On November 24 during the actions of opposition held in the run-up for the
referendum on draft amendments to RA Constitution on November 27, 2005, two
incidents occurred with correspondent of “Haylur” newscast of the
Public Television of Armenia Tatevik Nalbandian and the correspondent of “Ayb-Feh”
newspaper Diana Markosian.
As YPC was told by Tatevik Nalbandian, while the rally at Malatia-Sebastia
community of Yerevan was drawing to its end, and the shooting crew of “Haylur”
program, covering it, directed for the car, several women, present at the action,
attacked two teenagers. The journalist tried to defend the children, and one
of the women hit her. According to Tatevik Nalbandian, but for the assistance
of her colleagues she would not be able to hide in the car. On the same day
she appealed to law enforcement bodies. According to the press-service of the
RA Police, criminal proceedings on Article 258 of the RA Criminal Code (“Public
Disorder”) were instituted by the Police Division of Malatia-Sebastia community
of Yerevan. Tatevik Nalbandian also mentioned she had identified one of the
attacking women, a regular rally participant.
The incident with the correspondent of “Ayb-Feh” Diana Markosian happened in
one of the central streets of the capital, where the traffic police stopped
the car, moving in a chain with the representatives of the opposition. According
to Diana Markosian, an argument started between the people in the car and the
traffic policemen, into which soldiers of special troops interfered. During
this the head of the Shengavit division of “Republic” party Ashot Poghosian
was injured and taken to hospital. The journalist on the site was making pictures
of the incident, when one of the “purple berets”, trying to strike the camera
out of her hands, missed and hit her in the face instead. Diana Markosian said
she had not appealed to the police.
