Friday, April 15 2022 11:54

ArmInfo.President of the Artsakh Republic Arayik Harutyunyan signed a decree on establishing rules for publishing or disseminating information during the legal  regime of martial law declared in the territory of the Artsakh  Republic. They are as follows:

1. During the legal regime of martial law declared in the territory  of the Artsakh Republic, proceeding from the necessity to ensure  state and public security of external and internal nature, any  military information, non-military information related to state  security, information and publications on the border situation of the  Artsakh Republic, publication and transmission of information  materials, interviews, reports, other information on military  equipment, republic's Armed Forces and other troops, as well as any  information directly related to them, (hereinafter all together  referred to as reports), including on websites, social networks  (hereinafter referred to as publications), should be done exclusively  with reference to official information provided or published by state  bodies (hereinafter referred to as official information), fully  reflecting the official information (without editing).

2. Publication of reports deliberately misleading and (or)  controverting the actions (including speeches, reports) of the state  and local self-government bodies and officials, relating to ensuring  the legal regime of martial law and state security, is prohibited.   3. Propaganda against the defense capacity and security of the  Artsakh Republic is prohibited.  4. Official statements related to  the reports are made by the President of the Artsakh Republic, state  authorized bodies of the relevant sphere of the Artsakh Republic, and  other persons at the instruction of the President of the Artsakh  Republic.  5. Reports are published by the Press Secretary of the  President of the Artsakh Republic or the Central Information  Department of the Office of the President of the Artsakh Republic or  the heads or authorized representatives of the state authorized  bodies of relevant sphere.  6. Officials, representatives of public  administration bodies may, within the scope of their powers, make  statements and comments on the reports only in concordance with the  positions agreed with the Central Information Department of the  Office of the Artsakh Republic President.  7. The observance of the  rules provided for in paragraphs 1-3 is exercised by the Artsakh  Republic Police. The Police is authorized to take necessary measures  to ensure the deletion of published reports and information, to carry  out temporary confiscation or detention of printing equipment, radio  broadcasters, amplifiers, and duplicators.

Violation of the established rules entails both administrative and  criminal liability. In particular, the following paragraphs of  Article 182.5 of the Code of Administrative Offenses provide:  "5.  Violation of the rules of publication or dissemination of information  by a media operator during the martial law, non-observance of the  special accreditation procedure by a journalist, violation of special  rules for the use of means of communication entails imposition of a  fine in the amount of seven hundred to one thousand times the minimum  wage.  6. Violation of the rules of publication or dissemination of  information by persons not engaged in media activities or violation  of the rules of restriction of freedom of expression entails  imposition of a fine in the amount of three hundred to seven hundred  times the minimum wage.  7. After being subjected to the fines  provided for in paragraphs 5 and 6 of this Article, failure to  immediately eliminate the publication disseminated in violation of  the rules of publication or dissemination of information established  during martial law entails imposition of a fine in the amount of one  thousand to one and a half thousand times the minimum wage, and for  those not engaged in media activities, from seven hundred to a  thousand times the minimum wage." Article 321.4 of the Criminal Code  provides:  "1. Violation of the rules of publication or dissemination  of information during the legal regime of martial law, which has  caused significant damage to the rights or legitimate interests of  individuals or organizations or the legitimate interests of society  or the state entails imposition of a fine in the amount of two  thousand to three thousand times the minimum wage, or imprisonment  for a maximum of 2 years. "