The Department of Information and Public Relations of the Prime Minister’s Office has announced that “the ceremony of paying tribute by the top leadership of the Republic of Armenia on the occasion of the 109th commemoration of the Armenian Genocide on April 24 will be ceremonial” (it will be broadcast live on an open channel by the Public Television Company). The same message states that the Prime Minister’s staff will only accredit photographers to cover the event, and all media representatives will be allowed to enter the memorial from 09:30.
This is yet another scandalous, shameful expression of restriction of receiving information and full performance of professional work by the current authorities of Armenia. Moreover, there has never been such a precedent.
With this unacceptable decision, the authorities show their fears and, most importantly, their attitude towards the work of media and journalists.
The participation of officials in such events is in all cases ceremonial, and the justification mentioned in the statement of the Department of Information and Public Relations is simple nonsense. The ceremonial nature of such events does not in any way limit the possibility, necessity and importance of coverage by representatives of other mass media.
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At the same time, this method of closing cemeteries and the areas of monuments and memorials against the press is becoming a way of acting of the government.
This year, on January 28, on the occasion of the formation holiday of the Armenian Army, the entry of journalists to the Yerablur military pantheon was rudely prohibited.
Such steps taken by the government of the country that declares itself to be a “bastion of democracy”, especially their consistent nature, testify to the violation of democratic values, including and first of all, brazen steps against the freedom of the press and speech.
The Union of Journalists of Armenia strongly condemns this anti-democratic behavior of the Government and demands an immediate review of this decision against the press and to give media representatives the opportunity to freely cover the events of the Armenian Genocide anniversary without time restrictions.
UNION OF JOURNALISTS OF ARMENIA