On December 24 the Police Department of Kentron community of Yerevan charged
freelance journalist Gagik Shamshian and correspondent of “Chorrord Ishkhanutiun”
newspaper Gohar Vezirian with Part 1 of Article 343 of the RA Criminal Code
(“Disrespect to Court”). As it has been reported, incidents with journalists
occurred during the hearing of the same case in the court of primary jurisdiction
of Kentron and Nork-Marash communities of Yerevan. On August 5, 2008 upon the
order of judge Gagik Avetisian Gagik Shamshian was put out of the courtroom.
The journalist was first locked in the basement of the court building and was
further moved to the Kentron Police Department. The next day, August 6, a similar
sanction was applied to Gohar Vezirian: upon the order of the same judge the
journalist was put out of the courtroom, she was kept for about an hour and
half in a room, intended for defendants, and was further moved to Kentron Police
Department. Having spent over two hours in the police department, Gagik Shamshian
and Gohar Vezirian were released on August 5 and 6 respectively. The criminal
proceedings against journalists were instituted in September, 2008 (see YPC
Weekly Newsletter, September
5-11, 2008).
As YPC was told by attorney Hovik Arsenian, journalists do not plead guilty,
saying it was the judge who exceeded his competence. Part 1 of Article 343 of
the RA Criminal Code stipulates a fine ranging from 100 to 300 minimal salaries
or imprisonment of one to two months.
