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Armenian Media Digest, July 13-19

1. Calls by Media Community

Tert.am reports that on July 14th a number of Armenian media outlets made a statement calling for a change to the measure of restraint applied against the Chief Editor of “Haykakan Zhamanak” Nikol Pashinyan. The statement is signed by the editors and representatives of 26 newspapers and NGOs. It claims: “The Chief Editor of “Haykakan Zhamanak” Nikol Pashinyan was arrested as soon as he voluntarily surrendered to the law enforcement bodies on July 1st. The court didn’t take into account that amnesty has been applied to everyone instituted on the events of March 1, 2008 and most of them have already been released.

Amnesty is also applicable to those announced as wanted, if they voluntarily surrender to the law enforcement bodies by July 31. The court also didn’t take into account that the authorities declaring amnesty have actually shown political will in releasing their political rivals and in holding them through political methods of struggle. However, we – representatives of the media and journalistic organizations – can’t agree with the discriminated approach against our colleague –the Chief Editor of “Haykakan Zhamanak” and political figure Nikol Pashinyan.

Read More »Armenian Media Digest, July 13-19

Farewell to Arms:

Every Saturday the “Farewell to Arms: from Belfast to Balkans” film-series have been screened at the hall of Internews Armenia NGO office, then at the Narekatsi Art Union since May 27. The films have been created through partnership of Yerevan and Baku offices of Internews and with the support of the British Embassy in Armenia.

“Six films on six European conflicts and the ways of their solution have been created by a joint effort of Internews representatives in Armenia and Azerbaijan within the framework of this project,” says Nouneh Sarkissian, the executive director of Yerevan Internews office. The films are about the conflicts in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Northern Ireland, Southern Tirol, as well as in Cyprus and Aland Islands.

According to Sarkissyan the film authors have tried to represent the conflicts in eyes of those people who are directly linked or are victims of those conflicts. Director Tigran Paskevichyan has shot the film “Ordinary Utopia” on the Basque conflict within the framework of this project.

Read More »Farewell to Arms:

En Route to Death: Iran, Armenia and Georgia Mourning for 168 Victims of Plane Crash

The Caucasus Journalists’ Team expresses its condolences to relatives of all 168 passengers who perished in the plane crash of the Tehran-Yerevan route of flight 7908 on Wednesday. We mourn over each passenger and offer our support to their relatives. This crash joined the fates of Armenian, Iranian and Georgian passengers flying in the same plane.

Unfortunately, through the taking lives, the pain is being shared by the three nationalities. We call upon the Armenian, Iranian and Georgian authorities to take measures to ease the pain of the victims’ relatives, who henceforth are to live quite different lives after the crash, a life without their relatives’ presence.

We urge the authorities to do their best to discover the real causes of the crash, which is expected by the relatives of the victims, as well as by thousands of other passengers regularly using this flight. Surely the crash is not a reason to stop the Tehran-Yerevan flight. However, people using the flight must be sure of its security. The next time they board the plane they should not be anxious that they are flying en route to death. R.I.P

Read More »En Route to Death: Iran, Armenia and Georgia Mourning for 168 Victims of Plane Crash

Armenian Media Digest, July 6-12

1. Information “Black Lists”

The “Freedom of Information Center” NGO in Armenia has published the “Black List” of the second quarter of 2009. According to Hraparak Newspaper, the list includes people who have violated citizens’ rights in order to gain information. The following people have appeared in the “Black List”:

1. Yerevan Mayor Gagik Beglaryan;

2. Leader of the “Orinatc Yerkir” Party and Secretary of the RA National Security Council Artur Baghdasaryan;

3. Leader of the Armenian National Congress Levon Ter-Petrosyan;

4. Leader of the Labor Socialist Party of Armenia Movses Shahverdyan;

5. Head of the “Medical Unity N2” CJSC Tigran Khachatryan.

2. New Information Website in Armenia

Presentation of the News.am informational website took place in Yerevan on July 10th. The new trilingual (Armenian, English and Russian) internet website is a news analysis agency which will cover topics from the South Caucasus in addition to different issues regarding Armenia and Armenian Diaspora. The website staff will follow publications of the world media and present them to its readers after studying and analyzing the most notable reports among them.

