On May 5-6 in Tsaghkadzor a conference on "The Role of European Court of Human Rights in the Protection of Freedom of Speech and Media" was held. The conference was organized by the RA Center of Constitutional Law, Armenian Association of International Law, the RA Union of Judges and the Journalists Union of Armenia with the support of Friedrich Ebert Foundation. Having summarized the conference, the participants made a joint statement, where the concern over the existing relations of the judicial power and the media is expressed and an appeal is made to form these relations on a legal basis.
The statement mentions, in particular, that, having ratified the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, Armenia must build its internal relations in conformity with the criteria of the Council of Europe. This makes it necessary that the relations between the judges and journalists be developed according to the norms and principles, existing in European countries and reflected in the resolutions of European Court of Human Rights.
In the opinion of the participants, it is very important that the freedom of media be ensured and, on the other hand, no abuse be indulged in by the media themselves. The atmosphere of mutual distrust and intolerance must also be replaced by cooperation between the judicial power and media, by their support and assistance to each other.
