Media Outlets Have the Right to Film Conflict Situations: Statement

Journalistic organizations have issued a joint statement regarding the restrictions on media operations in parliament. The statement is as follows:

During the National Assembly session on August 11, due to a heated debate between governmental and opposition MPs, Speaker Alen Simonyan ordered the live broadcast to be halted. Moreover, security personnel prohibited accredited journalists and operators from filming the incident from their designated area.

We, the undersigned journalistic organizations, note that the Speaker of the National Assembly has clearly exceeded his authority: the Law of the Republic of Armenia on the Regulations of the National Assembly does not provide for such functions. Citizens of the Republic of Armenia have the right to know what happens in parliament and to observe the behavior of each deputy, regardless of whether it will receive positive or negative evaluation.

The ban imposed by security staff on media representatives regarding the filming of the conflict that arose in the assembly hall is also strongly condemned.

Expressing outrage over the repeated unjustified restrictions on the activities of accredited journalists in parliament, which violate the rights of citizens of the Republic of Armenia to be informed, and reaffirming the assessments from our statement dated August 5, we demand from the National Assembly leadership:

• To publicly explain the legal grounds for interrupting the live broadcast of the Assembly session and, in the absence of such grounds, to apologize to the public, ensuring that similar incidents do not occur in the future.
• To eliminate any steps that impede the professional activities of journalists in the National Assembly and impose unjustified restrictions.
• To take measures so that security personnel do not exceed their authority and do not interfere in the work of media representatives, except in cases provided for by regulations, about which journalists are informed in advance.
• To lift all restrictions imposed on our colleagues in parliament since August 2 until a new regulation for the operation of media representatives in parliament is developed with the participation of accredited journalists and interested organizations.

This statement is issued by the Committee to Protect Freedom of Speech, the Central Information Agency of Media Initiatives, the Institute for Freedom of Information, the Journalists for the Future NGO, the Journalists for Human Rights NGO, and the 'FEMIDA' NGO.