Read More »Armenian Media Digest, July 6-12

Armenian Media Digest, June 29-July 4

1. Voluntarily Returned Editor Sentenced to Two Months in Prison

2. Appeals Court Overturned Journalist’s Case

3. Committee Regarding “A1Plus”

4. Information Availability in Armenian Regions

1. Voluntarily Returned Editor Sentenced to Two Months in Prison

July 3 A1plus reports that the Trial Court of the Kentron and Nork-Marash Communities of Yerevan, lead by Judge Edik Avetisyan, sentenced “Haykakan Zhamanak” editor Nikol Pashinyan to two months imprisonment. Pashinyan was a member of Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s election campaign.Nine pages of the 10-page court verdict were each side’s petitions, while conclusions drawn from the whole court session were summarized within only 4-5 sentences.

Pashinyan’s lawyers announced that they are not satisfied with the court verdict and will appeal the verdict at the Appeals Court and, if necessary, to the European Court of Human Rights. July 1 the editor, wanted for a year and four months, surrendered to law enforcement officials. A group of journalists have reported on the 34-year-old Pashinyan’s surrender.

2. Appeals Court Overturned Journalist’s Case

Read More »Armenian Media Digest, June 29-July 4

Armenian Media Digest, June 22-27

1. Wanted Editor Decided to Come Out of Underground

Nikol Pashinyan, editor of “Haykakan Zhamanak” daily, wanted since March of last year, has decided to come out of underground. This has been reported about in Pashinyan’s announcement posted in his website reporting that he has decided to continue his struggle in jail. “I have thought of such step beforehand, but made a decision after the last developments. In the past the most powerful factor impeding my decision was that my appearance in jail could give a blow to the Pan-Armenian Movement.

At present I consider the threat overcome, as many of my political prisoner-friends are released due to public struggle, which will give a new charge and enthusiasm to the Movement – to the Armenian National Congress. Thus I am proud to register that it’s my turn to become a political prisoner. My decision to move to jail from underground is instructed also by the concern that I should continue an effective political struggle,” reports Nikol Pashinyan’s announcement.

2. On Hetq’s Trail

Read More »Armenian Media Digest, June 22-27

Pushed Picket: Colleagues of Arrested Editor Demanding His Release

A protest demonstration was organized by about 10 relatives and colleagues of the chief editor Arman Babajanyan of “Zhamanak” daily under arrest in front of the Presidential Residence on June 26, which, however, was interrupted by the police interference. The policemen, who were far more than the picket participants and journalists covering the event, pushed them away from the intended place of gathering step by step via creating a police wall along the pavement.

The police reasoned that demonstrators were disturbing public order. Whereas the picket participants said they intended to stand only 30 minutes in front of the Presidential Residence and if possible transfer the president a text of announcement. Three years ago this day Babajanyan was sentenced to a 3, 5-year imprisonment for avoiding military service. The imprisonment expires in September, but the demonstrators were announcing that Babajanyan has appeared in jail because of his political views and were demanding amnesty to be granted him too, like dozens of other prisoners during the last week, who were released as a result of the amnesty declared on June 19 by the RA Parliament.

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Read More »Pushed Picket: Colleagues of Arrested Editor Demanding His Release

Great Cinema in Yerevan:

Golden Apricot 6th international film festival will be launched on July 12. Films of both renowned and still non-revealed directors will be screened within festival frameworks. Overall 110 films from 40 countries will be shown during the seven days of the festival in Yerevan cinema halls. The organizers assure that the number of applications submitted for participation in the festival has been almost four times more. The film by French director Laurent Tuel “Le Premier Cercle”, where the lead role of an Armenian gangster Milo Malakian has been played by the famous French actor Jean Reno, will open the festival. Though neither Tuel, nor Reno participate in the festival, the film producer, French-Armenian distributor Alain Terzian will visit Yerevan.

