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ARMENIAN LAWMAKER REQUESTS PACE TO APOLOGIZE FOR THE CALL TO PUT PRESSURE ON FREE PRESS
YEREVAN, February 4. /ARKA/. Member of the Armenian parliament and the
head of "Constitutional Law Union" party Hayk Babukhanyan has made a
statement on PACE resolution urging the Armenian authorities to put
pressure on free press and a politician, Novosti-Armenia reported.
On January 28, the PACE passed a resolution (N584) with a vote of 22
deputies in favor, calling on the Armenian authorities to put pressure
on free press and a politician.
In particular, the resolution requests to prosecute local "Iravunk"
newspaper and the leader of "Constitutional Law Union" party for
having protected Arshakyan sisters who dared to express their negative
opinion about Conchita Wurst and have been aggressively criticized
by the gay lobby.
Babukhanyan said PACE's call jeopardizes the key democracy principles,
the freedom of speech and press.
"I expect them to apologize and leave Iravunk newspaper alone",
the lawmaker said on the air on Sputnik-Armenia radio channel.
Babukhanyan said the opinion in the newspaper had nothing to do with
sexual minorities in general, but was about Conchita Wurst herself
and her stage image.
It is gender fascism not to allow people expressing their views about
a person who is a minority, he said.
The politician also said in his letter it is regrettable that amid the
current global tense, certain forces try to undertake police functions,
instead of using PACE as a platform to keep the dialogue ongoing.
According to the lawmaker, it is not acceptable to turn PACE into a
punishment tool for prosecuting politicians, reporters and mass media,
whose opinion is unfavored by those who claim a monopoly on truth.
Babukhanyan proposed to concert efforts to stop wars and conflicts,
restore freedom, democracy and cooperation on the continent.
The newspaper said in his article that there should be no pressure
placed on people for expressing their views, as it is against democracy
principles, the politician said. Radicals have attacked the newspaper
this time, he said.
The Armenian lawmaker referred to the European statements about
freedom of speech in connection with Charlie Hebdo shooting case,
and said it was acknowledged that no radical minority has the right
to dictate the rules of game.
It is the same with Armenia: no radical minority has the right to
impose its rules of game, and the PACE resolution N584 conflicts with
this principle, the member of the parliament said. -0--
http://arka.am/en/news/politics/armenian_lawmaker_requests_pace_to_apologize_for_t he_call_to_put_pressure_on_free_press/#sthash.wx5I7KRc.dpuf
YEREVAN, February 4. /ARKA/. Member of the Armenian parliament and the
head of "Constitutional Law Union" party Hayk Babukhanyan has made a
statement on PACE resolution urging the Armenian authorities to put
pressure on free press and a politician, Novosti-Armenia reported.
On January 28, the PACE passed a resolution (N584) with a vote of 22
deputies in favor, calling on the Armenian authorities to put pressure
on free press and a politician.
In particular, the resolution requests to prosecute local "Iravunk"
newspaper and the leader of "Constitutional Law Union" party for
having protected Arshakyan sisters who dared to express their negative
opinion about Conchita Wurst and have been aggressively criticized
by the gay lobby.
Babukhanyan said PACE's call jeopardizes the key democracy principles,
the freedom of speech and press.
"I expect them to apologize and leave Iravunk newspaper alone",
the lawmaker said on the air on Sputnik-Armenia radio channel.
Babukhanyan said the opinion in the newspaper had nothing to do with
sexual minorities in general, but was about Conchita Wurst herself
and her stage image.
It is gender fascism not to allow people expressing their views about
a person who is a minority, he said.
The politician also said in his letter it is regrettable that amid the
current global tense, certain forces try to undertake police functions,
instead of using PACE as a platform to keep the dialogue ongoing.
According to the lawmaker, it is not acceptable to turn PACE into a
punishment tool for prosecuting politicians, reporters and mass media,
whose opinion is unfavored by those who claim a monopoly on truth.
Babukhanyan proposed to concert efforts to stop wars and conflicts,
restore freedom, democracy and cooperation on the continent.
The newspaper said in his article that there should be no pressure
placed on people for expressing their views, as it is against democracy
principles, the politician said. Radicals have attacked the newspaper
this time, he said.
The Armenian lawmaker referred to the European statements about
freedom of speech in connection with Charlie Hebdo shooting case,
and said it was acknowledged that no radical minority has the right
to dictate the rules of game.
It is the same with Armenia: no radical minority has the right to
impose its rules of game, and the PACE resolution N584 conflicts with
this principle, the member of the parliament said. -0--
http://arka.am/en/news/politics/armenian_lawmaker_requests_pace_to_apologize_for_t he_call_to_put_pressure_on_free_press/#sthash.wx5I7KRc.dpuf