According to the press release of RA Police of June 1, on May 30 during the opposition action a group of people called to hold a spontaneous public event at the Freedom Square of Yerevan, as well as put up resistance to policemen. The press release said that the investigative measures revealed that Ani Gevorgian, correspondent of “Haykakan Zhamanak” daily, had used violence against policemen A.B.: “Ani Gevorgian is detained.” Criminal proceedings are instituted on the incident against the journalist by Part 1 of Article 316 (“Violence against a Representative of Power”) of RA Criminal Code.
According to the information, published on June 1 in “Haykakan Zhamanak”, Ani Gevorgian was detained on May 31, at about 18.30, during another protest action in the centre of Yerevan, and was convened to Kentron Police Department. At the moment of her detention Ani Gevorgian was accomplishing her professional duties – taking pictures of what was going on. According to the daily, the reason of detention could be the piece of Ani Gevorgian which criticized the clip praising RA Police and its head Alik Sargsian.
On June 1 Yerevan Press Club, Committee to Protect Freedom of Expression, Internews Media Support NGO, Media Diversity Institute-Armenia, “Asparez” Journalists’ Club of Gyumri, Goris Press Club, Transparency International Anti-Corruption Center, Helsinki Committee of Armenia released a statement, expressing a bewilderment that Ani Gevorgian, 23, could use violence against a policeman. The statement of 8 organizations stresses that on May 31 representatives of law enforcement bodies also impeded the work of Syuzanna Poghosian, correspondent of “Haykakan Zhamanak” daily, and Lilit Tadevosian, correspondent of “Hayk” daily. The journalists were detained and released afterwards. The signatories assessed these incidents as unacceptable for a democratic society, called to release Ani Gevorgian and stop the criminal prosecution instituted against her.
On June 2 US-based Committee to Protect Journalists expressed its concern with regard to the incident.
