OSCE media freedom representative concerned about obstruction of journalists’ work in Armenia

VIENNA, 14 February 2014 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović today expressed concern about police obstruction of journalists’ activities while covering a public demonstration in Yerevan on 12 February.

“Violence against journalists is unacceptable. It is especially alarming that police officers responsible to assist and protect journalists used force against them,” Mijatović wrote in a letter to Armenian authorities.

According to reports, Ani Gevorkyan and Sarkis Gevorkyan, journalists with the Chorrord Ishkhanutyun newspaper and iLur.am news portal respectively, were assaulted and detained by police, but released shortly after. While in custody, the officers searched the journalists and erased all video materials from their cameras.

“I call on the authorities to conduct a thorough and transparent investigation into the incident and do everything possible to avoid the police misconduct toward members of the media in the future,” Mijatović wrote.

In December Mijatović raised with the authorities the case of Vardan Minasyan, a journalist with the newspaper Hraparak, who was reportedly detained and assaulted by police officers while covering a public demonstration in Yerevan.