DO JOURNALISTS LOOK LIKE A DEVIL TO SOME POLICEMEN?
Arthur Hovhannisyan
Hayots Ashkharh Daily
Sept 5 2007
Armenia
Yesterday, at around 06.10 p. m. we heard screaming in front of "
Hayots Ashkharh" editorial office, located in Tumanyan 38.
It turned out that a young man fell down near the stairs of the beauty
salon, in the ground floor of the same building.
When I was trying to take the photo of the young man a policeman
started to hamper in a very rough manner.
He also demanded explanation, who I am and why I am taking a
photograph.
Of course I introduced myself saying that I’m a journalist from
"Hayots Ashkharh" daily, not far from there, and that it is the
assignment of the editor-in-chief and that the photograph will most
probably appear in the newspaper. I also warned him that RA Criminal
Code envisages criminal liability for the hindrance of the journalists’
professional legal activity.
But the warning didn’t have any influence on the policeman and he
was evidently not satisfied with it. The sergeant continued to hamper
in the same rough manner trying to take away the camera belonging to
the editorial office.
I tried to photograph the policeman as well to identify him later.
My attempt evidently wind the policeman up, he snatched out the camera
and spoiled it. Of course he didn’t introduce himself and left.
We immediately informed the Head of Information and Public Relations’
Department of the Police Arthur Mehrabyan about the incident. After
a short period of time Chief of the Central Police informed us that
he was the guarding policeman in SAS supermarket.
As for the aggrieved young man they told us he was drunk and he fell
down from the rail of the before mentioned beauty salon.
Director of "Ambulance" State CJSC Artyom Petrosyan said the aggrieved
is in "St Grigor Lusavorich" hospital and he has cerebrum trauma.
He was identified as well – 29 year-old Armen Mirzoyan. He has already
been shown first assistance. We should also inform you that, despite
the traffic jams in the city the ambulance arrived at the scene of
action in five minutes after the call.