Armenia - Armenian newspapers threatened by libel suits with sky-high damages awards

Reporters without borders

Reporters Without Borders is concerned about all the libel actions being brought against Armenian newspapers and the disproportionate damages being demanded, which threaten their survival and create a climate that encourages self-censorship. This tendency to use lawsuits to throttle news media must be reined in. The repeal of jail sentences for libel and slander in April 2010 was hailed as a democratic advance but judicial harassment of the media continues. There were 12 defamation actions (...)

© Reporters sans frontières - dimanche 1^er mai 2011