A video worth watching, but as always, I have a favorite part:
Start at 21:03:
"There’s something that happens… to me as an editor it happens often... The police, themselves, call me, and say “hurry up and publish that piece of news. If you publish that, then they will no longer be able to force [pressure] me to cover it up.”
So there are people who are forcing the police to cover things up. Whether its Marzpets, or I don’t know who they are, authorities or something … who are those people?"
The first Տեսակետների խաչմերուկ of the year on Azatutyun was a discussion about the PACE resolutions of 2008 and 2009, and to what extent they have been fulfilled. Arman Grigorgyan, HAK's representative to PACE, just about sums it up. How David Harutyunyan, the head of the official delegation to PACE, even believes some of what he says is beyond me.
A1+ has been off the air since 2002, despite the decision of the European Court of Human Rights. The way things are going now, the games being played by the regime will continue to successfully keep A1+ off the air. A foundation has now been established to help raise money to support A1plus - they're also counting every contribution not just in terms of monetary value, but as votes in support of them and what they represent. That is, at least in my eyes, freedom of press in Armenia... and the power of individuals to bring back basic human rights to Armenia. Contribute, even if it is just one dollar.
Here are some links to articles with more details (English, Armenian). Below I'm posting the information for contributions - every voice is a vote... At the bottom is a video from a1plus
Դրամով փոխանցումների դեպքում «Առեքսիմբանկ-Գազպրոմբանկի խումբ» ՓԲԸ
«Մելտեքս» ՍՊԸ
AMD – Հ/Հ 23800 – 01250350100
—————————————————————————————————- For Donations in EUROS: Եվրոյով փոխանցումների դեպքում Intermediary Bank DEUTSCHE BANK AG FRANKFURT/ MAIN, GERMANY SWIFT: DEUTDEFF Acc. No. DE 42500700100947722500
Beneficiary Bank CJSC ‘‘AREXIMBANK- GAZPROMBANK GROUP” Yerevan, Armenia SWIFT: RKASAM22
Beneficiary Meltex LTD 23800 -01250350149
————————————————————————————————— For Donations in DOLLARS: Դոլարով փոխանցումների դեպքում Intermediary Bank DEUTSCHE BANK TRUST COMPANY AMERICAS, NEW YORK, USA SWIFT: BKTRUS33 ABA: 021001033
Beneficiary Bank CJSC ‘‘AREXIMBANK- GAZPROMBANK GROUP” Yerevan, Armenia SWIFT: RKASAM22
Beneficiary Meltex LTD 23800- 01250350101
————————————————————————————————— For Donations in Russian RUBLES Ռուսական ռուբլիով փոխանցումների դեպքում Банк-посредник
If it is true, it is wonderful news for many families, for democracy, justice, and for Armenia.
But there are three political prisoners whom this banditocracy, this oligarchy cannot afford to release, because of who or what they are, and the freedoms that they represent. I think that if any two of these three were to be released, perhaps even just one, well, a lot might happen.... They are, in my opinion, A1plus TV, Liberty Square, and Nikol Pashinyan. Read, Freedom of Press, Freedom of Assembly, and Freedom of Speech.
And my guess is that this regime will release, when they have to, all of the political prisoners except these last three...
And with the feigned ignorance of the Council of Europe/PACE, another two years could go by without any change or aid on the part of such institutions, with empty resolutions and more bargaining...
And then what will be of the next elections?
I ask not because I think the future of Armenia lay in the good deeds of those outside, but rather, because as we saw beginning in the Spring of 2008, it may in fact lay in their convenient, unconscionable and utterly destructive willful ignorance.
HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH has issued a statement (below)regarding recent amendments which would severely restrict even further media freedoms... For those who aren't up to date on this, Pashinyan explains exactly how the amendment is so limiting in one of his editorials.
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Dear President Sargsyan,
Human Rights Watch is writing to express its concern regarding the negative impact on media pluralism and public access to diversity of information and opinion in Armenia, recent amendments to the "Law on Television and Radio," are likely to have. We urge you to refrain from signing the law and instead return it to the National Assembly and urge them to continue their deliberations with the aim of bringing any and all amendments into compliance with Armenia's international obligations on freedom of expression.
While we appreciate the government's intent to regulate Armenia's ongoing transition to mandatory digital broadcasting, it is unfortunate that the rushed legislative process did not allow for full incorporation of concerns expressed by civil society and Armenia's international partners, including the Organization for Security and Co-Operation in Europe (OSCE).
We are first concerned that the amendments to the law will reduce the number of television stations able to broadcast in Armenia from 22 to 18. The changes in the legislation could have created room for more actors to participate in provision of media facilitated by digitalization, yet reducing the number of television broadcasters poses the opposite risk of limiting media pluralism. There is a serious concern that the reduction in available television stations may particularly disadvantage new television broadcasters, especially as the amendments indicate that preference in future licensing competitions should be given to existing broadcasters or those with at least three years' experience.
Armenia's civil society members and international partners have also criticized numerous other aspects of the amendments, including the failure to require the National Television and Radio Commission (NTRC) to provide explanations for its decisions to reject broadcasting license applications, which would increase transparency of the licensing process. The amendments also do not address long-standing concerns that the law does not ensure pluralism in the selection and appointment of members of the National Television and Radio Commission (NTRC), which is responsible for the granting of licenses.
In a welcome step, during the final reading of the law the National Assembly convened a working group to revise the law which included non-governmental organizations and opposition parliamentarians. However, the rushed legislative process did not allow for a thorough public discussion of the draft. On June 10, a group of Yerevan-based ambassadors of European countries urged the Armenian government to "continue working closely with civil society, the Council of Europe and OSCE experts with a view to bringing the law further into line with international standards." However, the National Assembly adopted the bill in an emergency session later that same night.
The draft Law on Television and Radio was developed by the Armenian Ministry of Economy and adopted by the National Assembly in the first reading on May 20th. Armenia was obliged to amend the law on Television and Radio following a June 2008 European Court of Human Rights judgment finding Armenia in violation of Article 10 (Freedom of Expression) as a result of the NTRC's repeated denials of a broadcast license to A1+, an independent television station. The court found that the Armenian legislature did not provide sufficient protection against an arbitrary decision of the licensing authorities. A1+ was taken off the air in April 2002 and has not been able to resume broadcasting despite the ECtHR judgment.
In the interest of ensuring Armenia's full compliance with the ECtHR judgment and protecting media pluralism, we urge you to use your discretionary power and veto the amendments to the Law On Television and Radio. We strongly hope that the National Assembly will heed the concerns of Armenia's civil society, the OSCE, and others and make the necessary changes to bring the legislation fully into line with Armenia's international obligations.
Sincerely,
Holly Cartner
Executive Director, Europe and Central Asia Division
