Head of the committee on protection of freedom of speech Ashot Melikyan said that an unprecedented number of claims (10) submitted against Armenian media were recorded over the first three months 2011 in Armenia.

The number of claims increased after adoption of the law on introduction of amendments to the RA Law on Television and Radio, Melikyan told a press conference in Yerevan.

According to him, the committee defines three types of freedom of speech violation: physical violence, pressure and violation of the right to obtainment and dissemination of information.

Melikyan noted that cases of physical pressure were not recorded against media representatives in 2011, but the total number of cases of pressure on Armenian media increased.

On June 10, 2010, the Armenian parliament adopted a bill on making changes and amendments to the RA Law on Television and Radio. The adopted law regulates the process of television and radio digitization. Under the law, the number of Armenia’s TV companies will be decreased from 22 to 18 until completion of the digitization process by 2015.