The
civil forum "Turn" held by public organizations interfacing with the
referendum "Defending "A1+" was held at the same day. The
organizers of both actions and the main participants are the same young people
who are the part of "Youth in favor of democracy", "Armenian committee
of Helsinki civil assembly" and other public organizations. The "Turn"
forum was held with the slogan " Are we participants or accomplices, do we
tolerate or rebel?" The aim of the discussion is to make an attempt to find
" the real and acting ways for the influence on the situation by not indifferent
citizens." It was asked to all participants to answer to those questions
that what have we succeeded in and thanks to what, what haven’t we succeeded in
and because of what and at least in what spheres must we work? It was decided
to concentrate the activities of the forum on organizing elections, free electronic
sources, constitutional amendments, justice, and education and city construction.The
issue of "A1+" was constantly stressing during the forum. The chairman
of Helsinki committee of Armenia Avetik Ishkhanian suggested to believe in reopening
of "A1+" drawing the following parallel: "The apprehension that
those issues won’t be solved since the authorities hasn’t been changed existed
in soviet years, too. The authorities are changed but a lot of issues remain the
same." The representative of "A1+" in the European court of Human
rights Tigran Ter-Yesayan mentioned that the lack of consistency prevents to the
activities of these organizations: "The organized actions must be brought
to the end". The expert of the forum, the doctor of philosophical sciences
Levon Abrahamian mentioned he felt some bitterness taking part in the demonstration
held at the monument of Komitas: " I thought whether the adherents of the
freedom of speech are so few. Then I tried to calm me down that the quantity isn’t
so important for the truth. The truth remains as the truth irrespective of that
how many people protect it 100 or 100000."The chairman of "Asparez"
club in Giumry Levon Barseghian declared in his speech: "All those people
who think that the problem of "A1+" only refers to mass media and doesn’t
include policy they are certainly mistaken. The passed three years showed us that
the problem of "A1+" wasn’t possible to solve by the all known ways
of democracy in the conditions of this regime." The head of the Vanadzor
branch of the Armenian committee of Helsinki civil assembly Arthur Sakunts paying
attention to the large amount of policemen said: "This also shows the attitudes
towards any public action directed to the freedom of the speech". He affirmed
that they wouldn’t admit the reality of closing that TV Company which allowed
expressing various opinions. He promised that the actions of protest would be
continued unless the right of free speech was restored. The participant of
"Turn" civil forum Gayane Markosian informed about the progress initiation
of this demonstration that showing films would be continued "unless real
free TV companies appear in our air". The action of gathering signatures
for protecting "A1+" will be continued till 3 of May, the Day of Freedom
of the Press. " It’s all the same, the free speech will win as we don’t have
any alternative,"- the head of public organization "Cooperation in favor
of democracy" Stepan Danielian declared.Anna Istraelian