It’s the third year already the School for Young Leaders of Armenia (SYL) hosts under its roof young activists who come here to strengthen features of a leader and to establish personal contacts with famous political and public figures. Author of this project and the school director Artak Shakaryan says SYL aims to consolidate young people of Armenia sharing the same ideas and to provide them an opportunity to produce better results. Education in SYL is free.

The project is funded by the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs. Young people from both Armenia and Diaspora can study at school. Trainings are conducted in two streams, which are divided by age: 20-25 and 25-35. “The school has already quite a high reputation. At least 10 people apply per place in our school,” says Shakaryan. The classes are held twice per week in the evening. Students here study Principles of Leadership, Rhetoric, Alternative Development Sectors of Armenia, etc., which according to the organizers are delivered by specially qualified experts. Also famous public and political figures, as well as statesmen represent their reports at school and discuss different issues on the country with the students under unofficial climate.

Read More »Smithy for Leaders:

Arman Babajanian, the editor of the pro-opposition “Zhamanak” daily suffering from a brain tumor, was set free on parole on Tuesday after spending more than three years in prison for draft evasion. Babajanian’s release came just hours after a state commission empowered to grant parole discussed his worsening health condition and decided to let him undergo urgent treatment in a civilian hospital.

The decision was swiftly endorsed by a Yerevan judge. Babajanian was greeted by dozens of relatives and opposition activists as he walked out of a prison hospital in Yerevan. He visibly had trouble moving his right leg and had to be assisted by Armen Martirosian, an opposition parliamentarian. “My condition is unstable right now,” Babajanian told journalists. “Pray, pray for my health. This is all I’m asking you.” Babajanian’s uncle, Levon Vartanian, said the young editor will be flown abroad for treatment. “Our doctors have fooled as so much we don’t trust them anymore,” he told RFE/RL. Vartanian claimed that Babajanian’s brain tumor was first detected a year ago and that local doctors denied its seriousness until recently.

Read More »Chief Editor of Zhamanak daily Arman Babajanyan set free

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

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

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

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

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