On April 9 in RA National Assembly hearings on draft laws decriminalizing libel and insult, as well as introducing the institute of moral loss compensation, were held. As it has been reported, the drafts were initiated by NA deputies Hovhannes Margarian (“Orinats Yerkir” party), Ruben Gevorgian (“Prosperous Armenia” party) and Hovhannes Sahakian (Republican Party of Armenia). The package of draft laws “On Introducing Amendments and Supplements to the RA Civil Code”, “On Introducing Amendments to the RA Criminal Code” and “On Introducing an Amendment to the RA Criminal Procedure Code” was adopted in first hearing on March 18 (see YPC Weekly Newsletter, March 12-18, 2010).
The representatives of journalistic community, who were present at the parliamentary hearings, voiced a number of key observations regarding the document. According to YPC President Boris Navasardian, the package has to be reconsidered in first hearing, for some structural changes should be introduced to it.
For implementing the recommendations a working group, staffed by representatives of journalistic associations, including YPC, was formed under the NA Standing Committee on State and Legal Affairs.
