Two men who beat an American journalist Amanda Erickson and a British human rights activist Celia Davis have been detained in Baku by Yasamal district police, Azerbaijani Interior Ministry’s press service told Trend Saturday.

On the night from 15 to 16 June, about 00:20 on Vidadi street in Azerbaijani capital’s Yasamal district four unknown persons beat two women – citizen of Great Britain Celia Davies and U.S. national Amanda Erickson

The detained are a resident of Ramana settlement Adil Tagizade (born 1993) and a resident of Baku’s Nasimi district Roman Hasanov (born 1989).

The investigators also know the names of two other assailants; operational activities are held in order to detain them.

Source: Trend.az

Read More »Two detained over foreign journalists’ beating in Azerbaijan

Gori TV-Radio Company ‘Trialeti’, broadcasting in Shida Kartli region appeals in court for abuse of dignity and business reputation against the creators of the motion picture ‘5 Days of War’ – director Renny Harlin, producers Papuna Davidaia and Koba Nakopia.  This was announced by the TV Company June 23, claiming that there is untruthful information in the movie.

In one of the episodes of the movie broadly advertised in Georgia foreign journalists attempt to bring video-footage to a TV Company, but they see locked gates.  Logo of the TV Company can also be identified in the episode.  This was the episode ‘Trialeti’ is protesting against.

‘Trialeti’ founder Badri Nanetashvili claims that during the military activities the TV Company has not been closed for a second.  There was an international media-centre in the TV Company building and local journalists, who were expecting bombing, left the building the last.  Nanetashvili believes the appearance of such episode in the movie to be an execution of a political order by the director and deliberate discrimination of the TV Company.  Nanetashvili believes the government continues putting pressure on “Trialeti.”

Read More »Georgian TV Sues American Movie

As investigative journalists Ahmet Sik and Nedim Sener completed their 100th day in prison, hundreds of people marched down Istanbul’s Istiklal Avenue on 18 June to demand their release and the release of all the other journalists detained in Turkey. It was the third big march since their arrest on 6 March.

There is no sign of any weakening in support for Sik and Sener, whose fourth request for provisional release has just been rejected by the Istanbul prosecutor’s office. They have yet to be formally indicted.

“Now that the 12 June elections are over, the government must move quickly to end the persecution of journalists by the police and judicial authorities and to guarantee the right to news and information,” Reporters Without Borders said. “The immediate release of Sik and Sener would be an important symbolic step in this direction.”

Source: Reporters Without Borders

Read More »Two Journalists Complete 100th Day In Prison

According to International Telecommunication Union’s treaty of 2006, starting from January 2015 Armenia must transfer from analog broadcasting of radio and TV programs to digital broadcasting.

Unlimited broadcasting and HD sound and picture are not the only advantages of digital TV. It gives the chance to broadcast several programs on the same frequency and creates new technical opportunities for broadcasters and viewers. Today, three cable and IP TV operators in Yerevan allow their subscribers to enjoy the advantages of the digital TV.

According to official sources, full digitalization in Armenia will cost around $30 million. Simon Aghajanyan, head of the working group on technical issues of the committee supervising digitalization, says that the money will be given partially, and adds that funding sources are unnkown yet.

It is expected that the project will be financed by donor organizations through interest-free credits. To repay the loans, the government can possibly privatize a part of the digital broadcasting network.

“The project of the input of digital broadcasting in Armenia has been presented to the government,” says Aghajanyan.

Read More »To Buy or Not to Buy a New TV set? Armenian TV Viewers will Not Stay Away from Digitalization Process

The chief editor of the Kolyma Plus TV channel, Anatoly Bitkov, was found dead in his apartment in the Russian Far Eastern town of Magadan early on Wednesday, a spokesman for the local administration reported.

A spokesman for the Russian Investigative Committee said a criminal case was opened into the journalist’s murder.

Bitkov, 38, was a member of Russia’s Union of Journalists. He authored and anchored news and analytical programs.

Kolyma Plus is a Magadan-based broadcaster.

Source: RIA Novosti

Read More »Russian journalist killed in Far East

During a seminar-discussion that took place recently in Yerevan was argumented that public figures should be more tolerant towards criticizm than “simple mortals” as they have chosen their public way of activity volunteerly which focuses attention of other people including journalists.

