On July 10 “Hetq” online newspaper (the weekly publication of “Investigative
Journalists” NGO) reported that throughout the past week “Hetq” received e-mail
messages with threats and abuse to the address of “Investigative Journalists”:
“The messages warned against writing any more articles about Gagik Tsarukian
(RA National Assembly deputy, head of “Multi Group” concern – Ed. note), making
threats if disobeyed.” On July 7, the weekly tells, the Chairman of “Investigative
Journalists” and the Chief Editor of “Hetq” Edik Baghdasarian addressed the
Head of the RA National Security Service Gorik Hakobian with a request to disclose
and punish the author of the messages, as the law provides.
As YPC was told by Edik Baghdasarian, on July 12 the National Security Service
informed him that the messages were sent out from Irwin, Los Angeles suburb.
However, further investigation is impossible as there is no appropriate intergovernmental
agreement between USA and Armenia. According to Edik Baghdasarian, the investigation
that his organization undertook yielded similar data. For this reason, not expecting
an answer from NSS, on July 11 he addressed the US Embassy in Armenia with a
request to assist the search of the e-mail author.
