Monday, June 25 2018 12:29

ArmInfo. Human Rights Defender of Armenia Arman Tatoyan is concerned over dangerous tendencies of attempts to influence the freedom of speech in the country.

 According to the statement of the Office of the Human Rights  Defender of Armenia ,received by ArmInfo, Tatoyan stressed that the  main indicator of the development of a democratic state is freedom of  speech, as well as protection of the professional activities of a  journalist. According to him, it is due to activities of journalist,  that a stable civil control over the state is ensured. "The  journalist is guided by the principle of responsibility in his work,  which obliges each representative of the state to be guided by the  presumption of the lawfulness and honesty of the journalist.  According to this, any encroachment on the journalist's professional  activity should receive a strict response from law enforcement  bodies, and the one who committed this violation must incur strict  punishment. Journalist himself must be sure that his/her activities  are protected by the state. Of course, everyone has the right to  choose the media he /she prefers to read, however, in specific cases,  the infringement of freedom of speech in social networks, as well as  insults addressed to the media raise concerns, "the statement reads.   Moreover, the Office of the Human Rights Defender of Armenia  expresses bewilderment by the fact that so far no law enforcement  agency has expressed an official stand on this issue. "Such an  approach is dangerous because it can create a favorable envornement  for undue violation of freedom of speech and the media." Concern is  growing concindering the fact the intolerance does not stop in social  networks, which in some cases reaches hatred. "Dissent should always  be encouraged, and one of  efficient guarantees of this, is the  functioning of free media in the country, "Tatoyan said in a  statement.  At the same time, he stressed that he intends to give  more serious attention to this problem, up to interaction with  international human rights organizations.