Armenian journalists urge Europe to condemn government pressure on media

The Union of Journalists of Armenia has appealed to the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), urging them to condemn the obstruction of reporters’ work in the Armenian parliament and offensive remarks made by lawmakers toward journalists.

The Union stated that the country's authorities are curbing freedom of speech under the guise of pseudo-democracy and are fostering hostility toward the press and journalists, Caliber.Az reports via Armenian media.

The Union emphasised that the authorities, using methods typical of authoritarian regimes, are doing everything possible to impose one-sided and targeted propaganda in Armenia.

“Freedom of speech is one of the pillars of a democratic state. In Armenia, it has been turned into a tool for targeted propaganda, informational revenge, and manipulation of public opinion,” the Union said. “Opposition-leaning journalists and media outlets are often subjected to propaganda attacks by government representatives on social media, receive no answers to their questions, are excluded from covering public events, and in some cases are forcibly removed from the scene by National Security Service officers.”

The Union highlighted a specific incident on April 18, when Khachatur Sukiasyan, an MP from the ruling faction, shouted at a journalist in parliament, insulted him, and refused to answer his questions. That same day, during a demonstration held by Armenians who voluntarily left the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan, protesters attempted to drive away journalists and demanded that the event not be covered by the media.

“Such unacceptable behaviour toward journalists, unfortunately, is nothing new. It is only reaching new heights. The root cause is that ruling party deputies feel untouchable — their actions are not publicly condemned, nor are they held accountable,” the Union stated.

Armenian media also recalled that the Committee to Protect Freedom of Speech in Armenia documented 14 cases of violence against journalists in 2024, 11 of which occurred during protest actions. A total of 23 journalists and camera operators were affected. Additionally, 43 instances of pressure on journalists and media outlets were recorded throughout the year.

By Tamilla Hasanova