Mrs. Sona Truzyan, Press Secretary to the RA General Prosecutor received the award from Mrs Tsovinar Arevyan, OSCE office representative.


Arthur Sakunts, Head of Helsinki Civil Assembly Vanadzor Office recieves the award from Mr. Armen Harutyunyan, RA Human Rights Defender.

Ms. Hripsime Jebejyan, Reporter of Aravot daily recieves the Golden Key from Mr. Vladimir Pryakhin, Head of the OSCE Office in Yerevan.

About 80 government officials, judges, representatives of international organizations, NGO-s, and media have participated to the event.

The conference was moderated by Mrs. Shushan Doydoyan, President of the Freedom of Information Center of Armenia. Opening remarks were made by Mrs. Consuelo Vidal, UN Resident Coordinator, UNDP Resident Representative, Mr. Karl Fickenscher, Acting Director of the USAID/Armenia, Mr. Vladimir Pryakhin, Head of the OSCE Office in Yerevan. Mr. Armen Harutyunyan, RA Human Rights Defender, represented the current situation in Armenia with regard to protection of the freedom of information right. He was followed by Mrs. Shushan Doydoyan representing the problems of civil and legal defence of the freedom of information right in Armenia, and Mrs. Gayane Karakhanyan, Judge of the First Instance Court of Center and Nork-Marash communities of Yerevan, representing the court practice of the protection of the right for access to information.

The right for access to information in state bodies and organizations with public functions were discussed by participants. FOI court practice was summarised and solutions to the existing obstacles were highlighted.

The conference was followed by the Freedom of Information Award Ceremony/2006. Five positive and 2 negative awards were awarded.

• Positive award for the institution with the best system of providing information went to Kotayk Regional Government.
• Award for the NGO, which has contributed to the exercising of the rights of access to information, went to Helsinki Civil Assembly Vanadzor Office.
• Award for the journalist most actively covering FOI issues went to Ms. Hripsime Jebejyan, Reporter of Aravot daily.
• Award for the citizen most actively exercising his/her right to have access to government held information went to Mr. Artak Zeynalyan.
• The web site of the Office of General Public Prosecutor was recognized as best official web site with regard to freedom of information.

The winners were awarded with Golden Keys as a symbol for openness and transparency.

• Negative award for the institution, which does not fulfill its obligations in under the FOI law, went to Armentel CJSC.
• Negative award for the institution providing false information went to Ministry of Transport and Communication of the RA.

These two organizations received locks as the symbol of secrecy.
 
The nominees were selected by the independent jury represented by heads of 9 local NGOs functioning in the field.

The event was organized with the support of the OSCE Office in Yerevan and the US Agency for International Development.