"Reporters Without Borders": lawsuits against newspapers threaten freedom of speech in Armenia

Unjustified sums of compensation juridically demanded from a number of Armenian newspapers jeopardize the existence of these mass media and promote creating an atmosphere of self-censure in then, international organization "Reporters Without Borders" states.

"The practice of the use of lawsuits for the purpose of putting the newspapers to silence must be stopped. 12 lawsuits against the press were submitted only in the first quarter of 2011 and independent mass media became the major target", the organization's statement issued on May, 1, runs. 

Earlier, the "Caucasian Knot" reported that a process against oppositional newspaper "Aikakan Zhamanak" ("Armenian Times") was going on at the claim of three deputies of the Parliament. The court is also regarding a lawsuit of insult and slander on the claim of Tigran Arzakantsyan, deputy from the ruling Republican party of Armenia, owner of wine and cognac producing company "Great Valley", against "Yekir" newspaper, and ex-President Robert Kacharyan and his family are litigating with two oppositional newspapers at once: "Zhamanak" ("Time") and "Graparak" ("Square"). 

Last May National Assembly of Armenia adopted a law "On enactment of changes and amendments to the Civil Code" according to which an administrative, not criminal, penalty must be imposed on a physical or juridical person for insult and slander which also stipulates large sums of fines. 

Solicitors' Chamber of Armenia suggested the judges to revise the sums demanded by the claimants for advocation within the framework of cases against mass media. The solicitors also suggest not to sequestrate the property and funds of mass media as security for a claim.