On September 6 the investigation of the attack on the correspondent of the photo news agency “Photolure” Mkhitar Khachatrian, made on August 24, 2004 in Tsaghkadzor, was completed. As it has been reported, the purpose of the visit paid by Mkhitar Khachatrian and the correspondent of “Aravot” daily Anna Israelian to Tsaghkadzor was the preparation of a story on the forest cuttings in the vicinity of the sports complex to build summerhouses for senior officials. After the end of the shootings the photo journalist was attacked and the memory chip of his photo camera was taken away by force (see details in YPC Weekly Newsletter, August 26 – September 2, 2004). On the facts of public disorder incitement and the obstruction of legitimate professional activities of correspondents Mkhitar Khachatrian and Anna Israelian criminal proceedings were instituted by the General Prosecutor’s Office according to Part 1 of Article 164 (“Obstruction of legitimate professional activities of journalist”) and Part 1 of Article 258 (“Public Disorder”) of the RA Criminal Code. Charges were introduced to a resident of Yerevan, previously twice convicted Gagik Stepanian, whose preventive punishment was chosen to be arrest.
As the RA General Prosecutors’ Office reported, on the same day, September 6, the materials of the preliminary investigation were directed to the court of primary jurisdiction of Kotayk region.
