Armenia`s law-enforcement system at authorities` service to silence  opponents, journalists - UJA

ArmInfo. The Union of Journalists of Armenia condemned the actions of the security service of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia, who used force  against journalists.

The Union's statement notes that on March 26, journalists unfurled  banners in the box designated for them with the inscriptions "Say  sorry" and "Andranik Kocharyan, wipe your lips", after which the  service officers pulled the journalists away, taking away the  banners. The protest was held in response to MP Andranik Kocharyan's  insult to the journalist of the Yerevan Tribune news website Hripsime  Jebejyan.

"The journalists did not hold a political action, they did not shout,  did not insult anyone, as the associate of the Prime Minister of the  Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan does, they silently held their  action in a separate box. The journalists demanded respect for their  work and not to interfere with the performance of their professional  duties," the Union's statement says.

The service's employees had no right to attack journalists, much less  use violence against them, persecute them, or hinder their work.

"The specific nature of journalists' work should not hinder the  smooth operation of the National Assembly, but it should not lead to  obstacles to the work of journalists. Moreover, under the guise of  ensuring safety rules, security officers are deployed almost  everywhere, who even reserve the right to pull journalists by the  hands and take away posters, of course, not without an order "from  above" from the political leadership.  The Union of Journalists of  Armenia once again emphasizes that obstructing the professional work  of journalists and using physical force against them are acts that  entail criminal liability.

"We call on the Prosecutor General's Office to consider this  statement as a report of a crime with all the ensuing consequences.  By the way, it is appropriate to recall that during the previous  government, journalists-MPs from the Civil Contract party faction,  led by Nikol Pashinyan, held a political rally in the meeting hall of  the National Assembly, in the presence of the ruling majority  represented by the Republican Party, in an atmosphere of tolerance,  and now the same political team does not tolerate even silent rally  in the journalists' box. We also appeal to international journalistic  and human rights organizations regarding the treatment of journalists  and the media by the Armenian authorities, numerous cases of  violence, obstruction of journalistic work, violation of freedom of  speech and, most importantly, the atmosphere of impunity created in  the country. The Armenian law enforcement system serves exclusively  the authorities to silence political opponents and journalists," the  Union of Journalists of Armenia said in a statement.