The Government Decides to Shut Down All Media Outlets: Report

Recently, the government has circulated a draft amendment to the Law on Advertising on its official e-draft.am website, which fully prohibits casino advertising in all forms—on television, websites, and radio. This means that the media sector will lose at least 60 percent of its advertising revenue, leading to the inevitable closure of many media outlets.

This government has been trying in every possible way since 2018 to hinder the work of the media, creating numerous obstacles, criminalizing civil relations, imposing hefty fines through legislation, declaring states of emergency and martial law—all primarily aimed at restricting press publications and, most crucially, striking at the revenues of media outlets.

This is being done through various unacceptable methods, and we expect international and local organizations that advocate for free speech to respond to this step, while society should not allow the efforts of 80 individuals to destroy freedom of expression in Armenia.

It is at least strange that while constantly speaking about the economic independence of the press and criticizing those media outlets that, according to them, are funded by the opposition, they are now trying to close off legal sources of revenue, pushing the media back into the shadow economy.

It is noteworthy that the previous legislative initiatives that limited the extent and duration of gambling advertising were initiated by Members of Parliament, while the current draft is authored by the Ministry of Finance, led by Atom Janjughazyan, who certainly understands the detrimental process he is participating in and the catastrophic consequences it can have for our country—affecting democracy and statehood.

Here is the draft that has been placed on e-draft.am covertly, without discussing it with the media and other stakeholders: "AMENDMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTS TO THE LAW ON ADVERTISING".

Article 1. In Article 15 of the Law No. HO-55 on Advertising dated April 30, 1996 (hereinafter, the Law):

• In the first paragraph of part 10, add the words "(except for the totalizer)" after "each lottery".
• In part 4 of paragraph 10, add the words "(except for the totalizer)" after the word "lottery".
• In part 5 of paragraph 10, add the words "(except for the totalizer)" after the word "lottery", and replace the numbers "21+" with "18+".
• In part 7 of paragraph 10, add the words "(including the totalizer)" after the word "lottery".
• In part 11, add the words "or internet lottery" after the word "gambling".
• Part 15 shall be revised as follows: "15. Any form of advertising for gambling or internet gambling, or casino, or gaming hall, or totalizer, or their organizers is prohibited, including on radio, television, or the internet, with the exception of their official website or within or on the buildings of casinos, gambling, or internet gambling, or totalizer, at the border entry points of the Republic of Armenia, as well as in hotels that meet the qualification requirements and standards of at least four stars, or in cases specified by this article; while advertising for lottery or combined lottery is also allowed at lottery or combined lottery sales points."

Article 2. This law shall enter into force six months after its official publication.