17 case of pressure, 41 violation of right to information recorded in  Armenia in 1st quarter, 2024

ArmInfo.In the first quarter of 2024, 17 cases (the same as a year earlier) of various pressures  on journalists and 41 cases of violation of right to receive and disseminate of information were recorded (compared to 48 a year earlier), reported the Committee to Protect Freedom of Speech. At the same time, no cases of physical violence against media representatives were registered during the reporting period.

The Committee does not rule out that this may be due to the  relatively calm socio-political situation in the country in  January-March, since mass actions and protests are usually  accompanied by various clashes, during which journalists and  cameramen also become targets of attacks.

The above 17 registered cases of pressure were reflected, among other  things, in indecent treatment of journalists and cameramen, insults  and threats in the online space, and obstruction of legitimate  professional activities.

At the same time, the number of lawsuits against journalists and  media outlets has increased. Thus, during the reporting period, 12  such claims were filed, compared to 9 a year earlier. Of these, 5 are  from government officials, 6 from business circles, 1 from an  ordinary citizen.

Regarding cases of violation of the dissemination and receipt of  information, the Committee noted that when sending official requests  from the media to government agencies, journalists continue to face a  number of problems. In particular, the latter receive unfounded  refusals, face unjustified delays in information, violation of the  order and deadlines provided for by law, or receive formal answers  that do not correspond to the essence of the question or bypass the  question altogether.