The United States Embassy in Yerevan marked International Human Rights Day by presenting the Armenian Freedom Defender award to Edik Baghdassaryan at a reception given by Ambassador Marie L. Yovanovitch at the Embassy. Baghdasarian is the founder of the Association of Investigative Journalists and the popular HETQ news agency.

In the words of Ambassador Yovanovitch, Baghdassaryan “has shown great courage in tackling and writing about some of the sensitive and challenging issues facing Armenians as they move their country toward greater democratization. His daunting work has exposed cases of corruption, human rights abuses, illegal business practices, and the indignities of human trafficking.” This is the second year that the U.S. Embassy in Yerevan has presented the Armenian Freedom Defender award. Last year’s winner was Mikael Danielyan, Chairman of the Helsinki Association of Armenia.

Source: US Embassy News http://armenia.usembassy.gov

Read More »The United States Embassy in Yerevan Marked International Human Rights Day

1. Certificate Issued: Pashinyan Runs for MP

On November 19, the Administrative Court of Armenia satisfied the claim of the chief editor of “Haykakan Zhamanak” newspaper, the opposition representative Nikol Pashinyan. As Lragir.am informs, the court obligated the Police of Armenia to provide the plaintiff a certificate of permanent residence in Armenia over the past five years. Documents on Pashinyan’s nomination as MP candidate were presented to the district election commission 10 of Yerevan on October 30.

Due to lack of a certificate from the police, the documents were deemed incomplete. After receiving the certificate, Pashinyan’s representatives submitted all documents to the district election commission on November 23. 34-year-old Pashinyan was wanted a year and four months, and voluntarily surrendered to law enforcement agencies of Armenia on 1 July this year. Currently Pashinyan’s case is under investigation. Elections in the constituency 10 are scheduled to be held on January 10, 2010.

2. Concerns on the Future

Read More »Armenian Media Digest, November 17-23

Screening of American documentaries is being held till the end of November in Yerevan. This program is part of an international tour organized by the U.S. State Department Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. As a result of a thorough selection 29 documentaries produced between 2004 and 2008 have been selected out of 300 films. They are devoted to the issues of democracy, ecology, migration, health, ethnic diversity, innovation, education and family.

As stated in the speech of the US Ambassador to Armenia Mary Jovanovich the film show will promote deepening of mutual understanding and relations between two countries with rich tradition in the field of cinematography. According to the assistant of Public Relations Department of the US Embassy Susan Brendson the US Embassy has been organizing cultural programs for already 10 years in Armenia, however earlier they applied just to the music and choreography.

Read More »American Documentary Showcase Launched in Yerevan

 1. “Fourth Sovereignty” (Chorrord Inqnishkhanutyun) Issued Instead of “Fourth Estate” (Chorrord Ishkhanutyun)

The opposition newspaper “Chorrord Ishkhanutyun” (Fourth Estate) has stopped being published since November 10. But instead of the former newspaper the editorial office started publishing a newspaper called “Chorrord Inknishkhanutyun” (Fourth Sovereignty). As А1Plus.am reports the day before four bailiffs from the Service for Compulsory Enforcement of Judicial Acts of the RA Justice Ministry visited the “CI” editorial office and handed the decisions of the SCEJA on prohibition of the newspaper publication.

According to the writ of execution (06.11.2009) of the Common Jurisdiction Court of First Instance of the Kentron and Nork-Marash communities of Yerevan the daily “Chorrord Ishkhanutyun” has been banned both by the official publisher of “Koghmnaki andzants M” LTD (“Unauthorized persons not admitted” LTD) and by any other organization or printing-house.

Read More »Armenian Media Digest, November 4-10

1. Armenia the 111th According to Press Freedom Index

The organization Reporters Without Borders has issued another report according to the Press Freedom Index. So in the top five out of 175 countries were Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Norway and Sweden. Reporters Without Borders compiles the Press Freedom Index every year on the basis of questionnaires that are completed by hundreds of journalists and media experts around the world. This year Press Freedom Index 2009 reflects press freedom violations that took place between 1 September 2008 and 31 August 2009. The Press Freedom Index is not promising in the South Caucasus countries. Georgia ranks the 81st place, Armenia – 111th and Azerbaijan occupies the 146th place.

Read More »Armenian Media Digest, October 20-26

 1. Armenia the 111th According to Press Freedom Index

The organization Reporters Without Borders has issued another report according to the Press Freedom Index. So in the top five out of 175 countries were Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Norway and Sweden. Reporters Without Borders compiles the Press Freedom Index every year on the basis of questionnaires that are completed by hundreds of journalists and media experts around the world.

This year Press Freedom Index 2009 reflects press freedom violations that took place between 1 September 2008 and 31 August 2009. The Press Freedom Index is not promising in the South Caucasus countries. Georgia ranks the 81st place, Armenia – 111th and Azerbaijan occupies the 146th place. This year, the European countries significantly changed their positions, though the first thirteen places in the list are occupied by mostly the European countries, other countries such as France (43), Slovakia (44), Italy (49) have gone down much lower than it was last year, losing the 8th, 37th and 5th places respectively.

Read More »Armenian Media Digest, October 20-26

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