Armenia: YouTube Blocked

Various blogs report on the blocking of YouTube under current state of emergency restrictions in Armenia. Hrag Vartanian asks perhaps rhetorically why this has happened, Blogoscoped posts an email and screenshot from a reader in Armenia confirming it has happened, while Blogian says that it at least proves the Internet is fast becoming a major source of information for some part of the population.

7 comments

  • […] Read the rest of this great post here […]

  • philip

    Terrorism in Armenia is imposed by the karabach oligarchs in order to thwart the free and democratic will of the people of Armenia. It is somewhat encouraging that eventually words of sound condemnation are heard especially from the west (OSCE report on the march 1, ’08 election), from senior Armenian organizations in the States (the recent statement of the Armenian Assembly of America) and of course the honest report of the OSCE ombudsman on how the regime’s special forces attacked with truncheons, shields, electroshock devices, guns, armored vehicles and tanks the peaceful demonstrators. The sooner this fascists leave the better for Armenia and its heroic and proud people. I believe the clock is ticking against the corrupted regime. I believe also that sooner or later the struggle of the people of Armenia will eventually succeed in restoring peacefully DEMOCRACY, TRANSPARENCY, PROSPECTS FOR A BETTER LIVING, SOCIAL SECURITY, MEDICARE, HUMAN AND CIVIL RIGHTS AND MOST OF ALL DIGNITY. We the Armenians of diaspora will stand by their side and support them in every lawful way.

  • hey philip you choose exactly the right words: faschism. as long as they rule the country, Armenia will loose sympathy about the genocide question, because why should I should support as a European a corrupt regime in his fight for “justice” who doesnt care by itself about human rights? I am very sad for the dead and injured peaceful demonstrants, but I think this events made Armenia to a more modern and realistic society. I think this is the birth of an alternative Armenia movement. Armenians will stop to feel all as one and start to get critical and want to express that they are not part of the military-dictatorship-society. I expect to see different kind of men when I go the next time down (I am European not Armenian). I think Yerevan & Ararat songs will not be that popular anymore. I guess Armenia is more going into direction of System of a down-Style. I would appreciate that, because if they people start to struggle and fight (peaceful as the demonstrators did) – then Armenia will have a good future. And biggest respect to the peaceful & dancing demonstrators. You impressed me very much here in Europe. We dont have this power anymore. People got lazy here somehow.

    Check this link for free Internet-Acess in Armenia:
    www (dot) picidae (dot) net

  • And here you see how a special army is coming after the normal army is drawn back. The Armenian governement says in the news, that they were just shooting in the air (at the end of the movie). Watch by yourself… I hope OSCE is watching this video too.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8e6XR8TXGWA

  • Browse here for the pictures and see what REALLY was happening from Feb 20-March 1.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_Armenian_election_protests

    10 days and nights of peaceful protesting, dancing, and camping at Liberty Square. 1 deadly night in which government attacks. 1 day in which 100,000+ people take to streets as army and riot police pull back, outnumbered. 1 night of resistance with sticks and stones as riot police fire tear gas and army shoots with Kalashnikov assault rifles, while some government provocateurs get 20-30 people to loot a grocery store, have government TV cameramen record it, and call it a “riot” in the evening news… This is “How to Create a State of Emergency 101” class in the KGB institute.

  • […] of emergency that followed, blogs were remarkably untouched and came of age, although YouTube was blocked by the authorities. Citizen journalism moved in to fill the gap, albeit in sometimes mutually hostile ways between the […]

  • Casey

    Actually, there’s already Youtube Mirrors available out there like,

    http://www.tubemirror.com/

    that allows you to view restricted videos anywhere you are. People where YT is blocked surely are missing out on a lot of things for YT is such a powerful resource that can definitely be very influencial, thus that’s why I think it was banned on those countries.

    Regards,
    Casey

Join the conversation

Authors, please log in »

Guidelines

  • All comments are reviewed by a moderator. Do not submit your comment more than once or it may be identified as spam.
  • Please treat others with respect. Comments containing hate speech, obscenity, and personal attacks will not be approved.