Armenian press body condemns attacks on reporters covering opposition rally

Mediamax news agency
6 Apr 04

YEREVAN

The National Press Club of Armenia (NPC) issued a statement today,
condemning attacks on journalists by unidentified people during an
opposition rally in central Yerevan on 5 April.

During the rally, 15 to 20 young people with an athletic build
attacked the filming crews of the Armenian Public TV and the private
TV companies Kentron, HY Noyan Tapan and Shant, and reporters of
Aravot and Aykakan Zhamanak newspapers. They deliberately broke video
and photo cameras that belonged to the abovementioned mass media.

“This odious step is directed against freedom of speech and pursues
one aim – to hamper the reporting of unbiased information about the
developments in Armenia,” the NPC statement read.

The NPC demanded that the Armenian authorities punish the perpetrators
of the attack on the journalists and prevent such incidents in the
future.

The authors of the statement also appealed “to respect their
professional duty” to those journalists who the NPC said “have
distorted facts thus rendering support to the bandits”.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress