It the bill dangerous for mass media?
"Whenever Armenian government comes up with an initiative, it acts to the detriment of free media," editor-in-chief Aravot daily Aram Abrahamyan said when commenting on a bill put on the National Assembly's agenda.
The bill authored by the government foresees heavy fines on a person and mass medium slandering or insulting the dignity and good name of others. At the same time it decriminalizes articles on slander and outrage at the request of the Council of Europe.
"We can be at ease if the law is left unchanged. Any change speaks of some latent intention - to exert pressure on media outlets or media groups. In this case, I assume that they target at oppositional print media," says Mr. Abrahamyan.
Talking to A1+, Chairman of Yerevan Press Club Boris Navasardyan said the idea of the bill is acceptable.
"Under the Armenian legislation the penalties for slander and outrage must be transferred from the criminal field to the political one. On the other hand, the quality of law and legal regulations of the sphere can not secure the correct application of the law," says Mr. Navasardyan.
The YPC chairman says the terms "slander" and "information' are not clearly defined and another legislative act, misuse of such legal concept as is denunciation, is added to them.
"Serious debates and studies were to be held before the introduction of the bill", he notes.
Boris Navasardyan sees another threat as well. "Misuse of positive legal initiatives might have a negative impact.
