Freedom of Speech in Armenia and Parliamentary Elections
00:00, March 16, 2007 | Freedom of Information and Speech
On March 15th Yerevan Press Club organized discussion in the office of HCA Vanadzor on “The Problems of Freedom of Speech and Independence of Mass Media”.
During the discussion, in which the representatives of Vanadzor Mass Media and Non-Governmental Organizations took part, the specialists of Yerevan Press Club and the Committee to Protect Freedom of Expression told about the monitoring they had done.
Mesrop Harutyunyan, an expert from Yerevan Press Club, presented the monitoring results of TV channels of Armenia which was held during a few months before the official start of election campaign for the Parliamentary Elections of 2007. According to him, the TV companies must give all the candidates equal opportunities for presenting their programs and viewpoints. H1, H2 public TVs, Shant, Kentron, Yerkir Media, ALM, Armenia television companies have provided air to the political parties. All these 7 television companies have provided the most airtime to Zhoghovrdakan/ People’s Party lead by Mr. Tigran Karapetyan, 78.263 seconds. The major part of this airtime belongs to Tigran Karapetyan’s TV station, ALM, 76.600 seconds. In the second place after Tigran Karapetyan’s party is Dashnaktsutyun Party (Armernian Revolutionary Party), to which 30.000 seconds of airtime is provided. Bargavach Hayastan Party (Prosperous Armenia), took the third place, 24.500 seconds, and in the fourth place is HHK (The Republican Party) with 22.630 seconds.
“Armenia” TV channel has shown political programs the least. It hosted only the Defense Minister of RA, Serge Sargsyan, in February.
Developing Mesrop Harutyunyan’s idea the president of Committee to Protect Freedom of Expression, Ashot Melikyan, pointed out hidden censorship in pre-election period. He said that the Mass Media are under censorship. According to him coverage of “Jarangutyun Party,” “Nor Jamanakner Party” and “Hanrapetutyun” party is forbidden through TV companies. Society does not know why the government put a taboo on these three political parties. The press conference of Aram Sargsyan, the president of Hanrapetutyun Party, has been shown only by Yerkir Media TV company. “This proved once more that the Mass Media are under pressure”, stated the experts during the discussion.
The participants came to a conclusion that TV companies and Mass Media are under pressure, and that only a few television companies satisfy the fixed responsibilities set for them.