"PUBLIC LOSSES ARE UNDOUBTEDLY GREATER"
Support A1+!On June 7, 2008, the European Court of Human Rights upheld A1+’s case “Meltex Ltd and Mesrop Movsesyan vs. the Republic of Armenia” (application no. 32283/04).
The Court held unanimously that there had been a violation of Article 10 (freedom of expression) of the European Convention on Human Rights concerning the Armenian authorities’ refusal to grant the applicants’ requests for broadcasting licences.
Under Article 41 (just satisfaction) of the Convention, the Court awarded the applicant company 20,000 euros (EUR) in respect of non-pecuniary damage and EUR 10,000 for costs and expenses of the English advocates.
The European Court made a fair decision reaffirming the strong belief of Armenian organisations that the National Television and Radio Commission (NTRC) has displayed a biased attitude towards A1+ over the past six years while announcing calls for tenders regarding various broadcasting frequencies, including band 37, the band on which Meltex operated. The Commission's permissiveness caused great harms to Meltex Company, its founder and chairman, as well as to Armenian people.
The decision came to justify numerous complaints and criticism received by ordinary people and various European structures with regard to A1+'s closure.
The greater A1+’s losses were, the more people suffered during those years. Mass disorders and law-breaches could have been averted during the elections of 2003, 2007 and 2008 if we had at least one alternative TV Channel giving unbiased and objective information.
Who knows? If A1+ and Noyan Tapan hadn’t been taken off the air, we wouldn’t have had those ten victims on March 1.
Regardless of the EC decision we are confident that NTRC at the head of Grigor Amalian will not accept A1+’s victory and its crushing defeat with dignity.
No one will forget the joint statement of Armenia’s 17 mass media that tried to suppress public passion following the closure of A1+ and “Noyan Tapan” TV Companies. They announced that “the freedom of speech is not periled in Armenia and all necessary conditions are provided to further the activity of mass media.”
Gyumri’s “Asparez” Journalist Club and a number of journalists extend congratulations to A1+’s founder-chairman, staff and Armenian people on the victory. Thank you for your perseverance and patience.
