Two main independent TV stations still without broadcasting licences
(RSF/IFEX) – RSF has criticised the Armenian authorities for refusing once again to grant broadcasting licences to Armenia’s two main independent TV stations. The organisation said the decision raised “serious doubts” about the impartiality of the country’s media regulatory body. On 18 July 2003, applications by the A1+ and Noyan Tapan stations were rejected by […]
Local television station suspended
(RSF/IFEX) – On 22 May 2003, RSF urged the authorities to make respect for press freedom a priority in the 25 May legislative elections and referendum, as there were many violations of press freedom in the two rounds of the presidential election held in February and March. The organisation also voiced concern about the suspension […]
Local journalist violently attacked
(CPJ/IFEX) – The following is a 30 April 2003 CPJ press release: ARMENIA: Local journalist violently attacked New York, April 30, 2003-The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) condemns yesterday’s violent attack against Mger Galechian, a journalist with the opposition newspaper Chorrord Ishkhanutyun, which is based in Armenia’s capital, Yerevan. According to Armenian and Russian news […]
RSF criticises “double standard” in hunt for one journalist’s attackers, another’s killers
(RSF/IFEX) – On 17 March 2003, RSF criticised what it considers to be the Armenian authorities’ “double standard” in making new arrests in the murder of pro-government journalist Tigran Naghdalian, head of the state-owned television station, while suspending an inquiry into a bomb attack on independent investigative reporter Mark Grigorian. “The strenuous efforts to solve […]
Police arrest suspects in television chief’s murder
(CPJ/IFEX) – The following is a 6 March 2003 CPJ press release: ARMENIA: Police arrest suspects in television chief’s murder New York, March 6, 2003-Armenian police yesterday arrested six suspects in the December 2002 murder of Tigran Nagdalian, the 36-year-old head of the state-owned Armenian Public Television. The police continue to look for other individuals […]
RSF concerned about attacks on journalists during presidential election
(RSF/IFEX) – RSF has urged Armenia’s electoral authorities to ensure that the 5 March 2003 presidential election run-off is not marred by incidents similar to those that took place in the first round, on 19 February, when several journalists were the targets of violence and obstruction. “We ask you to do everything possible to ensure […]
Prominent television chief assassinated
(CPJ/IFEX) – The following is a CPJ press release: ARMENIA: PROMINENT TELEVISION CHIEF ASSASSINATED New York, December 30, 2002-Tigran Nagdalian, the 36-year-old head of the state-owned Armenian Public Television, was shot in the head as he was leaving his parents home in Armenia’s capital, Yerevan, on Saturday, December 28. The journalist was rushed to a […]
Independent journalist in stable condition following grenade attack, investigation opened
(CPJ/IFEX) – The following is a 24 October 2002 CPJ press release: ARMENIA: Prominent independent journalist injured in grenade attack New York, October 24, 2002-Armenian free-lance journalist Mark Grigorian suffered serious shrapnel wounds to the head and chest from a grenade thrown at him as he walked through the center of the country’s capital, Yerevan. […]
Investigative journalist injured in grenade attack
(RSF/IFEX) – On 24 October 2002, RSF voiced its outrage over a grenade attack that seriously injured investigative journalist Mark Grigorian in the centre of the Armenian capital of Yerevan on the night of 22 October. Grigorian, who is deputy director of the Caucasus Institute for Mass Media and RSF’s correspondent in Yerevan, believes the […]
No major independent television stations left, says ARTICLE 19
(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) – The following is a 24 June 2002 ARTICLE 19 press release: No Major Independent Television Stations Left in Armenia ARTICLE 19, the Global Campaign for Free Expression, today expresses concern over the lack of independence of the Armenian National Commission on Television and Radio. This poses a significant barrier to the development […]
Independent TV channel forced off the air
(CPJ/IFEX) – The following is an 8 April 2002 CPJ press release: ARMENIA: Independent TV channel forced off the air New York, April 8, 2002-CPJ is alarmed that the independent television channel A1+ has lost its broadcast frequency and been forced off the air. On April 2, the National Committee on Television and Radio (NCTR), […]
Journalist beaten
(CPJ/IFEX) – In a 19 June 2000 letter to Armenian President Robert Kocharian, CPJ protested the brutal beating of an independent Armenian journalist. According to local sources, Vahagn Ghukasian, a contributor to the Yerevan-based daily “Aravot”, the daily “Haykakan Jamanak”, and the weekly “Chorrord Ishkhanutiun”, was taken on 6 June to the Interior Ministry, where […]
CPJ disturbed by arrest and continued detention of Nagorno-Karabakh Republic journalist
In a 6 April 2000 letter to Karen Mirzorian, representative of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, CPJ stated that it is greatly disturbed by the arrest and continued detention of Vahram Aghajanian, a journalist with the newspaper “Tasnerord Nahang” in the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh, and a contributor to the Yerevan, Armenia-based paper “Iravunk”. On 28 March 2000, […]
CPJ protests criminal prosecution of journalist
(CPJ/IFEX) – CPJ is deeply disturbed by the criminal prosecution of Nikol Pashinian, editor-in-chief of the opposition daily “Oragir”, as well as by efforts on the part of President Robert Kocharian’s government to shut down the paper. **Updates IFEX alerts of 10 September and 8 September 1999** On 31 August 1999, a Yerevan court sentenced […]
RSF protests sentencing of journalist
(RSF/IFEX) – In an 8 September 1999 letter to Justice Minister David Haroutiunian, RSF protested the one-year prison sentence against journalist Nikolai Pashinyan for “defamation”. Not wishing to comment on the content of the incriminating article, RSF pointed out that sentencing a person to a term of imprisonment for a press offence is regarded as […]
Journalist receives prison sentence
(GDF/IFEX) – The following is a GDF press release: Moscow, September 9, 1999 Armenia: court sentence imprisons journalist Press release On 31 August 1999, Judge Pargev Oganyan of the first instance court of the Central and Nork-Marash regions of Yerevan, pronounced a sentence in the court case initiated against Nikol Pashinyan, editor-in-chief of the daily […]