March 20, 2020, Yerevan

We, the undersigned, have in various formats expressed our negative opinion about the provisions of the Government’s decision to institute a State of Emergency in the Republic of Armenia, which regulate the dissemination of information.

After those provisions went into force, we have registered that their implementation is ineffective, non-proportional, unreasonable and contradicts public interest under the conditions of the pandemic.

We are calling on the RA Government and State of Emergency Coordinating Body:

• To immediately call back provisions 23, 24, 25 and 26 of the Government decision # 298-N, about instituting a state of emergency in the Republic of Armenia as of March 16;
• Develop a new provision regulating the dissemination of information, which will clarify possible limitations for this complicated situation, will aid in the adherence to norms of professionalism and effective interactions between the government bodies and media for the public good.

We express readiness to help in developing such a document.

YEREVAN PRESS CLUB

MEDIA INITIATIVES CENTER

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION CENTER

PUBLIC JOURNALISM CLUB

COMMITTEE TO PROTECT FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION

JOURNALISTS’ CLUB “ASPAREZ”

MEDIA DIVERSITY INSTITUTE – ARMENIA

JOURNALISTS FOR THE FUTURE

JOURNALISTS FOR HUMAN RIGHTS

GORIS PRESS CLUB

SUPREMACY OF LAW