During the last days press was writing about the disappearance of the Head
of “Radiolur” news program of Public Radio of Armenia Artur Sahakian: he did
not show up at the work, did not answer the phone calls. On September 29 information
appeared on the web site of RA Police about the incident with Arthur Sahakian,
which took place on September 20 and continued the next day. Nevertheless, the
official information about the incident and the version of the journalist himself
that appeared in a number of newspapers on September 30 contradict each other.
According to Artur Sahakian, he has to hide now because his life is endangered
on behalf of the encirclement of the RA National Assembly deputy, businessman
Levon Sargsian who work in agreement with some police officials. Besides, an
eyewitnesses of the incident accused the journalist of a rape attempt.
Andranik Babayan, a friend of Artur Sahakian, fell a victim of the incident
and died in the hospital on September 29, without coming to consciousness after
the beating that took place on September 21. On the same day, September 21,
Director of “Urbat” Club, Chief Editor of “Urbat Report” weekly, Abel Mikaelian,
who was in one of Yerevan cafes together with Artur Sahakian, was beaten. Although
the act of violence was to all appearances done by a big group of people, according
to the RA Police information above, only one person was arrested, coming to
the police and confessing that he beat Andranik Babayan and Abel Mikaelian.
On October 2, press informed that two more suspected were detained.
On October 1, 2008 “Aravot” daily published a statement of Abel Mikaelian,
who is hiding at present. Abel Mikaelian urged the media not connect his name,
the name of late Andranik Babayan, as well as “Urbat” Club and “Urbat Report”
with the incident of September 20-21.
Yerevan Press Club will follow the events around this complicated story.
