Journalistic Organizations Demand Immediate Suspension of New Restrictions in Parliament

Armenian journalistic organizations are demanding the suspension of new restrictions regarding journalists' activities in the National Assembly premises and the initiation of open discussions surrounding them. This was stated in their official announcement.

Before the start of the newly elected 9th convocation of the National Assembly, Ruben Rubinyan, who is temporarily performing the duties of the Speaker of the National Assembly, signed a decision on approving the 'Security Rules for the Area and Building of the National Assembly,' which also pertains to the work of media representatives.

The authors of the announcement believe that several provisions of the decision contradict the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia, the law on 'Mass Media,' and the guarantees of freedom of speech and media activities enshrined in international documents. They note that the new rules not only maintain but also tighten the restrictions adopted in 2019 and amended in 2021, which relate to journalists' movements and work in parliament.

According to them, based on these rules, unprecedented restrictions were imposed on the movement and activities of journalists in the National Assembly, which have no precedent in the entire history of the Armenian parliament.

The journalistic NGOs emphasize that neither at that time nor now have these decisions been discussed with media and journalistic public organizations. They find particularly problematic the provision stipulating that accredited journalists may only participate in committee meetings with the permission of the committee chair, and that their list must be submitted to the National Assembly Secretary at least two hours before the meeting. In their opinion, this allows for arbitrary decision-making.

Criticism has also been directed at the requirement that accredited journalists must be included in a separate list, approved by the Secretary of the National Assembly, to enter press areas during open sessions of the NA.

It is also deemed unacceptable the ban on employees of the National Protective Service to record videos or take photographs while performing their official duties, which, according to the authors of the announcement, has previously been criticized by the Information Disputes Council.

Journalistic organizations are demanding that the leadership of the 9th convocation of the National Assembly suspend the operation of provisions related to media and organize open discussions to find mutually acceptable solutions.

The announcement has been signed by the Committee to Protect Freedom of Speech, the Yerevan Press Club, the Media Initiative Center, the Institute for Multilateral Information - Armenia, the Journalists’ 'Asparez' Club, the Public Journalism Club, and the NGOs 'Journalists for the Future' and 'Journalists for Human Rights.'