ON OCTOBER 23 POLICEMEN BEAT NOT ONLY PARTICIPANTS OF PROCESSION AND JOURNALISTS, BUT ALSO BY-PASSERS, MEDIA REPRESENTATIVES AFFIRM

Noyan Tapan
Nov 1, 2007

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.