EDITOR OF «ZHAMANAK» WAS ARRESTED
Support A1+!«They came after Arman Babajanyan, editor-in-chief of newspaper «Zhamanak Yerevan» as though they had come to arrest an old offender. Two people knocked at the door making sure it was the editorial office, 7-8 people raided into the office and without introducing themselves and informing where they were taking the editor took him in an unknown direction», tells Manouk Souqiasyan, director of newspaper “Zhamanak Yerevan”.
Later on they would find out that Arman Babajanyan was taken to the Prosecutor’s office to be examined in connection with a criminal case. Then it would become clear that a criminal case was brought against Babajanyan himself for fabricating documents and avoiding military service since 2002.
Lisa Chakharyan, deputy editor of the newspaper, noted that this was an act of terror against the newspaper aimed at warning the other Mass Media. She drew parallels between the incident and the period when “A1+” was banned from air. “’A1+’ was persecuted in the pre-election period when there was tension. Now we are in a pre-election period again, and there is tension over the Karabakh conflict; thus they want to warn others by our example.”
As for the accusation, the editorial office informed that Arman Babajanyan came to Armenia many times after 2002 but as far as he did not publish any newspaper back then, he was never troubled by military affairs. “Arman will become a PHD soon. He studied in international universities and always kept in touch with the military registration office”, Manouk Souqiasyan informed.
By the way, Artak Babajanyan, Arman's brother was summoned to the Prosecutor's office too but decided to participate in the press conference instead. Nevertheless, a few hours prior to the conference his mobile phone ceased to answer the calls. The staff of the newspaper is sure the he was arrested too.
We learned from the press secretary of the Prosecutor's Office that they received the materials from the Military Police. On this ground a criminal case was initiated according to the second point of the second part of the article 327 of the Criminal Code – fabrication of documents and avoidance of military service.
Arman Babajanyan was examined as a suspect and confessed that he really fabricated documents in order to avoid military service. After that he was arrested.
Asked what is the possible punishment in this case we were answered in the Prosecutor's office, «He will be taken to the army».
