Every morning street book seller Vaghinak Hakobyan from Gyumri puts several dozens of books in his bag, and walks thoughtfully along the lively street stretching to the central square of Gyumri. He sets the books on one of the benches and starts working. 43-year-old Vaghinak is not alone here, there are a few more book sellers next to him.

Two years ago when for the first time Vaghinak went to sell books, he was embarrassed. “I was morally broken and considered me to be a betrayer: I was going to sell my dear friends,” says the book seller.

“For many years I have played football. I always dreamt that this kind of sport would some day develop in Armenia, and I would become a demanded footballist… Over the years I realized that I was craving hopes in vain, moreover, one cannot earn a living in our country through sports. I did various jobs, I didn’t remain idle even a day and I bought a book as soon as earned two pennies more,” tells Vaghinak sorting the books.

“I was registered in all the bookstores of the city. As soon as there was a new book I had to have it, even found a friend to help me acquire deficient books.”

Vaghinak has already parted from most of these books; however, his bench is still full of books of various genres – from Armenian and abroad classics to contemporary ones.

Read More »Books For Salvation: Volumes of Tumanyan And Hugo Yielding Entertainment Magazines

Manana Archvadze-Gamsakhurdia, Widow of the First President of Georgia has indicted the administration of the popular Georgian web portal www.myvideo.ge of censorship. Allegedly the administration deleted the video uploaded on the website on March 30. The video is dedicated to the events ongoing in Georgia 20 years ago.

In her video statement posted on Youtube Manana Archvadze-Gamsakhurdia clarified that the video blocked by the website administration was produced specially for the 20th anniversary of the independence of Georgia and the birthday of the first President of Georgia.

Reporting on the content of the video Manana Archvadze said she had discussed the processes prior to the act of independence, the consequences of the March 31, 1991 referendum, and Zviad Gamsakhurdia’s biography.

Gamsakhurdia’s widow doubts the website administration is being controlled by the authorities.

“The video was blocked within 24 hours off of its upload even though it contained neither obscenity nor personal abuse,” said Manana Archvadze having called for a written response from the website administration and the video material to be restored.

Myvideo.ge owner ITDC said Manana Archvadze’s complaint is incomprehensible to them.

Read More »Widow of First President of Georgia Indicts Myvideo.ge Administration for Censorship

Facebook has created a new tool which will help journalists to use social network to more efficiently transmit information and establish communication with their audience.

Justin Osofsky, Facebook’s Director of Media Partnerships, wrote in his blog: “The ‘Journalist on Facebook’ page will afford journalists the latest facebook news and an opportunity to establish communication with their facebook audience comprising 500 million people.”

2,300 people have already liked ‘Journalist on Facebook’.

Also meetings will be organized with journalists to represent how to use social network as a media tool. The first meeting will take place on April 27 in Palo Alto.

Source: http://yerkir.am/am/news/5239.htm

Read More »Facebook Created a New Tool for Journalists

Suit brought against parliamentarian Rouben Hayrapetyan of the National Assembly by journalist Grisha Balasanyan of the “Hetq” periodical launched on April 6 in the Court of First Instance of Avan and Nor Nork Communities of Yerevan.

The reporter requires the court to oblige Rouben Hayrapetyan to apologize and pay monetary compensation for insulting his honor and dignity.

“The defendant has offended my client, displayed unacceptable interference towards his private and family life,” Balasanyan’s lawyer Vahe Grigorian stated in the court.

On February 2, when the reporter called Rouben Hayrapetyan on cell phone to come to an arrangement on an interview, the deputy first called him ignorant, then cursed, then added, “I did well.”

The plaintiff presented the court evidences, including the record of swearing by Rouben Hayrapetyan as a response to the reporter’s question.

However, MP Rouben Hayrapetyan’s lawyer Gevorg Gevorgyan announced that they object to the claim.

“Dear Court, we will exactly present our position on a trial. At this phase, I declare, we do not accept the facts, we do not accept the claim,” said the lawyer.

Read More »Journalist Demanding Rouben Hayrapetyan to Apologize

As a result of a claim brought against “Yerkir” daily by the RA parliamentarian Tigran Arzakantsyan the Service for Compulsory Execution of Judicial Acts decided to arrest the property of the newspaper and to announce search. The MP didn’t like the “131 Faces and Masks”article published by “Yerkir”. And applying to the court in February he demanded to allot him 3 million 568, 000 drams’ compensation (about $9,600) out of which 500,000(about $1,350) as legal and 68,000 (about $180) as court costs for insulting and libeling him.

