, however, only 4 cases had
a subsequent investigation in the matter.
The Armenian government is set to sign an accession treaty to enter
the Russian-led Eurasian Economic Union on October 10, 2014 in Minsk,
Belarus after repeated delays and continuing negotiations. According to
the Reporters Without Border Freedom Index 2014, Armenia far surpassed
the other member states with a score of 78, while Kazakhstan was
ranked 161, Belarus 157, and Russia 148.