PRESS CLUB” TALK SHOW: PROS AND CONS OF SOCIAL MEDIA
On November 5, the season’s first program of “Press Club” cycle, dealing with journalistic ethics, went on “Yerkir Media” TV company. The TV shows’ series are produced by Yerevan Press Club in the frames of the “Promoting Freedom, Professionalism and Pluralism of the Media in the South Caucasus and Moldova” programme, co-funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe.
The talk show considered the advantages and disadvantages of social media. Diverse viewpoints on the issue were presented by the “Press Club” discussants – Konstantin Ter-Nakalian, blogger, Assistant to Chief Editor of www.blognews.am, and Anna Israelian, Editor of www.aravot.am. The experts of the program were Manana Aslamazian, Director of “Alternative Resources in Media” project, lawyer Ara Ghazarian, Suren Deherian, Head of “Journalists for the Future” NGO, Gegham Manukian, Director of the News and Current Affairs Programs of “Yerkir Media” TV company. YPC President Boris Navasardian hosted the talk show.
The next “Press Club” talk show will be aired on “Yerkir Media” on Monday, November 12 at 18.00 (rerun – on Saturday, November 17 at 12.50).
Watch “Press Club” of November 5, 2012 here
REPRESENTATIVES OF EAP CSF ARMENIAN NATIONAL PLATFORM DISCUSSED ISSUES OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND SOCIAL DIALOGUE
On November 2-4, in Dilijan, Tavush region, Yerevan Press Club held the seminar “The Role of the EaP Civil Society Forum in Fostering Reform in the Fields of Human Rights and Social Dialogue”. The event, supported by the Friedrich Ebert Foundation, was attended by NGOs, joining the Armenian National Platform of Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum, experts from Belarus and Georgia.
The report of Grigori Grigoryants, Child-Welfare Advocacy Officer of World Vision Armenia, presented the situation of human rights in Armenia from the civil society’s perspective. Tamar Chugoshvili, member of EaP CSF First Working Group, Chairwoman of Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association, talked about the implementation of CSF recommendations on human rights in Georgia and reflected upon the results of the recent parliamentary elections in the country. Aliaksandr Yarashuk, President of the Belarus Congress of Democratic Trade Unions, spoke about the role of social dialogue in democracy building and the expectations from the newly-established CSF Fifth Working Group on Social Dialogue. Levon Khachatrian, Head of Educational Research Centre at Confederation of Trade Unions of Armenia, introduced to the concept for developing social dialogue in Armenia. Seyran Martirosian, Facilitator of EaP CSF Armenian National Platform, told about the activities of the National Platform and its future. The report of YPC President Boris Navasardian dealt with the Fourth EaP Civil Society Forum, which will be held on November 29-30, 2012 in Stockholm.
TIGRAN KOCHARIAN ADDS FINANCIAL CLAIMS VERSUS FOUNDER OF “CHORRORD INKNISHKHANUTIUN” DAILY
On November 5, Court of General Jurisdiction of Kentron and Nork-Marash administrative districts of Yerevan ended the preliminary hearings on the suit of blogger Tigran Kocharian versus the founder of “Chorrord Inknishkhanutiun” daily, “Trespassers W.” LLC. As we have reported, the basis for the litigation was the piece “Fascist and Elephant: Save the Elephants”, published in “Chorrord Inknishkhanutiun” on July 13, 2012. The piece contained critics about Tigran Kocharian, whose Internet nickname is “Elephant”. The plaintiff demanded refutation, moral damage in the amount of 3 million AMD, caused by libel and insult (see YPC Weekly Newsletter, September 21-27, 2012). In the course of preliminary hearings the financial claims rose by 500,000 AMD (attorney fees), thus making the overall amount 3,500,000 AMD (about $ 8,600).
The next court session is assigned on November 12.
DEAN OF VANADZOR STATE PEDAGOGICAL INSTITUTE RECALLS SUIT VERSUS “HETQ” CORRESPONDENT
On November 2, Court of General Jurisdiction of Lori region dismissed the case on the suit of Tereza Shakhverdian, Dean of Pedagogic Faculty of Vanadzor State Pedagogical Institute, versus Adrineh Torosian, correspondent of “Hetq” online. (“Hetq” was involved in the case as a third party.) The basis for the Court’s ruling was the withdrawal of the suit. At the same time, the Court bound Tereza Shakhverdian to pay off the attorney costs of the plaintiff in the amount of 185,000 AMD ($ 450). As we have reported, the matter of the protracted litigation that had started on December 5, 2011, was the piece “Unhealthy Passions at Vanadzor Pedagogical Institute”, published in “Hetq” on May 13, 2011(see details in “On Freedom of Speech in Armenia” Yerevan Press Club report for 2011 at https://ypc.am/about_freedom/ln/eng).
