Journalistic organizations will soon issue a joint statement on the decision to ban Panorama.am photographer Lilian Galstyan from entering the National Assembly of Armenia from August 5.
Speaking to Panorama.am, Director of the Freedom of Information Center NGO Shushan Doydoyan denounced the decision as “arbitrary”, highlighting the importance for the journalistic organizations to unanimously oppose it and put pressure on the authorities to overturn the ban.
The expert stated the ban on the entry of photographer Lilian Galstyan into the National Assembly is a gross obstruction of journalistic work, and, accordingly, a violation of the people’s right to get information, a gross restriction of freedom of and access to information.
“Although the National Assembly leadership is trying to lull the vigilance of the people, claiming that they are trying to regulate the work of journalists, in this case it is clear that all this is aimed not at regulating, but more at hindering the work of journalists, creating obstacles for them, thus depriving the public of the fundamental right to receive information,” Doydoyan said.
The Freedom of Information Center head noted that photographer Lilian Galstyan carried out her work with high professionalism and the published photos are shots of classical journalism, which reveal the situation in and around the parliament.
“She took great photos in the National Assembly, at its corridors. Everyone who saw those images called the restrictions that people in military uniform imposed on the media in the National Assembly absurd. And since the photos are...
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