The Chief Editor of the Armenian Newspaper "Zartonk" in Diaspora Strongly Condemns Attack on Media Outlet

In light of the attack on the homeland's "Hayeli" media club, the chief editor of Lebanon's "Zartonk" newspaper, Sevak Hakobyan, has issued a statement:

"Based on our principles, we strongly condemn any encroachment on the press and freedom of speech. The failure to take appropriate action against hate speech, intolerance towards dissenting views, and such negative phenomena leads to tense situations like this one. The attack on an organization engaged in journalism is an uncivilized means of sending political or other forms of correspondence, as well as an extreme manifestation of hatred, which evidently transitioned from the realm of social media to real life.

We expect a strong evaluation of this phenomenon from local authorities and the law enforcement system, as such incidents undermine the international reputation of our country. Such treatment of journalists and media puts at risk the freedom of speech in our state striving for democracy. Any violence against media outlets must receive a legal and political equivalent response. On this occasion, we call on the relevant authorities to swiftly identify those who attacked our colleague and ensure they receive due punishment; otherwise, such attacks might recur and become a normal occurrence in our beloved homeland," the statement reads.