Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan today received OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir.

The Prime Minister welcomed the visit of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media to Armenia and his participation in the international conference on the 15th anniversary of the Office of the Human Rights Defender.

Reiterating his government’s commitment to promoting human rights and protecting the right to freedom of expression, Nikol Pashinyan stressed that freedom of the press and freedom of expression are at the highest level in Armenia as evidenced by numerous international organizations

The Head of Government referred to the freedom of expression on the Internet, noting that Armenia is now ranked 8th in the world under this index. According to the Prime Minister, this comes to evidence the Armenian government’s strong commitment to democratic values and rights, of which freedom of expression and freedom of the press are essential components.

Pleased with his participation in the international conference dedicated to the 15th anniversary of the Office of the Human Rights Defender, Harlem Désir attached great importance to cooperation with the Armenian Government and relevant government agencies of the Republic of Armenia.

The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Press hailed the level of freedom of the press and speech in our country and appreciated the work done by the government to guarantee the exercise of fundamental human rights.

Addressing the emerging local, regional and international challenges, the interlocutors exchanged views on the fight against fake news, misinformation, hate speech and the countermeasures to take in this context.

Prime Minister Pashinyan referred to last week’s mutual visits of journalists from Armenia, Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijan, which could help enhance mutual trust and reduce hate speech. The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Press praised the initiative, stressing the importance of its continuity.

Nikol Pashinyan and Harlem Désir exchanged views on the independence of media outlets as a key pledge for freedom of the press, as well as on the importance of impartial and comprehensive media coverage of the ongoing society-government dialogue and on the role of electronic platforms and social networks. Issues related to the development of cooperation in these and a number of other areas were discussed during the meeting.

The Premier highlighted the joint efforts to take with the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media in order to make progress in the field of freedom of expression and freedom of the press in our country. Harlem Désir noted that his organization is prepared to pursue the partnership with initiatives aimed at exchanging experiences, training and advisory services.