The founding members of the Information Disputes Council are President of Freedom of Information Center of Armenia Shushan Doydoyan, President of the Press Club of Yerevan Boris Navasardyan, Editor in Chief of “Aravot” daily Aram Abrahamyan, Deputy Director of the “Arni Consult” law office Ara Ghazaryan, and Director of “ArmMedia” program, famous journalist Manana Aslamazyan.
The main objective of the Information Disputes Council is to protect the freedom of speech, information availability, as well as to protect human dignity and the right of personal life. The function of the Information Disputes Council is to come up with advisory professional conclusions regarding court cases on slanders, insults, private life protection, and freedom of information. Its function also includes providing necessary consultations on relevant matters to legislative and executive bodies, local self-government bodies and citizens.
ARM Ombudsman Karen Andreasyan thinks that the conclusions and announcements of the Information Disputes Council can be restraining in court cases against media outlets. “The main goal of the Information Disputes Council is to balance encountering values – the freedom of speech and information availability on the one hand, and human dignity and the right for private life on the other hand.
With its expert statements the Council aims at averting the further development of the negative forensic practice that has started against the media,” – stated FOICA President Shushan Doydoyan.
On his turn, Aram Abrahamyan hoped that the Council will not remain just a formal body, and that someday it will happen so that before accepting a claim about slanders or insults, or before passing a verdict, the judicial body will turn to the Council for professional conclusions.
