Thursday, April 1 2021 15:20

ArmInfo. The attempts of the authorities to toughen the responsibility and punishment of the media for slander are due to their desire to put pressure on the  unfavorable information atmosphere. A similar opinion was expressed  to ArmInfo by the president of the Yerevan Press Club, Boris Navasardyan.

"The amendments to the RA Civil Code proposed by NA Deputy Speaker  Alen Simonyan, according to which the fine for insults and slander is  proposed to be increased three times, are an attempt by the  authorities to find ways to protect themselves. But I don't think  that increasing the fine from one million to three or from two  million to six can significantly change the situation. Thus, all  these initiatives will only demonstrate their unacceptability and  meaninglessness. Or they simply will not achieve their result, " the  expert predicts.

In this light, Navasardyan welcomed the appeal of the international  human rights organization Freedom House, addressed to the President  of Armenia, not to sign this bill. According to him, the  international structures practically did not pay attention to the  concerns voiced not so long ago by the Armenian public organizations  and the journalistic community.

"And the change in this trend observed today, without any doubt, is  quite a positive trend. All our attempts of the past years  demonstrate that the success of civil society, the success of the  expert and analytical community is possible only if their position  coincides with the positions of international structures. And today  we seem to see the restoration of such an environment in relation to  Armenia, " he stressed.  Commenting on the prospects of signing this  law by President Armen Sarkissian, the expert stressed that the main  reason that can encourage the president not to sign the document and  apply to the Constitutional Court to check its compliance with the  Constitution, most likely, will be consultations with lawyers. And,  according to his forecasts, apparently, Sarkisian will do just that.

"In any case, I consider this bill as a step back in the sphere of  protecting freedom of speech and the media in our country. And I do  not see any justification for the fact that the previous fine was  ineffective in preventing the spread of slander and insults on the  pages of the media. Accordingly, I do not see any need for its  tripling, " the President of the YPC summed up.