25 March 2021, 10:08
Armenian rights defenders criticize bill on compensations for libel
The threefold increase in compensations for libel, approved by the Armenian Parliament, expands the range of tools for pressing the media for criticizing officials, human rights defenders gave stated and asked the President not to sign the bill.
The parliamentary commission has approved an increase in compensations for insults up to three million drams and for libel – up to six million drams (about USD 11,000).
According to the Committee to Protect the Freedom of Speech, in 2020, 273 cases of pressure on the media were recorded, including 61 lawsuits against journalists lodged under the article "Insult and libel".
Such legislative amendments are extremely dangerous, given officials' and politicians' inclination to perceive even objective criticism as an insult and slander, and to go to court, more than ten Armenian journalistic and human rights organizations have jointly stated.
The Parliament has ignored the opinion of media experts by approving a repressive initiative that pursues narrow political interests, human rights defenders have noted.
The amendments will cause significant damage to the freedom of speech, the statement says. Also, the amendments "may prompt the courts to pass harsher verdicts against media."
This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on March 25, 2021 at 08:10 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.
Author: Tigran Petrosyan Source: CK correspondent
