«Jhangovourt». Prohibition May Be Against Propaganda, Not the Topic. Censorship in Culture

«Jhangovourt» newspaper reports. Recently, Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports Arayik Harutyunyan spoke to journalists in the National Assembly regarding the controversial film 'Sel', which addresses the theme of sexual minorities, stating, "During my tenure, there will be no censorship in the cultural sector. There will be no more cancellations of concerts based on satanism in Armenia, and there will be no cancellation of events based on imaginary grounds." He added that those who seek to exploit such issues for political dividends are 'the vanguards of the opposition.'

In this regard, animator and director David Sahakyan told the newspaper that the minister's stance is extreme. According to Sahakyan, the state is not a state, and the authority is not authority, if it does not implement censorship. "I consider it unacceptable what our government promotes. If the state supports and encourages such projects, it means that they will continue, meaning the state is giving wings to those implementing such initiatives. I believe the Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports should be replaced before it's too late," Sahakyan said.

Meanwhile, Ruben Babayan, the artistic director of the Hovhannes Tumanyan Puppet Theater, is confident that there should be no censorship in art. "Propaganda may be prohibited, but the topic should not be. Everything depends on how you present the topic and what message you place at the heart of the work. The essential question is whether you want to offer the audience an artistic piece or propaganda," director Babayan stated.

It was recently revealed that a film is being made about weightlifter Meline (Mel) Daluzyan. The film's foundation revolves around the theme of protecting the rights of sexual minorities, showcasing the love story between Mel and Tsaghik (a conditional name). The state has allocated 20 million dram for the film's funding. Furthermore, a concert by the Polish band Vader was supposed to take place at the Yerevan State Puppet Theater, but it was canceled after public dissatisfaction arose regarding claims that the band is satanic.

For more details, refer to today's edition of the newspaper.