Ashot Melikyan. Photo: http://ru.a1plus.am/41692.html

20 December 2014, 08:49

Acts of violence against journalists in Armenia remain unpunished, rights defenders assert

As stated by participants of a press conference in Yerevan, this year was rather strained for the press and journalists; and the number of incidents of physical pressure on journalists or obstruction to obtaining information practically did not go down.

During the first nine months of the current year only, seven incidents involving physical violence against journalists and 37 cases of threats and pressure were registered, said Ashot Melikyan, the chairman of the Committee for the Protection of Freedom of Speech.

"The decrease of the count of threats and incidents of pressure in comparison with previous years is due to the fact that in 2014 there were no parliamentary or presidential elections," he explained.

According to his story, almost all the incidents involving journalists featured agents of power structures; however, law enforcement bodies are trying to hush up the cases and defend the esprit de corps.

In particular, Melikyan cited the example of the journalist of the newspaper "Fourth Power" Ani Gevorkyan (in media her name is also given as Ani Gevorgyan), who was not allowed this February by a policeman to video an oppositional protest action. A police officer slapped her face and ordered to take away her mobile phone.

The Committee to Protect Freedom of Expression demanded from the prosecutor's office to investigate this incident, Melikyan has reminded. A criminal case was opened, but no one was punished.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.

Author: Tigran Petrosyan Source: CK correspondent

Комментирование через Кавказский узел
All news
НАСТОЯЩИЙ МАТЕРИАЛ (ИНФОРМАЦИЯ) ПРОИЗВЕДЕН И РАСПРОСТРАНЕН ИНОСТРАННЫМ АГЕНТОМ ООО “МЕМО”, ЛИБО КАСАЕТСЯ ДЕЯТЕЛЬНОСТИ ИНОСТРАННОГО АГЕНТА ООО “МЕМО”.

April 03, 2025 22:57

  • Relatives of political prisoners announce 24-hour protest in Tbilisi

    Families of oppositionists arrested in connection with participation in pro-European protest actions have united in a public movement to demand the release of prisoners of conscience. The activists plan to start a 24-hour protest action in front of the parliament building in Tbilisi.

April 03, 2025 22:13

  • Sister of convicted Rizvanov demands answer about legality of law enforcers’ visits

    Two men came to the house of the parents of Abubakar Rizvanov, who was sentenced to imprisonment in a case on terrorism financing, and demanded the information about the place of residence of his children. A sister of Abubakar Rizvanov regarded the constant visits by law enforcers as pressure and demanded an answer about the legality of their actions.

April 03, 2025 21:58

April 02, 2025 22:55

  • Verdict to Sochi resident Schus upheld

    The appellate court has refused to change the sentence passed to Alexei Schus, a Sochi engineer, convicted on charges of spreading fake news about the Russian Army and making a slingshot.

April 02, 2025 21:15

  • Kurban Dalgatov's mother assess trial prospects of her son's death case

    The law enforcers guilty of the death of Kurban Dalgatov, a Makhachkala resident, are trying in every way to avoid punishment, while the judges are following their lead, the mother of Kurban, who died after being tortured by the police. The trial of Dalgatov's death case will continue on April 30 this year.

News archive
Пн
Вт
Ср
Чт
Пт
Сб
Вс
31
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
1
2
3
4