On February 1, 2001, the Court of Original Jurisdiction of Center and Nork Marash Districts of Yerevan sentenced the cameraman of “A1+” TV company Robert Kharazian to 6 months’ penalty, equal to 10% of his monthly salary, “Aravot” daily informed on February 6, 2001.
The story can be traced to October last year when Kharazian had shootings in the park around the Sundukian Theater, an intoxicated man, resembling a homeless, came up to him and demanded that the cameraman film what he was going to say to the world. As the witnesses maintain, the cameraman at first took no notice of the man and went on with his professional responsibilities. However, the latter persisted and provoked a scuffle. The cameraman pushed the man aside and left the site.
As it appeared later, the man with traces of beatings got to hospital. A criminal suit was brought against Mr. Kharazian; the court arrived at the verdict of guilty. Kharazian believes that the incident continued without him, and someone else beat the “homeless”, as the latter was also harassing the people around them. However, the cameraman failed to prove his point.
Notably, the editorial staff of “A1+” was unaware of the impending trial of Mr. Kharazian. As Mesrop Movsesian, the Director of “A1+” TV company, told Yerevan Press Club, in November last year he was visited by representatives of Criminal Investigation Department of Spandarian Division of the RA Ministry of Internal Affairs for clarifying the circumstances of the incident, and, as the camera was on during the whole incident, the complete information was introduced to the police force. “We were sure that it answered all questions. As to the trial, we learned about it, so to say, post factum. Apparently, the young cameraman decided not to ask us for help, being confident in his innocence and thinking he can prove it”, concluded Mr. Movsesian.
