On February 27 “Asparez” Journalist’s Club of Gyumri addressed the RA General
Prosecutor’s Office and the Prosecutor’s Office of Shirak region demanding to
institute criminal proceedings against the Gyumri Mayor Vardan Ghukasian on
charges of libel, insult and threatening. The reason for addressing the law
enforcement bodies were the statements of Vardan Ghukasian made on February
25 at the city rally, held on the occasion of Armenian presidential elections’
end. Speaking to the rally participants, the Gyumri Mayor said in particular:
“In our city there are a couple of sections that disgust people. This is the
“GALA section” and “Asparez section” that keep (…) praising Levon Ter-Petrosian
for the money of Armenian National Movement, let them come to their senses,
too”.
“’Asparez’ Journalist’s Club believes that in one of his statements Vardan
Ghukasian libeled the Club, insulted us, and in the other – threatened us in
the presence of several thousands of people”, the statement of the journalistic
association, released on February 25, says in particular. The statement also
directs the attention of the law enforcement bodies to the permanent phone calls
with threats that the Chairman of “Asparez” Board Levon Barseghian and other
staff members of the organizations have been receiving over the past years.
As it has been reported, in the early morning of January 19, 2008 an attempt
was made to set “Asparez” office on fire, on which criminal proceedings were
instituted (see YPC Weekly Newsletter, January
25-31, 2008).