“This is a new film, it was produced this year and the lead actor embodies an Armenian personage. That is why we applied to the film director to show his film during the festival. But one of the main reasons is also that the film producer is an Armenian famous in the world as a great cinematographer,” says Seda Papoyan, the Press Secretary of the film festival Golden Apricot.

Read More »Great Cinema in Yerevan:

Մեծ կինո Երևանում. «Ոսկե Ծիրան» կինոփառատոնը կհյուրընկալի և կմեծարի աշխարհահռչակ ռեժիսորների

Հուլիսի 12-ին Երևանում կմեկնարկի «Ոսկե Ծիրան» վեցերորդ միջազգային կինոփառատոնը, որի շրջանակներում կցուցադրվեն ինչպես անվանի, այնպես էլ դեռ չբացահայտված ռեժիսորների ֆիլմեր:

Փառատոնի յոթ օրերի ընթացքում Երևանի կինոսրահներում ընդհանուր առմամբ կցուցադրվի 40 երկրների շուրջ 110 ֆիլմ: Կազմակերպիչները հավաստիացնում են, որ մասնակցության հայտերի թիվը գրեթե չորս անգամ ավելի է եղել:

«Ոսկե Ծիրան»-ը կբացվի ռեժիսոր Լոռեն Տյուելի «Մերձավոր շրջապատ» (le Premier Cercle) ֆիլմով, որի գլխավոր հերոսը ֆրանսիացի հանրահայտ դերասան Ժան Ռենոն է: Նա  ֆիլմում հանդես է գալիս հայ հանցագործ Միլո Մալակյանի դերում: Թեպետ ոչ Տյուելին, ոչ էլ Ռենոն չեն մասնակցի փառատոնին, սակայն այս կապակցությամբ Երևան կժամանի ֆիլմի պրոդյուսեր, ֆրանսահայ կինոդիստրիբյուտոր Ալան Թերզյանը:

«Ֆիլմը նոր է, այն այս տարի է նկարահանվել, իսկ գլխավոր հերոսը մարմնավորում է հայի կերպար: Այդ իսկ պատճառով մենք դիմեցինք ֆիլմի ռեժիսորին` այն մեր փառատոնի շրջանակներում ցուցադրելու խնդրանքով: Սակայն ցուցադրման հիմնական պատճառներից մեկն էլ այն է, որ ֆիլմի պրոդյուսերը, ամբողջ աշխարհում հայտնի որպես մեծ կինոգործիչ, հայ է», – ասում է «ՈսկեԾիրան» կինոփառատոնի մամուլի խոսնակ Սեդա Պապոյանը:

Պրոդյուսեր Ալան Թերզյանը նաև Կաննի կինոփառատոնի ղեկավարներից է, ինչպես նաև “Ալտեր ֆիլմս” պրոդյուսերական ընկերության, Սեզար ակադեմիայի նախագահը, ով նաև երկար տարիներ ղեկավարել է Ֆրանսիայի պրոդյուսերների գիլդիան:

Read More »Մեծ կինո Երևանում. «Ոսկե Ծիրան» կինոփառատոնը կհյուրընկալի և կմեծարի աշխարհահռչակ ռեժիսորների

Against Freedom of Expression: Armenian Media Digest, June 15-21

1. European Court verdict disregarded in Armenia?

The “168 Zham” newspaper made a reference to the first anniversary of the European Court verdict for A1plus TV Company in its June 18 issue. The television company’s representative, lawyer Tigran Ter-Yesayan has particularly told 168 Zham that a year has already passed since the verdict was taken by the European Court, whereas the Armenian authorities haven’t yet implemented the Court’s demands.

According to the lawyer the European Court demands to restore the rights of A1plus, which is impossible because the adopted decisions impede the demand’s realization. Ter-Yesayan has told that the authorities of Armenia via National Assembly have deliberately made an amendment in the law (December 10, 2008), according to which the competition for frequency allocation is frozen until January 21, 2011. Whereas the government reasons the adoption of this item on not holding competition for frequency allocation by the ground that the field of television should pass to digital broadcasting over the next two years, thus it is not reasonable to hold competition for two years.

Read More »Against Freedom of Expression: Armenian Media Digest, June 15-21