After the violence against the chief officer of the Armenian Radio Liberty Hrach Melkumyan on August 18 Ruben Torosyan said that it is an urgent issue to found such institution in charge of protecting journalists’ rights. He says that the recent violence shows that he is true. “This time this violence was committed against one of the smartest journalists of Armenia. Meanwhile we think that this violence is connected with the Georgian-Russian conflict because throughout the conflict the radio Liberty has been broadcasting objective information in an operative manner. Some powers want to demonstrate that they are loyal to Russia,” says Ruben Torosyan. In answer to a question what the effect of such council or institution may be Mr. Torosyan said, “I think that mass media plays an important role in the civic and social life of our society, thus we should establish such commission which includes lawyers, politicians and also state officials.” Torosyan says that the latter may not be included in such commission but should be involved in its work in any manner or the members of this commission may meet them to discuss issues with them. “I think that if such commission is established in Armenia a lot of things will change. I think that if the authorities see that the foreign powers are concerned about the situation in which our society is trying to establish a commission in charge of protecting journalists’ rights they will be concerned and scared too,” says R. Torosyan. (more…)

В Олимпиаде приняли участие спортивные делегации 205 стран. Было разыграно 302 комплекта наград. Первое место в неофициальном командном зачете заняла сборная Китая (51 золотая медаль). Вторыми стали американцы (36 наград высшего достоинства), третье место у команды России (23 золотые награды). Всего в олимпийском командном зачете квалифицировались 87 стран. Армения заняла 79-е итоговое место (при наличии хотя бы одной серебряной награды команда совершила бы скачок вверх примерно на 20 позиций). (more…)