Arzakantsyan considers that the daily has insulted him with its “131 Faces and Masks” article issued on January 13 calling him “style hunter”, “speaking the Kavar dialect ” (an Armenian dialect), “leading a playboy lifestyle”, “being a permanent client of casinos” and “having a habit of being beaten up”, as well as quoting from the former prime minister, former Yerevan Brandy Factory deputy director Hrant Bagratyan who said about Arzakantsyan that “this brat will shame Armenia in Russia with his brandy.”

Read More »Property of “Yerkir” Newspaper Under Arrest

Opposition “Azadliq” newspaper reporter Ramin Deko said he was abducted and beaten because of his attendance at an antigovernment protest on April 2.

Deko said he was abducted on April 3 by men in plainclothes, taken to an unknown place, and advised to end his activity in the opposition protests. He said that on April 4 he was attacked again in the evening as he left work.

Deko told RFE/RL that after being accosted, he was advised “to be clever and not to take part in the opposition protests.” He said he escaped from the attackers.

Previously, “Azadliq” columnist Seymur Haziyev said he was attacked and beaten by unidentified men on March 26.

Interior Minister Ramil Usubov later met with “Azadliq” editors and said he would take personal control of the investigation into the attacks on the journalists.

Source: http://www.rferl.org/

Read More »Another “Azadlyg” Journalist Beaten In Azerbaijan

Dunja Mijatović, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, today asked Turkish authorities to bring the country’s media legislation in line with OSCE commitments on media freedom following the release by her Office of a study that shows 57 journalists are imprisoned in Turkey.

Read More »More Than 50 Journalists Imprisoned In Turkey

The meeting entitled “I am a newspaper” which was organized on April 2 in the “Akumb” complex was unprecedentedly crowded. It was an event from the series of Pecha Kucha meetings which means ‘chit-chat’ translated from Japanese.

This time Pecha Kucha proposed to chit-chat on issues regarding the media and the new media.

10 thematic presentations were represented during the event organized jointly with the “Internews” media support NGO. According to Pecha Kucha format each of the speakers had a chance to promptly, informatively and amusingly represent his/her speech along with only 20 pictures.

At this unofficial and entertaining evening the creative people shared their ideas, projects and opinions.

Specialists in the field of information technologies expressed conviction that social networks continue to develop and dominate upon the traditional media in Armenia. According to information technology expert Samvel Martirosyan this is in the case “when television has nothing to offer the audience except the soup operas”.

According to the speakers, audience of the traditional mass media is resolved and new associations and social movements are established through the Internet.

“Even people who are unaware how to use the Internet and what is the Internet are registered on social networks,” says Samvel Martirosyan.

Read More »Pecha Kucha Reffered to Issues of Armenian Media

Armenia’s second president, Robert Kocharyan, has filed a suit against Hraparak newspaper.

The editor-in-chief of the publication, Armine Ohanyan, told Tert.am that their office has been served a copy of the claim on Monday.

The claim filed with the first instance court of Yerevan’s Nork-Marash district, consisted of three clauses. Kocharyan demanded 6 million drams’ compensation (about $16,000) for a February 12 report. The court has put a lien on the newspaper’s bank accounts.

Ohanyan said that the former president has filed the claim breaching the one-month period envisaged by the legislation but it has not prevented the court from accepting it.

Ohanyan told Tert.am that the publication of the newspaper will continue and added that the issue of lifting the lien migth be considered at a preliminary hearing on May 10.

She said Kocharyan apparently seeks to have the newspaper closed.

“Kocharyan has decided to declare a war on print media to make everybody silent. But nothing in the article contradicts the facts,” she added.

Source: Tert.am

Read More »Kocharyan sues newspaper

Riot police seized protesters and pushed them into buses near Fountains Square in Baku, where the opposition had wanted to hold a rally but failed to receive approval from authorities.

One of the opposition leaders said after completion of the protest that about 1,000 people had taken part and more than 200 were arrested.

“Today’s protest has demonstrated that Azeri people want change and are ready to act for the sake of democracy,” Isa Gambar, leader of the opposition Musavat Party, told Reuters by telephone.

Police officials declined to comment on the arrests.

The police detained about 150 people at opposition rallies in Baku last month. The protests were inspired by unrest in the Middle East and North Africa, but analysts believe a revolt in energy supplier Azerbaijan is highly unlikely.

Hundreds of protesters, including members of opposition parties and activists, were trying to get to the square when riot police detained them.

Demonstrators shouted “Resign!” and “Freedom!” before members of the security forces began pushing people into buses.

Some of protesters had banners saying: “Ilham, go away!,” a reference to President Ilham Aliyev.

Gambar said there would be more such demonstrations.

“Our protests will continue. It’s not ruled out that the next rally will be held on April 9,” Gambar said.

Read More »Police break up opposition rally in Azerbaijan