And what’s the picture in Armenia? People who consider themselves as public figures one after another “insulted and defamed” knock on courts’ doors without realizing that they can leave the court halls even more discredited.

It’s hard to say what makes them act like this. But it is a fact that many of them have problems accepting critisizm in the course of their public activity. Moreover, very often they hurry to sue media without even understanding the meaning of the insulting word putting themselves in an unprofitable situations risking their honor and reputation.

For instance, the republican MP Tigran Arzaqantsyan’s case, who sued the “Yerkir” daily in March for isulting, defaming, violating his dingity and honor. The MP, who is also the owner of the “Great Valley” company producing vine and brandy, demanded 3 million AMD as compensation.

Only Mr. Arzaqantsyan knows what he gained in the course of the processing (not counting 288.000 AMD which is minimal for him). Did he enjoy the judge’s detailed explanations of word-building and calls on accepting his origins.

Read More »Beauty and Misery of Public Activity or Arzaqantsyan against “Yerkir”

The prosecutor in the case of murdered Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink has demanded that the confessed killer received between 18 and 27 years in prison for the crime.

Dink was viewed by ultra-nationalists as a traitor, an enemy of Turks and a despicable Armenian due to the defamatory campaign launched against him, read the legal statement issued by Prosecutor Ali Demir.

Demir presented his legal opinion Friday based on case investigations pertaining to Dink at the trial of Ogün Samast, who is being tried at juvenile court on charges of premeditated murder and carrying an unlicensed firearm.

Dink was targeted as an enemy of Turks because of the articles he wrote, the legal opinion said, according to Anatolia news agency.

Demir’s statement argued that Samast committed the murder with premeditation and in cold blood. Samast did, however, show repentance in the time since the killing, according to Demir.

Source: Hurriyet Daily News

Read More »Dink’s killer faces 27 years in prison

Iran and Cuba top the list of repressive governments that have forced 67 journalists into exile in the past 12 months, the US-based Committee to Protect Journalists said in a survey released Monday.

Iran and Cuba each sent 18 journalists, some accompanied by families, into exile.

CPJ released the report to mark World Refugee Day, which is held each year on June 20.

None of the 67 exiled journalists in the last 12 months have been able to return home, CPJ said. Twenty-two are from countries in the Middle East and North Africa, 19 from the Americas, 19 from Africa, six from Asia, and one from Central Asia.

Source: Trend.az

Read More »Iran is one of the lead countries forcing journalists into exile

An American journalist and British human rights activist were reportedly attacked and beaten in Baku late on June 15, RFE/RL’s Azerbaijani Service reports.

Reports say four athletic young men followed journalist Amanda Erickson and activist Celia Davies Carys as they were walking to their apartments and then attacked them near the National Drama Theater.

Carys reportedly has a broken arm from the assault.

The U.S. Embassy in Baku said today it is aware of the crime and embassy personnel are providing assistance to the victims. It said questions about the investigation should be addressed to Azerbaijani police.

Orkhan Mansurzadeh of the Azerbaijani Interior Ministry told RFE/RL that the issue needs to be investigated.

Erickson and Carys have been conducting training for local journalists and civil society activists in Baku.

Source: RFE/RL

Read More »U.S. Journalist, British Activist Assaulted In Azerbaijan

Following the June 10 order issued by the Georgian National Communications Commission (GNCC) all of the cable companies operating in Georgia, whose number tops 90, have been demanded to quit the rebroadcasting of Russian channels such as „НТВ+ премьера”, „НТВ+ кино клуб” and „НТВ+ кино хит.”

According to the same order providers shall submit to GNCC the notarized copies of the documents certifying the right to conduct broadcasting on the territory of Georgia.

The order was based on the statement by Super TV cable company. The latter is accusing its competitors of the illegal transit of the aforementioned Russian channels. The complainant company itself, which entered the Tbilisi cable broadcasting market in January 2011, is offering users up to 40 channels with the exclusion of NTV package due to no right to do so.

The Silknet communications company whose interactive television SILK TV enjoys 14,000 subscribers has already replaced NTV channels with Video on Demand. The novelty was introduced to the public by Ramaz Kukuladze, Deputy Director General speaking at the June 15 press conference. Video on Demand includes up to 400 Georgian and foreign movies. And every Friday five new entries will be added to the collection.

Read More »No more NTV+ in Georgia