Don’t impede journalists

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News organizations issued a statement:

"On 2010 May 31, journalist of "Haykakan Zhamanak" daily Ani Gevorgyan was arrested while providing coverage of an event. Gevorgyan has been charged with Part 1, Article 316 of the RA Penal Code for "Violence against a state representative". It is still unknown as to how the 23-year old girl applied force against the police.
On the same day, police also disturbed another journalist of "Haykakan Zhamanak" Susanna Poghosyan and "Hayk" newspaper correspondent Lilit Tadevosyan. They were also arrested and released hours later.

We the undersigned announce

-violence against journalists is unacceptable for a democratic society

We remind

-according to Article 4 of the RA Law on "Mass Media", "during legal professional activities and as a person fulfilling his or her social duty, a journalist is defended by the legislation of the Republic of Armenia"
-Part 2 of Article 164 of the RA Penal Code for "Impeding the legal professional activities of journalists" envisages sanctions for officials committing such acts.

We demand that the RA Police

-immediately release of journalist of "Haykakan Zhamanak" Ani Gevorgyan
-suspend criminal persecution against Gevorgyan and penalize the police that have exceeded their powers

Freedom of Speech Defense Committee
Yerevan Press Club
"Internews" NGO in support of mass media
Institute of Comprehensive Information-Armenia
"Asbarez" Club for Journalists
Goris Press Club
Transparency International Anti-Corruption Center
Helsinki Committee of Armenia