The Office of the Human Rights Defender of Armenia has recorded the news released today, according to which police officers paid visits to ArmNews and 5th Channel TV stations and stated that the reason for the visits was that the journalists of those TV stations hadn’t worn face masks and hadn’t observed the requirements prescribed by the Commandant for the state of emergency in Armenia, as reported the Office of the Human Rights Defender.
Afterwards, the competent authorities of the specified media outlets addressed the Human Rights Defender and informed the latter that administrative proceedings have been instituted against the journalists for not wearing face masks. According to the media outlets that addressed the complaint to the Human Rights Defender, the actions of police officers don’t derive from the decision of the Commandant and the law, and thus, the administrative proceedings are unlawful. The media outlets also reported that a few days ago, the chairman of the National Commission on Television and Radio had expressed his position according to which there is no mandatory requirement to wear face masks during airtime.
The Office of the Human Rights Defender also recorded the note of the chairman of the National Commission on Television and Radio in regard to the police officers’ visits to the media outlets and the statements of the latter.
Taking into account the aforementioned, necessary measures to clarify the issues will be taken within the scope of the proceedings undertaken by the Human Rights Defender, necessary discussions will be held with the National Commission on Television and Radio, and the Police of Armenia will be required to give clarifications regarding the actions of police officers and the proceedings.