Recently two documents have been prepared by the U.S. Government referring also to the Armenian media: the U.S. Department of State Annual Report on the world democratic processes published in May and the Statement on May 31Municipal Elections in Yerevan appeared last week on the website of the U.S. Embassy in Armenia. The sector of the U.S. Embassy Statement regarding media says, “We commend the Armenian authorities for an improved media climate that afforded all parties and candidates the ability to reach voters through the electronic media.

The Statement registers that although some opposition parties received less overall coverage than parties in the ruling coalition, the coverage of the opposition – unlike in the 2008 presidential campaign – was generally neutral in content. “Opposition candidates and their supporters were provided opportunities to make their case in extended interviews on various television outlets, including public television, and they took advantage of many of those opportunities,” is recorded in the Statement. The complete text of the Statement is available on the official website of the U.S. Embassy in Armenia.

Read More »Two News Items: Annual Report of U.S. Department of State and Statement of U.S. Embassy in Armenia

1. The Kocharyans against Haykakan Zhamanak Trial Delayed. On May 12 the Court of First Instance of Kentron and Nork-Marash Communities of Yerevan have delayed proceeding of the suit brought against Haykakan Zhamanak daily(HZH) by Levon Kocharyan, younger son of the RA Second President Robert Kocharyan, appointing it on May 21.

Tert.am reports that the reason the court session hasn’t been held was the writ sent to the participants without an exact mentioning of the place it had to take place. Coming to the Court of First Instance of Kentron and Nork-Marash Communities under the writ, the accused faced an announcement hung in the court building which said the trial would be held somewhere else.

In this respect lawyer Tigran Atanesyan of Haykakan Zhamanak has disseminated a statement noting that he has come to participate in the court session to the address mentioned in the writ, thus has asked Judge Arayik Melkumyan to henceforth make an additional and exact note on the place and time of the court session.As mentioned before Robert Kocharyan’s family has claimed 16 million AMD (US$43 500) from HZH for the damages against the good name of the RA Second President and the international image of Armenia(see also Armenian Media Digest, April 20-26).

Read More »Trial, Gun, Condemnation: Armenian Media Digest, May 11-17

The Kocharyans against Haykakan Zhamanak. An article called “The Kocharyans against Haykakan Zhamank. Legal Process Started”, April 23, of Tert.am reports that on the same day the First Instance Court of Kentron and Nork-Marash communities of Yerevan started the hearings on Levon Kocharyan’s suit (younger son of RA Second President Robert Kocharyan) against Haykakan Zhamanak daily (HZH).

Tert.am reminds that the Kocharyans brought an action against HZH for the last published news about Levon Kocharyan (JNews.am note: “The Adventures of Robert’s Son in Dubai”, HZH, February 6, 2009) according to which the president’s son “has made a debauch” in Dubai and been detained by local police.To restore the disrepute of the family honor and dignity and to compensate the damage, the Kocharyans are demanding 16 million and 120 thousand AMD (US$43,500). On April 21, two days before the trial, Haykakan Zhamanak in its editorial “The Kocharyans against HZH” says, “if HZH doesn’t consider the information as trustworthy, it won’t simply publish it,” and Nikol Pashinyan, the newspaper editor, makes his own commentaries on the issue.

Read More »Armenian Media Digest, April 20-26

168 Zham newspaper reports that on Friday, April 17 the court of common law of Kentron and Nork-Marash Communities led by judge Armen Khachatryan have decided to fine Gagik Shamshyan, photojournalist of the Aravot (Morning) and the Chorord Ishkhanutyun (Fourth Power) newspapers by 350 000 drams (US$930). He was accused of his impolite attitude towards the court on August 5, 2008 during Smbat Ayvazyan’s trial, member of the political board of the Republican Party.

According to the accusant Gagik Shamshyan has named the judge “calf” or “fool”. Gagik Shamshyan announced he hasn’t used such words and assured he was going to take his claim to the Appeals Court, and in the case of a failure apply also to the European Court of Human Rights. Hetq.am internet periodical(April 13) informs that the criminal case brought before a court on August 11, 2008 on the basis of the attack on Lusineh Baghdasaryan, a journalist from the Haykakan Zhamanak daily (Armenian Times), has been dismissed as the criminals haven’t been revealed.

Read More »Press About Press: Armenian Media Digest, April 09-19