Epress.am News from Armenia
The Committee to Protect Freedom of Expression (CFPE) prepared and published three interim quarterly reports in 2010 (January-March, April-June, July-September) on the situation of freedom of speech and violations of media and journalists’ rights in Armenia. CFPE President Ashot Melikyan discussed the 2010 annual report at a press conference in Yerevan today.
This report covers the year of 2010 and includes the following:
1. Legislation on the freedom of speech and media, amendments to such legislation and related processes;
2. The economic environment and its influence on the media;
3. The political environment and its influence on the media;
4. Violations of rights of the media and journalists.
In Aug.–Sept. 2010, the CPFE conducted a sociological survey, the aim of which was to reveal the level of media freedom in Armenia, taking into account the influence of legal, political and economic factors. Fifty experts — heads or representatives of well-known news agencies and media organizations operating in Yerevan and nationwide – took part in the survey. The findings of the survey were presented by Melikyan at a press conference in Yerevan on Dec. 13, 2010.
The CPFE published the results of the survey in the report “Level of Media Freedom in Armenia” in December 2010.
According to survey findings, said Melikyan, the level of freedom for Armenian media was given a total score of 58.68 — that is, very close to being considered “not free.” Further, the survey found that the situation of physical violence against journalists in Armenia was “more favorable” in 2010.
“In 2009, there were 11 recorded cases of violence against journalists, while in 2010, there were 9 recorded cases, including an unprecedented third quarter when there were no cases of violence,” said Melikyan.
According to the annual report, however, legal initiations and legislative changes referring to the freedom of press and expression had both positive and negative trends in 2010.
“If in case of decriminalization of libel and insult the law-maker cooperated with the civil society having accepted the main suggestions, cooperation over the draft law on amendments and supplements to the RA Law on Television and Radio was more imitative. The authorities did not concede in any principal issue. It testifies that the ruling authorities do not want to liberalize the broadcasting field; moreover, they are striving for maintaining whole control over it. A good example of this is the fact that A1+ TV was not provided a broadcasting license through communication channels of state exploitation on the digital broadcasting network.
“According to CPFE experts, the document titled Charter of Ethical Principles of TV and Radio Broadcasters elaborated in the RA Public Council had the same intention of maintaining control, its introduction to TV and radio companies as if for self-regulation and its signing by several broadcasters on April 21. We estimate it as a process hindering the real self-regulation of mass media,” summarizes the 2010 CPFE annual report.