Armenian lawmaker requests PACE to apologize for the call to put pressure on free press
04.02.2015,
12:24
Member of the Armenian parliament and the head of “Constitutional Law Union” party Hayk Babukhanyan has made a statement on PACE resolution urging the Armenian authorities to put pressure on free press and a politician, Novosti-Armenia reported.
YEREVAN, February 4. /ARKA/. Member of the Armenian parliament and the head of “Constitutional Law Union” party Hayk Babukhanyan has made a statement on PACE resolution urging the Armenian authorities to put pressure on free press and a politician, Novosti-Armenia reported.
On January 28, the PACE passed a resolution (N584) with a vote of 22 deputies in favor, calling on the Armenian authorities to put pressure on free press and a politician.
In particular, the resolution requests to prosecute local “Iravunk” newspaper and the leader of “Constitutional Law Union” party for having protected Arshakyan sisters who dared to express their negative opinion about Conchita Wurst and have been aggressively criticized by the gay lobby.
Babukhanyan said PACE’s call jeopardizes the key democracy principles, the freedom of speech and press.
“I expect them to apologize and leave Iravunk newspaper alone”, the lawmaker said on the air on Sputnik-Armenia radio channel.
Babukhanyan said the opinion in the newspaper had nothing to do with sexual minorities in general, but was about Conchita Wurst herself and her stage image.
It is gender fascism not to allow people expressing their views about a person who is a minority, he said.
The politician also said in his letter it is regrettable that amid the current global tense, certain forces try to undertake police functions, instead of using PACE as a platform to keep the dialogue ongoing.
According to the lawmaker, it is not acceptable to turn PACE into a punishment tool for prosecuting politicians, reporters and mass media, whose opinion is unfavored by those who claim a monopoly on truth.
Babukhanyan proposed to concert efforts to stop wars and conflicts, restore freedom, democracy and cooperation on the continent.
The newspaper said in his article that there should be no pressure placed on people for expressing their views, as it is against democracy principles, the politician said. Radicals have attacked the newspaper this time, he said.
The Armenian lawmaker referred to the European statements about freedom of speech in connection with Charlie Hebdo shooting case, and said it was acknowledged that no radical minority has the right to dictate the rules of game.
It is the same with Armenia: no radical minority has the right to impose its rules of game, and the PACE resolution N584 conflicts with this principle, the member of the parliament said. –0--
