Epress.am News from Armenia
Activists, journalists, and organizations that expose abuses within the Armenian army are intimidated and there is an attempt to restrict their freedom of speech. A report published by Amnesty International in late August titled "Armenia: No Space for Difference," discussed in London last week, was today presented by South Caucasus Researcher in the Europe and Central Asia (ECA) Programme Tural Ahmedzade via live video call from London at the Media Center in Yerevan.
According to Ahmedzade, at Amnesty International's London discussion, several cases were examined: Journalists for Human Rights NGO President Janna Aleksanyan being called in for questioning for her article about an incident in the army, the pressure on activist Lala Aslikyan who exposes issues within the army, and young writer Hovhannes Ishkhanyan being called in for questioning by the military police for his book The Day of Discharge.
These cases, according to Ahmedzade, are considered attempts to restrict freedom of speech, which might also prevent people speaking about incidents in the army in the future.
A discussion between Ahmedzade and the Media Center's invited guests followed the presentation of the report.
Deputy Chief of the Investigative Service of the RA Ministry of Defense Hayk Grigoryan said that the interrogation of Janna Aleksanyan cannot be seen as an example of exerting pressure since Aleksanyan was called in as a witness and her testimony could assist in disclosing Zhora Mkrtchyan's case.
"Aleksanyan, based solely on a conversation with Zhora Mkrtchyan's father, wrote that Mkrtchyan was raped in the army. We have to find out if such a thing happened," said Grigoryan.
Aleksanyan countered this, saying that news of the soldier being raped initially appeared on the Henaran.am website, after which she picked up the story and went with staff of the Ombudsman's office to visit Mkrtchyan, and saw the signs of torture on his body. According to the journalist, to later interrogate her and tell her that the military police have a record of her private phone conversation with Mkrtchyan's father is to exert pressure.
The other case Amnesty International mentioned, that of Ishkhanyan's book, was challenged by Military Police Lieutenant Colonel Armen Mnatsakanyan: "Such a book shouldn't have been written. Imagine if a 14-year-old reads this book. How is he going to later serve in the army? Described in this book are incidents that can't happen in the army. A man cannot rape another man."
Rights and Freedom Center NGO Chair Vardan Harutyunyan, who was present at the discussion, countered this, saying this is the wrong approach, since what is being discussed is a creative work, and compelling not to publish the book is nothing other than censorship.