Journalists were killed and jailed for the work in growing numbers in 2006, the Committee to Protect Journalists reports in its new analysis of international press conditions, Attacks on the Press. Here we present the report on Armenia.

Armenia

• On May 25, authorities denied independent television station A1+ a broadcasting license for the 12th time. According to press reports, the National Commission on Television and Radio justified the rejection by saying that competitors submitted stronger bids. A1+ said the refusal was politically motivated and appealed to the European Court of Human Rights. The court could urge Armenia to reconsider.

• Arman Babadzhanian, editor-in-chief of the opposition daily Zhamanak Yerevan, was arrested on June 26, days after publishing an article that questioned the independence of the Yerevan prosecutor’s office, according to CPJ sources. Babadzhanian was charged with forging documents to escape military service; the journalist did not dispute the allegation but said the charge was pressed in retaliation for his work. On September 8, a district court in Yerevan sentenced Babadzhanian to four years in prison, according to the U.S. government-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. The defense filed an appeal in September.