Published on 29 August 2022

FOURTH SECTION

Application no. 72917/17 ASPAREZ JOURNALISTS’ CLUB against Armenia lodged on 29 September 2017 communicated on 18 July 2022

SUBJECT MATTER OF THE CASE

The applicant company is the owner of a daily newspaper and of a news website. On 11 March 2017 the Central Electoral Commission (“the CEC”) refused the applicant company’s application to have its media outlets – with one thousand reporters in total – accredited to cover the parliamentary elections of 2 April 2017. The CEC justified its refusal by reference to Article 31 § 8(2) of the Electoral Code, according to which the applicant company could have only one media outlet with no more than fifty reporters accredited. Relying on Article 10 of the Convention, the applicant company lodged an unsuccessful appeal. The final decision of the Administrative Court was served on it on 29 March 2017.

QUESTION TO THE PARTIES

Has there been a violation of the applicant company’s right to freedom of expression, contrary to Article 10 of the Convention?