ArmInfo.In the first quarter of 2024, 17 cases (the same as a year earlier) of various pressures on journalists and 41 cases of violation of right to receive and disseminate of information were recorded (compared to 48 a year earlier), reported the Committee to Protect Freedom of Speech. At the same time, no cases of physical violence against media representatives were registered during the reporting period.
The Committee does not rule out that this may be due to the relatively calm socio-political situation in the country in January-March, since mass actions and protests are usually accompanied by various clashes, during which journalists and cameramen also become targets of attacks.
The above 17 registered cases of pressure were reflected, among other things, in indecent treatment of journalists and cameramen, insults and threats in the online space, and obstruction of legitimate professional activities.
At the same time, the number of lawsuits against journalists and media outlets has increased. Thus, during the reporting period, 12 such claims were filed, compared to 9 a year earlier. Of these, 5 are from government officials, 6 from business circles, 1 from an ordinary citizen.
Regarding cases of violation of the dissemination and receipt of information, the Committee noted that when sending official requests from the media to government agencies, journalists continue to face a number of problems. In particular, the latter receive unfounded refusals, face unjustified delays in information, violation of the order and deadlines provided for by law, or receive formal answers that do not correspond to the essence of the question or bypass the question altogether.