A baby is used in the ARF political advertisement and brochures under the motto “Freedom, Justice, ARF.” According to Article 14 of the Advertisement Act, video, audio or any other use of minors’ faces is banned, if it has nothing to do with goods for them. In response to a question of www.aravot.am whether they hadn’t violated the law using a minor, ARF faction leader Vahan Hovhannisyan said, “That kid hasn’t read that act, therefore he had agreed to be filmed.”
Armen Rustamyan, a representative of the ARF Supreme Body thinks, “If a child is with his/her mother, there is no violation.” Although the act doesn’t stipulate that it is allowed to use a child with his/her mother, aunt or uncle. Besides, according to the Children Rights Act, “Child’s views, beliefs and opinion ought to be paid due attention to in accordance with his/her age,” which implies that it is hard to clarify from a baby whether he/she share the ARF beliefs, whether he/she wants to be used in an advertisement or not.
Let us mention that the Advertisement Act doesn’t regulate political advertisement. There are no restrictions in the Electoral Code in that regard and it turns out that minors are basically not protected from being unconsciously used in political processes in that respect.
Hripcime JEBEJYAN
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