User:Kristine Aghalaryan/sandbox

The Investigative Journalists of Armenia NGO is a non-government organization founded on July29, 2000 with the primary goal of assisting the development of investigative journalism in Armenia and to strengthen and develop freedom of speech and democratic principles.

Since 2001 the organization has produced investigative films and articles on environmental, social, educational, cultural, judicial, energy, banking system and other issues within the scope of different projects. These investigations have revealed various abuses by state and local government as well as the violation of human rights.

Since 2001, the organization has published the Hetq Online internet newspaper (www.hetq.am): The English version of Hetq Online has been published since September 2000, thus garnering authority and credibility amongst foreign readers for the organization.

The investigative articles of Hetq Online are republished by leading Armenian daily newspapers.

Hetq Online is the first publication in Armenia to adopt a Code of Ethics and every journalist working with us is obliged to follow the principles of this code.

Awards

·        In December 2002, Hetq won 1st prize in investigative journalism from Internews-Armenia.

·        In December 2003, the Investigative Journalists was recognized as the NGO that most effectively used the right to receive information by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Armenian office.

·        In 2004, the Armenian branch of Transparency International awarded the Investigative Journalists a prize for its significant contribution to the struggle against corruption in Armenia.

·        In January 2004, the series of films ‘Hrazdan Gorge: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow’ received second prize in a competition organized by the Aarhus Armenian Centre of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) on ‘Environmental themes represented in media’.

·        In 2007 Hetq received the “Incentive Award” from the World Wildlife Fund for environmental journalism.

2011 2012 2013 2014
 * On November 10, 2011, the RA Ministry of    Territorial Administration awarded Hetq the “Best Coverage of Community     Life 2011” prize, as part of the 15th anniversary celebration of local     self-government in Armenia.
 * On February 10, 2011, Hetq    received an award certificate from the RA Ministry of Labor and Social     Issues for outstanding coverage of gender equality issues in 2011.
 * On May 3, 2012, Edik Baghdasaryan, the    editor in-chief of Hetq won the "Time for Free Press" prize for     his investigating position and professional courage.
 * On March 25, 2011, Hetq    reporter Larisa Paremuzyan won the “Freedom of Speech Prize” for her     investigative work on pedophilia.
 * On February 1, 2011, Hetq    reporter Adrine Torosyan won second prize in the category “The Best Online     Story”.
 * On May 3, 2012, the Council on Trafficking Issues    awarded Hetq with a medal of commendation for its on-going coverage of     human trafficking and ways to prevent it.
 * On May 3, 2012, the Council on Trafficking Issues    awarded Hetq with a medal of commendation for its on-going coverage of     human trafficking and ways to prevent it.
 * May 19, 2012, The Hrant    Dink Freedom Award was presented by The Armenian Bar Association to Edik     Baghdasaryan for his heroic defense of liberty and free speech in the     service of the people of the Republic of Armenia
 * On February 10, 2012, Hetq reporter Yeranuhi    Sogoyan won 1st prize in the “Internet or Blog Article” category in the     British Council’s “Na/Neh” (He/She) Competition.
 * In December 2013 Hetq and    Hetq reporter Marine Martirosyan received the “Book Friend" Award.     The award is given to news outlets and reporters who, with their news     coverage and writing, support literary endeavors in Armenia. This year,     the award was granted by Antares Publishers, the Granish Literary     Foundation, and literary critics Hasmik Hakobyan and Arkmenik Nikoghosyan.
 * In December 18, 2013 on    International Migrants Day, Hetq reporter Yeranuhi Soghoyan was awarded     second prize in the “Best Article” category at the Suitcase 2013     journalism competition. The competition, run by the Armenian office of the     People in Need organization, is financed by the European Union – Armenia Mobility     Partnership’s "Support of circular migration     and re-integration process in Armenia” program.
 * On September    25, 2013 Hetq reporter Grisha Balasanyan won second prize in a competition     dedicated to the coverage of reforms in judicial system.
 * On March 25, 2014 Hetq received the “Freedom of    Speech Prize”     for its disclosures of offshore accounts and related issues. The Prize was presented by the Asparez Club of     Journalists (Armenia).

