Young writers hope to save free press
Support A1+!A group of young writers gathered at Freedom Square today and organized a charity book sale. All proceeds will go to "Haykakan Zhamanak" daily newspaper so that it can pay the court's fine set after the trial of oligarchs against the newspaper.
The authors of this initiative are young creators Hambardzum Hambardzumyan and Arpin Voskanyan.
The books by young writers Vano Siradeghyan and Liza Tchagharyan were also on sale.
"This is more of a symbolic book sale. By selling our books and our friends' books, we are providing moral support and showing that there is a need for freedom of speech. If television is under pressure and there is no room for freedom of speech, there is still hope for the presses," writer, journalist Hambardzum Hambardzumyan said.
Joining the initiative were also citizens and freelance journalists. Journalist Karine Harutyunyan donated her personal books to the organizers of this initiative in order to make her contribution.
Police officers commanded that the action participants leave the area and then asked the organizers to move the books away from the statue.
When asked by what law, the police had trouble saying why.
However, the action participants continued the book sale and only the rain made them leave the square.
Before leaving, the police officers noted the names of all participants and organizers.
The action will continue tomorrow at 16:00. The book sale raised 32,000 drams, which will be transferred to "Haykakan Zhamanak" daily newspaper's account.
