On December 20 the court of primary jurisdiction of Center and Nork-Marash communities of Yerevan started to hear the case on the attack of “Haikakan Zhamanak” daily correspondent Arman Galoyan. As it has been reported, the incident was held on September 23, 2004 during the demolition of trade stalls, located around one of Yerevan markets. The unknown individuals, by force, obstructed the work of the journalist who was interviewing the owners of the stalls (see details in YPC Weekly Newsletter, September 24-30, 2004). The Center Division of the RA Police criminal proceedings were instituted on Part 1 of Article 164 of the RA Criminal Code ("Obstruction of legitimate professional activities of a journalist”).
As Arman Galoyan told YPC, the investigation did not manage to identify one of the assaulters, for this reason a part of the case was separated into different proceedings. The other assaulter was Yerevan resident, the market supervisor Armen Vardanian. The investigation also determined that one month before the incident the same Armen Vardanian in the neighborhood of the same market attacked two residents of Yerevan. The two cases were united in one. Thus, Vardanian was charged on two episodes: by Article 164 as mentioned above and by Article 258 of the RA Criminal Code (“Public disorder”). The preventive punishment for the defendant was selected to be the obligation of not leaving the place of permanent residence, and in mid-November the case was directed to the court.
Due to the failure of Armen Vardanian to be present on the hearing of December 20, the court ruled to bring the defendant to the next session, appointed for January 19, 2005.
