On October 7 in the court of primary jurisdiction of Kotayk region of Hrazdan city hearings on the case of attack on the correspondent of "Photolure" news agency Mkhitar Khachatrian and the obstruction of professional activities of Mkhitar Khachatrian and the correspondent of "Aravot" daily Anna Israelian started. As it has been reported, the incident occurred on August 24 in Tsaghkadzor, where the journalists were preparing a piece on the forest cutting in the vicinity of sports complex for the construction of summerhouses of high-ranked officials. After the end of the shootings the memory chip of Khachatrian’s camera was taken away by force (see details in YPC Weekly Newsletter, August 26 – September 2, 2004). Charges of public disorder (part 1 of Article 258 of the RA Criminal Code) and the obstruction of legitimate professional activities of journalists (part 1 of Article 164 of the RA Criminal Code) were introduced to a Yerevan resident, formerly twice convicted Gagik Stepanian.
At the first session the court started the interrogation of the parties. The next session is scheduled for October 11.
