On September 15 at about 19.00 at the editorial office of “Iskakan Iravunk”
newspaper its Chief Editor Hovhannes Galajian was assaulted. Two strangers gave
a severe beating to the journalist, striking him with iron whips. Hovhannes
Galajian was hospitalized with brain concussion and bruises, stitches were put
on his head. He is currently in hospital. This is already the second case of
violence against Hovhannes Galajian: on September 6 last years he was beaten
by the entrance to his house. Those guilty of the assault have not been found
to this day (see details in the report on freedom of speech in Armenia in 2006
at YPC web-site www.ypc.am).
“Yerevan Press Club and the Committee to Protect Freedom of Expression have
repeatedly noted and reinstate that such attacks continue due to inadequate
work of law enforcements bodies and their inability (or unwillingness?) to find
the authors and implementers of violence against media and journalists and hold
them accountable. We condemn this new case of terror and announce that the lack
of disclosure of such crimes, particularly, during the pre-election period,
can serve even more to unleash those seeking to silence the freedom of expression
by whips”, the statement of the two journalistic associations, released on September
17, says in particular.
Statements condemning the incident with the Editor of “Iskakan Iravunk” were
made also by other journalistic associations, representatives of a number of
parties.
Criminal proceedings have been instituted by the Investigative Department of
the RA Police on the attack on Hovhannes Galajian, by Article 113 of the RA
Criminal Code (“Intentional injuries of medium graveness”).
