Journalists’ rights violated at least 16 times
The Committee for the Defense of Freedom of Speech has recorded 16 instances of violation connected with journalists' rights in July-September, 2012, President of the Committee, Ashot Melikyan said Monday when summing up his organization's 3rd quarter report regarding the state of freedom of speech in Armenia.
"There was one case of physical assault on a reporter, nine cases of pressure on news outlets and their staff members, and six violations of the right to receive and disseminate information," said Mr Melikyan.
According to the research, pressure on journalists intensifies especially during elections, and the recent local elections in Armenia were not an exception. "We recorded one case of physical assault and four violations of the right to receive and disseminate information," he said.
Among the peculiarities, he cited the decline in charges filed against media representatives. "There have been 10 such cases as compared with the 25 cases initiated in 2011," said Mr Melikyan.
Melikyan says it was not accidental that TV companies equally covered the campaign meetings of political parties; it was an explicit order. "We are no better today and pluralism was only imitated."
