ON OCTOBER 23 POLICEMEN BEAT NOT ONLY PARTICIPANTS OF
PROCESSION AND JOURNALISTS, BUT ALSO BY-PASSERS, MEDIA
REPRESENTATIVES AFFIRM
01-11-2007 18:05:00 | Armenia | Social
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 1, NOYAN TAPAN. The investigation group
examining the criminal case on the fact of the incident, which
happened during the October 23 rally, seeks to present the case
the way that allegedly the number of the demonstrants exceeded
100, while their number was no more than 30. Taguhi Tovmasian, a
correspondent of the Chorrord Ishkhanutiun newspaper, a witness
on the case, said in her interview to Noyan Tapan correspondent.
She assured that this is done for grounding procession's being
illegal, because, if the number of participants of such events
exceeds 99, according to the law, it is necessary to apply to
the Mayor's Office in advance to receive a sanction.
The demonstrants are charged with using violence to a power
representative, as well as with violating street traffic, while
they, according to R. Tovmasian, walked only along the pavement,
and street traffic was stopped by the very policemen.
Another correspondent of Chorrord Ishkhanutiun beaten
during the incident by policemen, Gohar Vezirian, mentioned that
she did not take part in the procession and appeared on the scene
after the newspaper's editor had told her to cover the
procession. According to the correspondent, for policemen, it
was not important whom they were beating: they were even
attacking by-passers. "I saw them cruelly beating Sukiasian
Manuk (a member of the Alternative political-public initiative:
NT) and came up to representatives of special detachments
surrounding him thinking that seeing my camera they will stop
their "business." However, Lieutenant-Colonel Arayik Petrosian
started striking me from back and scolding."
It should be mentioned that as a result of beating G.
Vezirian, according to preliminary diagnosis, received
concussion of the brain. She said that though she visited a
forensic doctor, she has not received his conclusion yet. "I
have no special expectations from that paper, as such papers are
mainly written in this country "by state order," by orders "from
above," the journalist said.