20 August 2008, 11:56
In Armenia, head of local Radio Liberty service beaten
On August 19, Grach Melkumyan, head of the Radio Liberty service in Armenia, was beaten in the centre of Yerevan. People at the Radio office convinced that the attack is directly related to the journalist's professional activities.
It is not the first case of attacks on journalists in Armenia. Earlier, Lusine Barsegyan, correspondent of the "Aikakan Zhamanak" newspaper, was beaten; she also relates the incident with her professional work.
According to Melkumyan's evidences, he was attacked with fists and curses addressed to the Radio by an unknown man, aged 49-50, dressed in sportswear, the "Gazeta.Ru" reports.
The IA ARMENIAToday reports that in the context of the incident Jeffrey Gedmin, President of the Radio, made a statement asserting that it was a deliberate attack. As he said, it was an unprecedented case demanding immediate investigation of all details.
