The statement of the UJA on the absurd accusations against the journalist, the report of the “Reporters Without Borders” organization , and the persecution of the authorities
ANNOUNCEMENT
On May 15, it became known that a public criminal prosecution had been initiated against journalist Anush Mirzoyan from Syunik. The journalist announced this by posting a video on her Facebook page.
As it later turned out, the public criminal prosecution against Anush Mirzoyan was initiated in the 4-year-old case known as Syunik Greeting.
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The motion to choose administrative supervision as a preventive measure against our colleague was being examined in court on the same day, which, fortunately, was not granted.
Anush Mirzoyan was charged with aiding and abetting mass unrest, when the journalist had merely presented the entire course of events that day.
Thus, the journalist was accused of being a journalist and carrying out her professional work.
This is a simple description of what happened. In reality, something terrible occurred that day, which we consider necessary to make a special reference to.
It would be shameful for any lawyer to bring such an accusation against a journalist, even if it is done within the framework of a political order, because journalism is one of the types of professional activity that is protected by the Criminal Code.
There is no guarantee that this will not happen to each of us in the future: from now on, any journalist working at the center of a criminal proceeding will be at risk of being accused.
Since coming to power in 2018, these authorities have considered journalists to be class enemies, trying in every way to limit the work of media outlets that they do not like. They have used any means against the media, journalists, free speech, dissent, and political opponents: spreading fear, threats, beatings, scuffles, hate speech, an unprecedented number of lawsuits, imposing fines, organized attacks on social networks, including against journalists’ minor children and family members, targeting and discrediting them through social networks and their affiliated websites, instigating hatred… The activities of media outlets that support the authorities or carry out their propaganda are not limited.
What happened is not only evidence of the authorities’ attitude towards free speech and dissent, but also of their unbridled behavior, permissiveness, and impunity. And the irony is that this is happening after Reporters Without Borders presented Armenia as a country that has improved its position in its annual Press Freedom Index.
In a report published on the eve of World Press Freedom Day, Reporters Without Borders wrote that “Armenia is facing an unprecedented level of disinformation and hate speech, which is due to domestic political tensions, border security issues, and the complex geopolitical situation between Russia and the European Union.” And this is in the case when this organization, based on geopolitical expediency and the conjuncture, repeatedly ignores the reckless behavior and actions of the current authorities of the Republic of Armenia and individual figures.
And what is especially puzzling is the fact that the authors of the report present as independent media only those websites that benefit from Western programs and grants, while some simply refrain from harsh criticism.
This is an extremely dangerous phenomenon that allows the current authorities of Armenia not only to continue their behavior and permissiveness, but also, referring to that same report and “fake democracy”, to become even more unbridled, taking new steps against the media and freedom of speech.
The Union of Journalists of Armenia strongly condemns the incident surrounding journalist Anush Mirzoyan, assessing it as a gross interference in journalistic activities in general, spreading an atmosphere of fear, which aims to limit free speech and hinder journalists in carrying out their professional activities.
We condemn and do not accept the report of the organization “Reporters Without Borders”, which is composed not only of distortion of facts, manipulative assessments, but also of geopolitical expediency, the use of double standards and bias.
Do not allow the behavior of the current authorities of the Republic of Armenia against freedom of speech and the media, which very often crosses the boundaries of human and moral decency, to become even more rampant and impudent under the slogans of false democracy.
PRESIDENT OF THE UNION OF THE JOURNALISTS OF ARMENIA
SATIK SEYRANYAN
