{"id":8125,"date":"2017-05-16T02:11:05","date_gmt":"2017-05-16T02:11:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/media.am\/yerevan-elections-attacks-on-journalists-and-their-work\/"},"modified":"2017-05-16T02:11:05","modified_gmt":"2017-05-16T02:11:05","slug":"yerevan-elections-attacks-on-journalists-and-their-work","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/media.am\/en\/newsroom\/2017\/05\/16\/8125\/","title":{"rendered":"Yerevan Elections: Attacks on Journalists and Their Work"},"content":{"rendered":"

On May 14, the day of Yerevan\u2019s municipal elections, there were reported incidents of journalists being attacked. Compared to the April 2 parliamentary elections<\/a>, these local elections were, in fact, a serious challenge for journalists. On voting day, at polling stations and party headquarters journalists not only were prevented from filming, but also were insulted and threatened, with \u201cuneducated,\u201d \u201cif you had been a boy, I\u2019d have smashed your face, then you\u2019d know,\u201d \u201cWho do you think you are?\u201d and other such phrases being hurled at them.<\/p>\n

RFE\/RL\u2019s Armenian service (Azatutyun) journalist Sisak Gabrielian and ArmTimes.com reporter Tatev Khachatryan were attacked.<\/p>\n

At the Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) headquarters on Yerevan\u2019s Nar-Dos St., Sisak Gabrielyan was assaulted<\/a>. Sisak was attacked at that same headquarters during the parliamentary elections<\/a>. The journalist, taking into account the previous incident, was monitoring the headquarters\u2019 activities. He saw that one of the citizens leaving the headquarters was taking money out of their purse and distributing it to other citizens brought to the building. Noticing that new people were entering the building, the journalist entered, after which some of the men began to insult and push him, and try to seize his phone. And so they interrupted his filming, preventing the journalist\u2019s work. <\/p>\n

Whereas Tatev Khachatryan was attacked by a young man<\/a> at School No. 64 in Erebuni administrative district (polling station 10\/29) who tried to seize her phone.<\/p>\n

Tatev\u2019s work was also obstructed at polling station 7\/46<\/a> in the Yerevan district of Malatia-Sebastia.<\/p>\n

At this same polling station, Aravot.am journalist Hripsime Jebejyan was pressured<\/a>.<\/p>\n

At polling station 10\/28 in Erebuni, 1in.am reporter Mariam Grigoryan\u2019s professional activities were obstructed<\/a> when people told her she had no right to film at the polling station and threatened to sue her.<\/p>\n

Also prohibited from filming was Hraparak.am journalist Sona Adamyan<\/a>  \u2014 at polling station 2\/50 in the Yerevan Regional State College of Nor Nork 2nd Masiv (Micro-District).<\/p>\n

A statement issued by media organizations<\/a> mentions that two cases of violence and four cases of obstruction of journalists\u2019 activities were recorded.<\/p>\n

\u201cPrevious years\u2019 experience doesn\u2019t particularly inspire confidence that those who violated the rights of journalists and the media will be held accountable,\u201d reads the statement, in part.<\/p>\n

The Office of the Human Rights Defender will send<\/a> all data containing alleged elements of crime regarding obstructing journalists\u2019 activities to investigative bodies.<\/p>\n