STATEMENT BY YEREVAN PRESS CLUB
On the evening of December 28 our colleague, the Chairman of the Council of Public Television and Radio Company of Armenia, one of the founders of Yerevan Press Club Tigran Naghdalian was assassinated.
During the past 10 years in Armenia numerous cases of violence towards journalists happened – attacks, beatings, attempted homicide. Yet 2002 in this regard was unrivaled and ends with a cynical murder of the head of a leading Armenian medium.
Whatever the motive for this crime is, it is another example of insolent defiance to our society and Armenian journalism, in particular. Such appalling deeds plunge one into horror, instill the atmosphere of fear, disrupt the freedom of speech and democracy.
Yerevan Press Club has to state again that up to day not a single case of violence against journalists has been disclosed and demands that the competent agencies find the organizers and the implementers of this assassination.
We mourn the tragic death of a talented, most professional journalist Tigran Naghdalian, condole with his family, friends and colleagues.
We hope and will do everything in our power for the journalistic community today to be united not only by the grief, but also the resolve to put an end to violence. We are to unite, regardless the political affiliations, to protect our rights and freedoms.
"Do not kill journalists", Tigran appealed. His memory will live…
December 29, 2002
