Freedom of Information Center of Armenia.

Shushan Doydoyan
President

Ms. Shushan Doydoyan is the President of the Freedom of Information Center of Armenia since 2001 and former head of the Personal Data Protection Agency of Armenia in 2015–2017. She has extensive experience in good governance, personal data protection, freedom of information and media with more than 26 years' experience within government and non-profit sectors.

Ms. Doydoyan was the first head of the Personal Data Protection Agency of Armenia in 2015 – 2017 promoting its establishment and strategic development. Under her leadership, major directions of strategic development of the agency were accomplished, public awareness on data protection both in private and state sectors was raised, a soft legal framework was established in major strategic areas of data protection, and advanced international cooperation was formed with DP bodies in the European Union countries and professional structures.

In June 2015 at the Universal Rights Awards Ceremony Ms. Doydoyan was awarded with the Freedom Defender Award in recognition of her outstanding efforts pursuing freedom of information, transparency and accountability in public decision-making.

Ms. Doydoyan has a PhD degree since 2001. She has law and journalism background. Her extensive experience as a professor covers Media Ethics, Media Law topics for the journalism students at Yerevan State University since 1997.

She is the country representative of the Reporters Without Borders international organization since 2003. In 2004-2006 and 2010-2014 Shushan Doydoyan was a Steering Committee member of the FOI Advocates Network. She was also one of the founder members of the Access Info Europe. Ms. Doydoyan has provided expert services and trainings in the sphere of FOI and open government partnership with the support of OSCE, USAID, UNDP and GIZ.

Ms. Doydoyan is the designated author of www.e-request.am, an e-system of the RA Government for submission of applications and requests to the Government. In 2017 her idea was recognized by UNDP as one of the best three innovative ideas of public officials and her innovative idea received implementation support and recognition.

Ms. Doydoyan provides expert services, in depth analysis and trainings in the sphere of freedom of iinformation, personal data protection, strategic communication, media literacy for international organizations, such as OSCE, CoE, USAID, UNDP, World Bank, British Embassy, MSI, IRI and GIZ.

She is an author of more than 64 scientific articles and about 20 books, monographs and textbooks.

Liana Doydoyan
Co-Founder, Board member
Projects Coordinator/Communication specialist

Ms. Liana Doydoyan is a co-Founder and Board member of the "Freedom of Information Center" NGO since 2001. She has an extensive experience in Communication management and institutional development that supports and advance the strategic goals of the project and organization. Ms Doydoyan has managed more than 35 projects with the primary function of capacity building, public participation and advocacy, public awareness-raising campaigns, expertise and training, and media content development. Her professional experience includes the following core activities:

• Strengthen CSO and government dialogue on public policy to enhance CSOs’ ability to influence GOAMlegislation and monitor policy implementation;
• Plan and implement communication strategy and government relations plan with clearly articulated objectives,timelines, and outputs;
• Design and manage projects on access to information, anti-corruption mechanisms, open governance, andempowering CSOs, media;
• Provide Advocacy and consultation on ATI, beneficial ownership transparency to CSOs, journalists and legalpersons;
• Organize and implement project events, public debates, press conferences, and awareness-raising campaigns,including work with social media, etc.

Ms. Liana Doydoyan is one of the pioneers in promoting the Open Government Partnership Initiative processes in Armenia. In particular, as an active member of the OGP Armenia multi-stakeholder working group, she initiated and implemented tens of projects to increase civic engagement in and oversight of reforms aimed at improving the transparency and accountability of government actions and policies. 

Her activities also include developing and conducting training courses for CSOs on access to information, anti-corruption, OGP, media literacy, and civic engagement tools. Her academic credentials include a Bachelor's and Master's Degrees in Journalism. Ms. Doydoyan is a member of many local and international journalism associations and organizations. Certificated in Project management, Access to Information, and ToT.

