RFE/RL Update: The Law Against Radio Liberty Has NOT Passed


Lragir.am reports, that the legislative amendments designed to limit foreign media from broadcasting on the Armenian public TV/Radio frequencies and seen largely as directed against the Radio Liberty Armenian Service ahead of the upcoming presidential elections, have not passed the second reading in the Armenian Parliament today.

According to the same source 63 MPs have voted for the legislative package, 1 MP – Alvard Petrosyan from the ARF party has abstained from voting. The opposition parties: “Heiritage” and “Rule of Law” have not voted at all, thus creating a situation, where there has not been enough quorum to adopt legislation.

While this is the first major victory of opposition in the newly elected parliament, nothing is decided yet. I will continue to follow the developments and prey that whatever happens, Radio Liberty Armenian Service – my personal favorite news source from Armenia continues its work throughout the Presidential Campaign in February 2008 as, with many other media specialists and experts in Armenia, see this move especially designed to block RFE/RL from providing accurate coverage of developments as Robert Kocharian – turned into Freedom of Speech Enemy #1 in this country leaves his post for good.

Video via Echannel.am

This entry was posted on Tuesday, July 3rd, 2007 at 2:17 pm and is filed under Armenia, Democracy, Legislation, Media, Opposition, Parties, Politics. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

8 Responses to “RFE/RL Update: The Law Against Radio Liberty Has NOT Passed”

  1. Observer Says:
    July 3, 2007 at 3:09 pm | Reply

    Updates also on RFE / RL:

    YEREVAN, July 3, 2007 (RFE/RL) — Armenia’s parliament has failed to pass legislation that would have placed severe restrictions on foreign media, including RFE/RL, due to the lack of a quorum, RFE/RL’s Armenian Service reported.

    The legislation, which passed its first reading on June 29, would ban foreign broadcasts on public television and radio frequencies and heavily tax the domestic retransmission of foreign-made programs on private stations.

    Parliament failed in two attempts to pass the legislation in its second and final reading today when opposition lawmakers blocked a quorum by boycotting the vote.

    In the first attempt, only 64 votes were cast (63 for, none against, one abstention) in the 131-member parliament. In the second attempt, 65 votes were cast (63 for, none against, two abstentions).

    Both fell short of the 66 votes necessary for a quorum.

    If the government wants to make another attempt to pass the legislation, it must redraft and resubmit it for a first reading.

    The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) criticized the legislation, saying it “would amount to a ban” on RFE/RL and would have made the country’s March 2008 presidential election less free and fair.

  2. artmika Says:
    July 3, 2007 at 3:34 pm | Reply

    Good Afternoon, Observer!!! :)

  3. Global Voices Online » RFE/RL in Armenia: Media bills not passed Says:
    July 3, 2007 at 3:35 pm | Reply

    [...] The Armenian Observer reports that media legislation intended to curb the broadcasts of Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty has not been ratified by parliament. Share This [...]

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    July 3, 2007 at 8:24 pm | Reply

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  5. Onnik Krikorian Says:
    July 4, 2007 at 8:49 am | Reply

    Great news :-)

  6. Observer Says:
    July 4, 2007 at 9:28 am | Reply

    Good afternoon to us all! :)

  7. Law of Attraction Says:
    July 25, 2007 at 2:51 am | Reply

    Law of Attraction

    Law of Attraction

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