The authorities are putting an unprecedented pressure on media. This was stated by Gegham Manukyan, an MP of the main opposition "Armenia" Faction of the National Assembly (NA), who is a former journalist.

"The press in Armenia has always been under pressure. There have been harassments of the media even inside the walls of the NA. There are many such shameful cases. However, they received an immediate response, and the authorities had to respond. And at the same time there were uninhibited, brave reporters who have expressed their civic position without violating the NA Rules of Procedure. No NSS [(National Security Service)] employee invited them out of the NA," Manukyan reminded.

According to him, now the restrictions on Armenian media are becoming disgracefully intense.

"We have witnessed unprecedented events when a reporter is deprived of the chance to work. Moreover, anyone could have video recorded on the phone. We have all seen hundreds of bodyguards in the territory of the NA, but one specific reporter is being deprived of her accreditation [to the NA]," Manukyan added.

"Now the authorities are trying to impose even more restrictions, to make secret purchases from one person. They are manipulating the citizen, depriving him of the opportunity to think," said Gegham Manukyan, adding that the crazy headlines in the relevant sources are a crime against society.