“If now the access of media representatives into the municipality is complicated, their working conditions are forbidden, if additional restrictions are envisaged, it will be regarded as an ungrounded interference in media activity”, Ashot Melikyan, Chairman of Committee to Protect Freedom of Expression told Aravot.am.
He noticed that there is no accreditation procedure for journalists in local self-governing bodies, as these bodies are required to work openly, but: “If the government faces some difficulties, the restrictions first of all are directed against media and journalists”.
According to Mr. Melikyan, the initiative to hold closed-door governmental sessions in the future is a bad example for the state bodies, in this case, for local self-government bodies.
The Chairman of Committee to Protect Freedom of Expression noted that in terms of freedom of expression Armenia is almost always in the last place: “According to Freedom House Armenian media are not free, we are among the countries with non-free press, another question is that online media is considered to be freer than traditional media.
The tendency of recent years is worse according to our data, the figures for 2017 are much worse since both physical violence and pressures were more than in 2016. This year has just begun, but a number of obstacles, a number of difficulties have already been created, which indicate bad tendencies, but still, there is a chance to improve the situation”.
Arpine SIMONYAN
Melikyan is right when he called this journalist ban a “hindrance,” but I’d consider much stronger words to be much more appropriate.
The banning of free press coverage of government meetings puts Armenia in “dictatorship” territory. The only reason the criminal regime would hide from journalists is because they are hiding their criminal activity! Every journalist should join organized protests for the restoration of their constitutional rights!
Thank you Arpine jan for this informative report!