2015
 * On    June 18, 2014 Hetq won the “Media Excellence” prize at the 2014 Universal     Rights Awards ceremony held in Yerevan. The award singled out Hetq for     its professionalism in the field of investigative journalism and exposé of     human rights issues.

·        Hetq reporter Zaruhie Mejlumyan won the “Media Excellence” prize at the 2015 Universal Rights award ceremony in Yerevan on June 4 for her unique professionalism and coverage of the rights of those sentenced to life imprisonment. Katherine Leach, Ambassador of the United Kingdom to Armenia, presented the award to Mejlumyan and noted the following: “Reporters throughout the world play a crucial role exposing failures in the judicial system. Certain reporters, in reality, are defenders of rights. Actively and consciously they expose injustices, correct the mistakes, raise awareness, assist individuals and point out system-wide problems. I am happy to announce that this year’s Media Excellence award is given to Zaruhie Mejlumyan.

·        Hetq walked away with medals in three categories in the 'Tvapatum 2015 – Stories about Change’ journalistic competition awards ceremony held on September 25 in Yerevan. Hetq won in the categories: Observer: Investigative Reportage, Re-information: Best Use of Reforms, and Media 3.0: Best Use of Technology”. Hetq reporters Ani Hovhannisyan and Marine Madatyan won in the Investigative Reportage category for their article “Expired X-ray Machines: Dangers of Radiation a Shut Topic in Armenia”. Hetq reporter Zaruhi Mejlumyan was a co-winner in the Re-information: Best Use of Reforms category for her article “Armenia Will Get the Latest Generation of DNA Testing Equipment. Ani Hovhannisyan and Narek Aleksanyan won the Media 3.0 prize for their multimedia story entitled “Tavoush Province: Armenia’s Legal and Illegal Garbage Dumps”.

·        Hetq has been named as one of the twelve finalists vying for the prestigious Global Shining Light Award, which honors investigative journalism in a developing or transitioning country, done under threat, duress, or in the direst of conditions. Hetq was selected for its series exposing exposed the murky dealings of an offshore company registered in Cyprus, revealing how the country’s state, church and business sectors cooperate in pursuing their economic interests. The story implicated Tigran Sargsyan, Armenia’s prime minister who resigned in April 2014.

Edik Baghdasaryan - Awards Investigative Journalists NGO: Professional Memberships
 * In 1999, Baghdasaryan received 1st    prize for the “Best Investigative TV Program” from Yerevan Press Club.
 * In 2000, Baghdasaryan received a    prize for the “Best Scenario for TV Program” from Shoghakat Studio.
 * In 2004 he received the 1st prize    for the “Best investigative film” from Internews-Armenia.
 * In 2005 he received the 1st prize for    “Best Environmental Film” from the OSCE office in Yerevan.
 * In 2007 Edik Baghdasaryan received the    “Incentive Award” from the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) for environmental     journalism.
 * On    September 13, 2008, Edik Baghdasaryan was awarded the “International Investigative     Journalism Award” by the Global Investigative Journalism Conference in     Lillehammer, Norway, for an investigative series that uncovered the fact     that the former environment minister in Armenia had taken control of a     segment of the nation’s natural resources and had granted mining licenses     to himself, his family members and subordinates at the ministry.
 * 2010 - “Defender of Armenia Freedom” award by United    States Ambassador to Armenia, Mari L. Yovanovitch
 * On    May 3, 2011, "Time for Free Press" prize for investigations and     professional courage.

Since 2003: Global Investigative Journalism Network ( http://gijn.org/ ).

Since 2005: Association of European Journalists (www.aej.org).

Since 2007: The Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) (www.occrp.org ).

External Links

Hetq’s investigative pieces can be accessed here:

Armenian - ( http://hetq.am/arm/news/investigation/ )

English - http://hetq.am/eng/news/investigation/