Laws are good, but the enforcers...?
Support A1+!The first enemy of free speech are the vague, obscure laws that often help the government pass some law and set restrictions on people's right to free expression, according to British lawyer, Royal Advisor Gevin Miller.
Miller presented his country's experience in receiving and providing information during two-day discussions with the participation of Armenian judges and lawyers.
"I have studied Armenia's legislation and the norms regulating freedom of speech are quite detailed. As to how those laws are enforced, that is a different story," the British expert noted.
After passing the law decriminalizing slander and offense, in the past year there have been 29 cases against presses in Armenia. As a result, well-known oppositionist presses have found themselves on the verge of bankruptcy.
The two-day discussions are organized by the Europe of Law Union with support from the OSCE Office in Yerevan, the U.S. Embassy and other international law-defense organizations.
