The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joined its affiliate in Armenia, the Union of Journalists of Armenia (UJA), in denouncing the authorities’ misuse of anti-hooliganism legislation to suppress press freedom and freedom of expression. The EFJ and UJA demand the immediate release of Narek Samsonyan and Vazgen Saghatelyan, co-authors of the podcast “Imnemnimi”, imprisoned for criticising Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.
Yesterday, during the briefing held in the parliament, Khachatur Sukiasyan, member of the ruling Civil Contract party of the National Assembly, made a number of insulting expressions to the journalist of the Aravot daily Hripsime Jebejyan, targeting the woman, her parents, relatives and the editor-in-chief of the media she represented. Sukiasyan responded with street vocabulary, in an obviously aggressive and threatening tone to the questions that Jebejian, as a journalist conveying public sentiments, addressed to the deputy.
“The violation of human rights and the decline of democracy are obvious in the Republic of Armenia. In front of the international community, the current government of Armenia pretends to progress in democracy, while grossly violating human rights and fundamental freedoms.
Let’s remind that yesterday citizen Samvel Vardanyan, upon seeing Hakob Aslanyan from the CC of the National Assembly (NA) on public transport, called him “treacherous bastard”, after which the deputy attacked the latter.
— The anatomy of today’s calamity and nightmare is as glaringly evident as a high-resolution MRI scan of the human body. Error upon error by Nikol Pashinyan has cascaded into war and the first partial loss of Nagorno Karabakh.
Last week in Brussels, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced what has been described as a “landmark plan to help pull Armenia out of Russia’s orbit.”
The release from the Ministry of Defence of Azerbaijan alleging that on April 9, at 10:40 a.m., the units of the Armenian Armed Forces fired upon Azerbaijani combat positions in the eastern border zone, does not align with the facts.
Interview with International Relations expert from Stanford University Dr. Arthur Khachikian
The editorial staff of AntiFake.am and the Board Members of the “Civic Consciousness” NGO wrote a letter to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Marija Pejčinović Burić. The letter was handed over to the Secretary General of the CE, Ms. Marija Burić and was read to the public today during the protest held near the RA MFA building on the occasion of Ms. Burić’s visit.
On the morning of March 22, after leaving his apartment, several police officers attacked Narek Samsonyan, the founder of AntiFake.am website, founder of “Civic Consciousness” NGO, co-author and moderator of “Imnemnimi” podcast, from behind in the parking lot and, using disproportionate brute force, knocked him to the ground.
