A leading international watchdog’s representative has expressed “concern” regarding the impact that recent amendments to Armenia’s Law on Television and Radio may have on “media pluralism and public access to diversity of information and opinion in Armenia” and called on the country’s president not to sign them into law.

In a letter addressed to President Serzh Sargsyan on Tuesday, Human Rights Watch (www.hrw.org) Executive Director for Europe and Central Asia Division Holly Cartner urged the Armenian leader “to refrain from signing the law and instead return it to the National Assembly and urge them [lawmakers] to continue their deliberations with the aim of bringing any and all amendments into compliance with Armenia’s international obligations on freedom of expression.”

“While we appreciate the government’s intent to regulate Armenia’s ongoing transition to mandatory digital broadcasting, it is unfortunate that the rushed legislative process did not allow for full incorporation of concerns expressed by civil society and Armenia’s international partners, including the Organization for Security and Co-Operation in Europe (OSCE),” wrote Cartner.

“We are first concerned that the amendments to the law will reduce the number of television stations able to broadcast in Armenia from 22 to 18. The changes in the legislation could have created room for more actors to participate in provision of media facilitated by digitalization, yet reducing the number of television broadcasters poses the opposite risk of limiting media pluralism. There is a serious concern that the reduction in available television stations may particularly disadvantage new television broadcasters, especially as the amendments indicate that preference in future licensing competitions should be given to existing broadcasters or those with at least three years’ experience,” she added.

The government-drafted amendments to the Law on Television and Radio were adopted by the National Assembly in the second and final reading at the end of its spring session last week amid criticism from Armenia’s civil society members and some international organizations.

HRW’s representative points out that the amendments also do not address long-standing concerns that the law does not ensure pluralism in the selection and appointment of members of the National Television and Radio Commission (NTRC), which is responsible for the granting of licenses.