EDITORS-IN-CHIEF OF ARMENIAN TIME AND 4TH POWER NEWSPAPERS ARE SUSPECTED IN CASE FILED ON INDICATIONS OF SHOWING RESISTENCE TO POLICE

Noyan Tapan
Oct 25, 2007

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 25, NOYAN TAPAN. Nicol Pashinian, the editor-in-chief
of the "Armenian Time", and Shogher Matevosian, the editor-in-chief
of the "4th Power", are suspected in case filed on the indications
of hooliganism and showing resistence to the police. Petros Makeyan,
the Chairman of the "Democratic Homeland" party, and other people, 10
people, in general, are also involved in the case as suspected on the
indications of the above-mentioned articles. As Mayor-General Nerses
Nazarian, the Chief of the police department of Yerevan, mentioned at
the press conference held on October 24, four police collaborators have
received body injuries as a result of their activities: the degree
of the injuries will be decided by the conclusion of the appointed
forensic examination. The signature not to leave has been chosen as
a precautionary measure with regard to five people.

The representatives of the opposition organized a procession on
the eve for the purpose of informing people about the October 26
mass meeting. There was a clash between the demonstrators and the
collaborators of the police during the procession. In response to the
question of whether Gohar Vezirian, a correspondent of the "4th Power"
newspaper, has received injuries by policemen, N. Nazarian said that
all the facts will be examined during the examination of the case.

N. Nazarian also stated that Nicol Pashinian has organized events
for many times and there have been no obstacles for holding
them and "this time as well they would not lay obstacles but
for public violations." The agitation of the rally, as well as
distributing leaflets is accepted as normal by the management of the
police. However, throwing parcels of leaflets into front entrances,
houses and cars through windows, involving teenagers in the procession,
fixing the leaflets on the facades of buildings without the permission
of prefecturas is inadmissible. The demonstrators, according to him,
have hindered the traffic of the Abovian-Koriun streets, groundlessly
disputed with policemen, and treated passers-by, drivers and policemen
with obvious disregard. According to the message of the police, the
demostrators "have used bad language and sworn at the collaborators
of the police, the state power for about 20 minutes, hindered the
work of the police, resisted and performed acts of violence against
them." N. Nazarian makes assertions that the police collaborators have
made warnings for about an hour and a half, however, the demonstrators
have paid no attention to these warnings since, according to the
representative of the police, they aimed at confonting and clashing
with the police. Nerses Nazarian also mentioned that the use of
loud-speakers is admissable, according to the law on mass events,
"if it does not hinder the protection of public order."

"Everybody has the right to express himself/herself, however, we will
not allow a violation of public order," Nerses Nazarian declared
and advised to hold a rally on October 26 without violating the
public order.