RFE/RL’s Armenian Service has won a prestigious media prize in recognition of its contributions to press freedom.
The service received a 2015 Golden Key award as "the Journalist/Media Outlet Most Actively Covering Freedom of Information Issues.” Seven other prizes were given for promoting openness and transparency.
The Golden Key awards are given by the Freedom of Information Center of Armenia (FOICA) and its partners, which include the European Union, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, and the Armenian Young Lawyers Association.
FOICA also awards a "Rusty Lock" prize for reporting that undermines free access to information.
The award ceremony took place at a Yerevan hotel on International Right to Know Day, a day that is marked in more than 100 countries.
FOICA launched the Goldlen Key awards in 2003, following Armenia's adoption of a law on freedom of information. The organizers say the awards have become an important tool in raising awareness about media freedom and the importance of public access to information.