Epress.am News from Armenia
Ahead of World Press Freedom Day on May 3, the Press Freedom 2011 award ceremony took place in Yerevan with Hetq.am chief editor Edik Baghdasaryan winning the top prize. The award is given to Armenian journalists every year “for contribution to and professional courage in investigative journalism regardless of [political] position.”
Chair of the Journalists’ Union of Armenia Astghik Gevorgyan, before passing the stage to her colleagues, noted that media in Armenia today live in difficult times and asked that those present don’t speak of these issues on this festive day. Note that Gevorgyan is a member of the Yerevan City Council and represents the ruling Republican Party of Armenia.
Despite Gevorgyan’s wish, Baghdasaryan dedicated his short speech to the problems in the industry. He described how recently a Yerkir Media TV journalist complained to him how his material is not allowed to air or was subject to strict censorship.
“We have good young journalists, and they are many among my students who working in television become pure performers, doing others’ bidding. They aren’t even trying to fight with editors and media directors. They are egoist; they leave everything to the Internet,” he said, meaning they don’t have the inclination to change anything in their sector since the Internet is still a relatively free space where other perspectives can be found.
Baghdasaryan’s thoughts were picked up by Yerevan Press Club President Boris Navasardyan. “Journalists in Armenia often wait for freedom of expression to come down on them from above, while international experience shows us that you get this by fighting for it.”
The World Press Freedom Award has been awarded since 2006 by the Yerevan Press Club, the Journalists’ Union of Armenia, Committee to Protect Freedom of Expression, and Internews Media Support NGO.
In previous years, the prize was awarded to Aravot chief editor Aram Abrahamyan; journalist, writer and publicist Tigran Paskevichyan; and Gyumri-based Asparez Journalists’ Club President Levon Barseghyan. In 2009–2010, the award was not given to anyone, since, according to Internews Director Nune Sargsyan, organizers wanted to “keep the bar high.”
Recall, in Nov. 2008, Edik Baghdasaryan became the target of a violent attack, which he believed was connected with his reporting. Leaving the office at about 8 pm in downtown Yerevan, he was ambushed and beaten by three unknown assailants, as a result of which Baghdasaryan was hospitalized with a head injury.
Photo: Hetq.am