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  • Reporters attacked in Armenian region

    Reporters attacked in Armenian region

    Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
    25 Aug 04


    [Presenter] A photo correspondent of Fotolur [Photo news] news agency,
    Mkhitar Khachatryan, and a correspondent of Aravot [Tomorrow] daily
    newspaper, Anna Israelyan, were attacked in Tsakhadzor Region
    yesterday.

    They were on a mission there to gather information about the
    Tsakhadzor forests and took pictures of villas built in a deforested
    area. Residents of the villas tried to prevent the correspondents from
    taking pictures and later attempted to seize their camera. They chased
    the correspondents and assailed Khachatryan.

    This is the third case this year when reporters were prevented from
    fulfilling their duties. Media organizations and watchdogs have
    already appealed to the law-enforcement bodies to find and punish the
    attackers.

    [Anna Israelyan, in her office] I was preparing a photo report about
    the Tsakhadzor forests. We wanted to take pictures of villas built by
    the nouveaux riches in the deforested areas, we were spotted by
    unidentified men who attacked us and tried to seize our camera.

    [Correspondent] Correspondents Mkhitar Khachatryan and Anna Israelyan
    could not even ask the attackers about the reasons for their
    behaviour. Without identifying himself, a young man demanded that they
    give him their camera, threatened the correspondents and hit Mkhitar
    Khachatryan.

    [Khachatryan, in his office] One of them tried to bar our way, the
    second one was a skinhead who seized the camera without saying
    anything. The second attacker abused me and asked me if I knew on
    whose territory I was. I said that I did not know who was the owner of
    the villa and he hit me.

    [Correspondent] The Prosecutor-General's Office is about to institute
    criminal proceedings into the incident following broad media coverage.

    [Israelyan] As far as I know, the Prosecutor-General's Office is going
    to open a criminal case into the incident. Mkhitar Khachatryan has
    testified, and I am also going to give evidence.

    [Passage omitted: minor details]
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