Journalists' Union doesn’t defend the rights of journalists: A. Adibekyan
September 8 is International Day of Journalists’ Solidarity. The day has been celebrated since 1958 and intends to show solidarity of all the journalists in the world, their respect for each other, as well as union especially in the issue of protection of their own rights. Especially in this issue Armenian journalists have drawbacks, thinks the sociologist, Head of “Sociometer” sociological center Aharon Adibekyan. “It’s enough to increase the electricity price, wave of protest rises. When you (the journalists-edt.) are humiliated, you are not able to protect your rights, as you do it during the protection of public issues and rights,” says Adibekyan. The profession of a journalist is in top ten dangerous professions in the world. According to the statistics, during last year 66 journalists were killed, 119 were kidnapped, 117 journalist are in prisons. When speaking about freedom of speech Adibekyan is comparing Armenia with Belarus and Kazakhstan, he says that journalists are freer in Armenia. The sociologist thinks that the reason for Armenian journalists’ problems is the absence of such a joint institution, which would be able to protect the interests of journalists not only in the society, but in their own media. “There is Journalists' Union, which we don’t see, in order to protect the rights of the journalists,” says Adibekyan.
