A1 Plus | 20:22:16 | 15-04-2004 | Politics |

THE WAY OUR POLICE DEALING WITH REPORTERS

Russia’s ORT TV channel cameraman Levon Grigoryan, who was severely bitten
Monday night while fulfilling his professional duty shooting peaceful
demonstration in Baghramyan Avenue, told our correspondent barbed wire had
been taken away to pave the way for water-carrying vehicles.

Then, explosives were dropped at demonstrators and assault against them
began. The people tried to resist the attack throwing plastic bottles at
attackers.

“I was standing and shooting what was going on. Four men dressed as
civilians attacked me and tried to tear the camera from my hands. I resisted
the attack in a bid to save the camera. Then, a group of men in special
detachment uniforms thew me on the ground and beat me with their feets using
also electroshock and batons and spraying gas onto my face. I was bleeding”,
Levon Grigoryan said.

He heard one of them had said to another: “That’s enough he’s nearly
croaking”.

Grigoryan says he was pulled and thrown under a tree. He says those
attacking him were well-aware of who he is. “You are working for Moscow, we’
ll see what you’ll give them after that”, they were shouting while beating
him and then broke his camera and emptied his pockets.

Levon Grigoryan says long years he worked as cameraman, but he has never
seen such a brutality against reporters.

“I don’t know, if someone will be charged”, he said.