CRIMINAL CASE REJECTED AGAINST PARLIAMENT SECURITY HEAD AFTER HITTING JOURNALIST
10.08.2014 12:23 epress.am
The head of the National Assembly’s Security Service Karen Hayrapetyan
violated a journalist’s professional activities on September 9, 2014 in
front of the National Assembly. According to the Chairman of Committee
to Protect Freedom of Expression Ashot Melikyan, the rejection to open
a criminal case regarding the incident is a blatant act of injustice.
Recall, that the NA Security Service head Karen Hayrapetyan attacked
journalist Marine Khachatryan, working for “A1+” news agency,
and threw her video recording device to the floor. “The Prosecutor
commissioned a Special Investigation to study the incident, while the
Special Investigation Service (SIS) rejected instituting a criminal
case because of the lack of criminal intent, whereas, the criminal
intent was posted throughout news stations,” said Melikyan.
Melikyan noted, that the SIS investigator’s reasoning for not opening
a criminal case was due to the lack of severity of a single hit
equaling physical violence. Gyumri-based Journalists’ Club “Asparez”
Levon Barseghyan also considered the decision to be biased.
“Now imagine that I hit a KGB worker, or hit that girl, there, without
doubt, would be a criminal case against me. In 2004, Edgar Arakelyan
threw an empty bottle at a cop on Baghramyan St. and got two years
in jail,” said Barseghyan.
To note, A1+ has appealed the decision of the SIS.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
Disclaimer: This article was contributed and translated into English by Emil Lazarian. While we strive for quality, the views and accuracy of the content remain the responsibility of the contributor. Please verify all facts independently before reposting or citing.
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