On April 30, at about 5.00 in Yerevan an assault was made on Argishti Kivirian,
Director of “Bagin” legal company, Coordinator of ARMENIA Today news agency.
As the journalist relatives noted, strangers with bats attacked Argishti Kivirian
on his way home from the office which is located in the next entrance. The neighbors,
awoken from the noise, frightened away the assaulters, and they escaped. Argishti
Kivirian was taken to “Erebuni” medical center in grave health condition and
with multiple injuries, also on his head. According to the information of RA
Police, investigative actions are started upon the incident.
The same day, on April 30, Committee to Protect Freedom of Expression, Yerevan
Press Club, Internews Media Support NGO, Media Diversity Institute-Armenia,
“Femida” NGO, “Asparez” Journalist’s Club, Vanadzor Press Club, Transparency
International Anticorruption Center, Helsinki Committee of Armenia, Civil Society
Institute and Vanadzor Office of Helsinki Citizens Assembly released a statement.
“The solution of problems through blows and violence becomes a serious peril
for the society”, the statement says, in particular. In the opinion of the eleven
NGOs, “the state structures do not take any effective steps in order to stand
up against this peril”: “(…) Those who have assaulted against journalists
have not appeared before the court to this very day.” The statement authors
called the law enforcement bodies to clean the crime against Argishti Kivirian
as soon as possible and bring the offenders to account. The NGOs statement also
notes that the relatives of Argishti Kivirian link the incident to his journalistic
activities.