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Mane Madoyan
Project Coordinator

Mane Madoyan has been working at the Freedom of Information Center since October 2018 as the Subgrant Coordinator of the Program for Access to Information and Investigative Journalism for the Most Informed Citizens.

FOICA member since 2011. She used to work for the Organization in the past too: 2013-2014 she was the FOICA's educational program coordinator. In 2009 she graduated from YSU Faculty of Journalism (MA), she is a Ph.D. student of the same department now. From the years of study, she has been working as a communication specialist.

2005-2011 She has worked as a Public Relations Officer at Yerevan State University, since 2011 at the Foundation for the Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural Assets (FPWC) then with the lead of FPWC she moved to Yerevan Zoo as a Press Officer (until May 2016).

From September 2017 to June 2018, she worked as a Communications Specialist at the RA Government’s Information and Analytics Center, and from June 2018 - at the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, as Press Secretary of minister Mane Tandilyan and the head of the Ministry's PR Division (until 2018, October). Lecturer at YSU, Faculty of Journalism. During this time, she has been actively cooperating with the education and social NGOs as a training modules developer and communication expert.

 Harutyun Tsatryan
FOICA Researcher

Harutyun Tsatryan is media and communication researcher and fact-checking specialist working in the field of media and communication more than 10 years. Previously, he received a bachelor’s and master’s degree in journalism and political science. At present, H. Tsatryan has a Ph.D in Media Studies.

Harutyun Tsatryan is an external assessor at the International fact checking network (IFCN) of the Poynter Institute and European fact checking standards network (EFCSN). H. Tsatryan is an Advisory board member of the European Youth Press, a network of youth media makers and organisations in Europe and beyond the EU borders. Since October 2021, he has been delivering lectures on "News verification and Fact checking" at Wayne State University.

H. Tsatryan joined the FOICA since 2020 and delivered desk research and training courses on different topics including BOT, fact checking, media literacy and strategic communications.

Gevorg Hayrapetyan
Member of FOICA's board

Gevorg Hayrapetyan was the lawyer of the Freedom of Information Center of Armenia since 2005. In 2007 Gevorg Hayrapetyan graduated the study in the Law Faculty of Yerevan State University, and in 2006 he graduated the study in Legal Clinic of the Law Faculty of YSU. The theme of his final work was “Freedom of Information in the Republic of Armenia”. In 2015 he got masters degree. The theme of his master thesis was "The new challenges of Freedom of Information". He has passed trainings in Short-term Courses on Freedom of Information in Ukraine (2005, Kiev) and in the Check Republic (2006, Prague). Gevorg Hayrapetyan is a FOI expert.

Gevorg Hayrapetyan is a author of 9 books on FOI - “Access to Information Right. Collection of Court Cases” ((co-author - Shushan Doydoyan, Yerevan, 2006), “Public elections” (co-author - Marine Hakobyan, Yerevan, 2007), “Access to Information Right. Collection of Court Cases” Volume 2 (co-author - Shushan Doydoyan, Yerevan, 2010), “The Legal regulation of the right to freedom of information in the Republic of Armenia: Commentaries” (co-author - Shushan Doydoyan, Karapet Harutyunyan, Yerevan, 2010), “Transparent Elections. How to Receive Information during Electoral Processes” (co-author – Mrs. Marine Hakobyan, Yerevan, 2012), "How to Cover Legal Matters. Guide for Journalists" (co-authors – Mrs. Sona Truzyan, Mr. Karapet Harutyunyan, Yerevan, 2012), “Access Zone or e-Armenia” (co-authored publication, the authored section “Code of Ethics of Online Journalist”, Yerevan, 2012), “Access to Information Right. Collection of Court Cases” Volume 3 (co-author – Mrs. Shushan Doydoyan, Yerevan, 2013), “The best in the Net” online journalist’s guidebook (co-authored publication, the authored section “Copyright protection for the Armenian media”, Yerevan, 2013). He also has published more than 30 articles and analyzes on FOI and transparency of state bodies, access to official documents, on insult and defamation.