Tweet
POLICE ATTACK JOURNALISTS IN ARMENIA
Reporters Without Borders
June 26 2014
Published on Thursday 26 June 2014.
Reporters Without Borders is very concerned about the police violence
against journalists who were waiting with around 60 other people
outside a police station in the Yerevan district of Kentron on 23
June for the release of protesters arrested earlier in the day.
First, the police told the journalists to stand back on the grounds
that they were obstructing the work of the police. Then they formed a
line and kicked the feet of the journalists, who just wanted to cover
the imminent release of those arrested while protesting against an
increase in the price of natural gas.
Journalist Ani Gervorgyan was slapped by a policeman she recognized as
the one who had tried to confiscate her camera on 12 February. Another
journalist, Arpi Makhsudyan, was hit while filming with her mobile
phone and was forced to stop. Gala TV cameraman Paylak Fahradyan was
physically attacked and his laptop was smashed.
"We firmly condemn the police violence against journalists who were
just doing their job in a law-abiding manner," said Johann Bihr,
the head of the Reporters Without Borders Eastern Europe and Central
Asia Desk. "The actions of the police must not be unpunished or else
their violent behaviour will recur and could become the norm. The
policemen who attacked the journalists must be brought to justice."
A total of 27 people were arrested earlier in the day when police
used violence to disperse a demonstration outside the Public Services
Regulation Commission in protest against a proposed increase in
gas prices by the joint Russian and Armenian state-owned company
ArmRosGazprom.
Those arrested were accused under article 182 of the civil code of
"disobeying a legitimate order from the police."
Armenia is ranked 78th out of 180 countries in the 2014 Reporters
Without Borders press freedom index.
http://en.rsf.org/armenia-police-attack-journalists-in-26-06-2014,46537.html
Reporters Without Borders
June 26 2014
Published on Thursday 26 June 2014.
Reporters Without Borders is very concerned about the police violence
against journalists who were waiting with around 60 other people
outside a police station in the Yerevan district of Kentron on 23
June for the release of protesters arrested earlier in the day.
First, the police told the journalists to stand back on the grounds
that they were obstructing the work of the police. Then they formed a
line and kicked the feet of the journalists, who just wanted to cover
the imminent release of those arrested while protesting against an
increase in the price of natural gas.
Journalist Ani Gervorgyan was slapped by a policeman she recognized as
the one who had tried to confiscate her camera on 12 February. Another
journalist, Arpi Makhsudyan, was hit while filming with her mobile
phone and was forced to stop. Gala TV cameraman Paylak Fahradyan was
physically attacked and his laptop was smashed.
"We firmly condemn the police violence against journalists who were
just doing their job in a law-abiding manner," said Johann Bihr,
the head of the Reporters Without Borders Eastern Europe and Central
Asia Desk. "The actions of the police must not be unpunished or else
their violent behaviour will recur and could become the norm. The
policemen who attacked the journalists must be brought to justice."
A total of 27 people were arrested earlier in the day when police
used violence to disperse a demonstration outside the Public Services
Regulation Commission in protest against a proposed increase in
gas prices by the joint Russian and Armenian state-owned company
ArmRosGazprom.
Those arrested were accused under article 182 of the civil code of
"disobeying a legitimate order from the police."
Armenia is ranked 78th out of 180 countries in the 2014 Reporters
Without Borders press freedom index.
http://en.rsf.org/armenia-police-attack-journalists-in-26-06-2014,46537.html