Pashinyan's Reaction is an Attack on the Press

The reaction of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to the publication by the "Hraparak" newspaper is an attack on the press. This was stated in a statement released by the Journalists' Union of Armenia.

“On January 13, responding on his Facebook page to a news item published on the website of the "Hraparak" newspaper regarding an event organized by representatives of the government, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan expressed, to put it mildly, his bewilderment, indignation, and anger regarding some household information that has no political, strategic, or vital significance for the state.”

Without going into the details of the media’s information and the phrasing of the Prime Minister's response, it should be noted that by doing so, Nikol Pashinyan, whether intentionally or unintentionally, presented the government’s perception and attitude towards a free press, which has no correlation with the standards of free and independent press activities presented by international and democratic countries and societies.

Pashinyan’s recent response is an attack on one of the most important subsystems of public administration — the press, which, if not met with corresponding counteractions, could lead to an even more dangerous attitude towards the press.

The Journalists' Union of Armenia condemns this move against a free press by a high-ranking state official and expresses its support for the “Hraparak” newspaper and its staff.

As an organization defending the interests of the journalistic community, the Journalists' Union of Armenia will continue to work on rooting the awareness of the role, functions, and controlling mission of the free press in the government.

Otherwise, in the case of any limitation on the activities of a free press, Armenia may find itself in the clutches of democratic autocracy, numerous evidences of which, unfortunately, have manifested over the past nine months,” the statement said.