Suren Deheryan, president of the “Journalists for the Future” NGO, has spread an open letter addressed to the RA Ombudsman Karen Andreasyan. Today Deheryan personally handed the letter to Andreasyan during the forum “Human Rights: Defender’s Platform” at the Kecharis Hotel in Tsaghkadzor, in the presence of about 120 participants. The letter is represented below:<\/p>\n
Dear<\/strong> <\/strong>Mr<\/strong>. <\/strong>Andreasyan<\/strong>, <\/strong><\/p>\n I apply to you as a person who, together with his colleagues, has been closely cooperating with the deaf and hearing impaired young people teaching them skills of photography, journalism and the internet over the recent 8 months. The course participants have represented the issues and unequal conditions for the deaf in Armenia during the classes, as well as out of them and in friends\u2019 environment. I am sure that all those issues are solvable in case of manifestation of will by the state, the society and individuals.<\/p>\n In this letter I would like to refer to one of the issues indicated by all the deaf.<\/p>\n This is not related to their socio-economic status, but is just a moral-psychological problem and is directly linked to their constitutional rights to be informed as people and citizens of the Republic of Armenia, who want their rights be respected.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Suren Deheryan, president of the “Journalists for the Future” NGO, has spread an open letter addressed to the RA Ombudsman Karen Andreasyan. Today Deheryan personally handed the letter to Andreasyan during the forum “Human Rights: Defender’s Platform” at the Kecharis Hotel in Tsaghkadzor, in the presence of about 120 participants. The letter is represented below:<\/p>\n Dear<\/strong> <\/strong>Mr<\/strong>. <\/strong>Andreasyan<\/strong>, <\/strong><\/p>\n I apply to you as a person who, together with his colleagues, has been closely cooperating with the deaf and hearing impaired young people teaching them skills of photography, journalism and the internet over the recent 8 months. The course participants have represented the issues and unequal conditions for the deaf in Armenia during the classes, as well as out of them and in friends\u2019 environment. I am sure that all those issues are solvable in case of manifestation of will by the state, the society and individuals.<\/p>\n In this letter I would like to refer to one of the issues indicated by all the deaf.<\/p>\n This is not related to their socio-economic status, but is just a moral-psychological problem and is directly linked to their constitutional rights to be informed as people and citizens of the Republic of Armenia, who want their rights be respected.<\/p>\n According to certain data, today there are 3,000-3,500 hearing impaired citizens living in our country. They are deprived of their right to be informed, as no TV channel among the dozens (including the public channels) provide a news program accompanied by the deaf people’s native – signs\u2019 language.<\/p>\n I am addressing this letter to you as an Ombudsman and as a head of a working group <\/strong>formed upon the proposal of the RA president to<\/strong> prepare amendments to the RA \u2018Law on Television and Radio\u2019.<\/strong><\/p>\n My request is to involve also the following point while proposing amendments to the RA \u2018Law on Television and Radio\u2019: to remove the segment \u201c<\/em><\/strong>or with Armenian subtitles<\/em><\/strong>\u201d<\/em><\/strong> from sub-item (c) of item (3) of part 5 of article 26.<\/p>\n The mentioned sub-item of the Law reports: \u201cPublic television is obliged to provide accessibility of getting information for the deaf community among its programs, to broadcast at least one children\u2019s and one news program with surdo translation or with Armenian subtitles during its daily airtime.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Armenian subtitles which are provided today during some local programs are inconvenient and not understandable for the deaf and in many cases do not correspond to the image presented. For comparison, if for citizens with motor-skill problems it is necessary to provide an environment with no obstacles for free movement in all the regions of the country, then in the case of hearing impaired it is needed just a news program accompanied with sign translation.<\/p>\n On January 18 this year, young people with hearing problems of the \u201cVoice of Silence\u201d group applied to the head of the National Commission of Television and Radio Grigor Amalyan with similar request<\/a><\/strong>, and the copies were sent to a number of officials, including former Ombudsman Armen Harutyunyan, who, before leaving for another job, had responded in a written form that he has given a recommendation to deal with this issue, but so far no one has responded from the Ombudsman\u2019s Office (the answer by the NCTR president Amalyan can be accessed here<\/a><\/em><\/strong> <\/em><\/strong>).<\/p>\n Such indifferent treatment by the officials causes more disappointment for the deaf isolating them from the public. Through a consistent approach to this proposal it is simply needed to make the deaf voice be heard in the National Assembly.<\/p>\n P.S. Those who want to support this proposal, can join the \u201cWe demand to restore the right of 3,500 deaf people to be informed\u201d<\/a> on facebook. <\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Sincerely,<\/p>\n Suren Deheryan<\/p>\n President of \u201cJournalists for the Future\u201d NGO<\/p>\n June 2, 2011<\/p>\n