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ARMENIA'S PRESIDENT DECLINES COMMENT ON ARREST OF OPPOSITION JOURNALIST
/ARKA/
FEBRUARY 6, 2012
YEREVAN
YEREVAN, February 6. /ARKA/. President Serzh Sargsyan declined comments
on the arrest of an opposition journalist, deputy editor of "Haykakan
Zhamanak" daily Hayk Gevorgyan saying he would refrain form doing so
until a court's ruling.
Hayk Gevorgyan, 45, a veteran correspondent and deputy editor of the
daily, was taken into custody for running over a man and speeding
away in the car last month. He was formally charged with serious
injuries caused in traffic accidents. Gevorgyan was taken to the police
headquarters in the city's central administrative district and several
hours later was transferred to the Nubarashen prison in Yerevan.
The alleged car incident occurred on January 13. Nikol Pashinian, the
Haykakan Zhamanak's editor-in-chief, speaking at a news conference
last Friday said the charge was fabricated and demanded Gevorgyan's
immediate release.
PashinIan said the accident was provoked and no "physical contact"
between the car and the man, recognized as the victims, occurred. The
deadline for appealing the arrest is February 6.
"Concerning the arrest of Hayk Gevorgyan, I will refrain from
expressing an opinion until the decision of the court, which I hope
will happen as soon as possible", Sargsyan said on Saturday during
a meeting with representatives of the Council of Women of the ruling
Republican Party of Armenia.
According to him, the law-enforcement authorities fight against crimes
and identify persons allegedly committing crimes on a daily basis
and this activity implies restrictions on the rights of an individual.
He said there are courts that are vested with authority to decide
whether the police activity is not in violation of the law. He said
such problems in any country with rule of law must be resolved in
this way.
The largest extra-parliamentary opposition alliance, the Armenian
National Congress, led by ex-president Levon Ter-Petrosian, issued
a statement demanding the immediate release of Hayk Gevorgyan. The
statement says the criminal case against Gevorgyan is fabricated,
and he was imprisoned solely for his professional activities.
On Saturday, in an interview with Armenia Novosti news agency UN
Resident Coordinator in Armenia Dafina Gercheva said that the Armenian
media community should monitor the progress of this case to provide
an unbiased coverage.
/ARKA/
FEBRUARY 6, 2012
YEREVAN
YEREVAN, February 6. /ARKA/. President Serzh Sargsyan declined comments
on the arrest of an opposition journalist, deputy editor of "Haykakan
Zhamanak" daily Hayk Gevorgyan saying he would refrain form doing so
until a court's ruling.
Hayk Gevorgyan, 45, a veteran correspondent and deputy editor of the
daily, was taken into custody for running over a man and speeding
away in the car last month. He was formally charged with serious
injuries caused in traffic accidents. Gevorgyan was taken to the police
headquarters in the city's central administrative district and several
hours later was transferred to the Nubarashen prison in Yerevan.
The alleged car incident occurred on January 13. Nikol Pashinian, the
Haykakan Zhamanak's editor-in-chief, speaking at a news conference
last Friday said the charge was fabricated and demanded Gevorgyan's
immediate release.
PashinIan said the accident was provoked and no "physical contact"
between the car and the man, recognized as the victims, occurred. The
deadline for appealing the arrest is February 6.
"Concerning the arrest of Hayk Gevorgyan, I will refrain from
expressing an opinion until the decision of the court, which I hope
will happen as soon as possible", Sargsyan said on Saturday during
a meeting with representatives of the Council of Women of the ruling
Republican Party of Armenia.
According to him, the law-enforcement authorities fight against crimes
and identify persons allegedly committing crimes on a daily basis
and this activity implies restrictions on the rights of an individual.
He said there are courts that are vested with authority to decide
whether the police activity is not in violation of the law. He said
such problems in any country with rule of law must be resolved in
this way.
The largest extra-parliamentary opposition alliance, the Armenian
National Congress, led by ex-president Levon Ter-Petrosian, issued
a statement demanding the immediate release of Hayk Gevorgyan. The
statement says the criminal case against Gevorgyan is fabricated,
and he was imprisoned solely for his professional activities.
On Saturday, in an interview with Armenia Novosti news agency UN
Resident Coordinator in Armenia Dafina Gercheva said that the Armenian
media community should monitor the progress of this case to provide
an unbiased coverage.