On November 7 the evening issue of “Horizon” newscast of “Shant” TV company
showed a report about the police officers impeding the shootings of the fire
at the Yerevan car park of the RA Police. The incident occurred a few minutes
after the journalist and cameraman of “Shant” had arrived on site. When the
cameraman started shooting the burning garage roofs, the police demanded to
stop the camera. In reply to the attempts of journalists to explain their rights,
the police started closing the camera lens with their hands, and one of them
took the shooting crew out of the car park. The airing of the report in “Horizon”
newscast was accompanied by a quote of Article 27 of the RA Constitution about
the universal right to freedom of expression, freedom to seek, receive, impart
information and idea through any media, as well as the provisions of the RA
Criminal Code, stipulating responsibility for impeding the legitimate professional
activities of journalists. As YPC was told by “Shant” TV company, no comment
has so far followed from the RA Police regarding this incident.
