RwB urge to stop persecuting journalists in Armenia

The international organization to protect journalists "Reporters without Borders" (RwB) has demanded from the Special Investigating Service of Armenia to close the case against Kristine Khanumyan, the editor of the website "ILur.am", who refused to disclose the source of information about abuse of power by Vardan Nadaryan, the police boss of the Shirak Region.

On May 12, 2014, the "ILur.am" and the newspaper "Graparak" published an article telling that on May 7 the above Vardan Nadaryan attacked in Gyumri the well-known wrestler Arthur Aleksanyan and his brother. At the demand of the prosecutor's office, a criminal case was opened, and the court ruled to oblige the "ILur.am" and the "Graparak" to disclose their source of information. The advocates of the editions lodged an appeal, but on September 22, 2014, the court upheld the earlier judgment.

As noted in the release of the RwB disseminated on July 21, it is for the first time in Armenia that a journalist may be made criminally liable for refusing to disclose her source.

The release of the RwB stresses that "the confidentiality of sources of information is a prerequisite for journalists' freedom." The RwB has urged the Special Investigating Service of Armenia to stop prosecuting Kristine Khanumyan.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.