INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST ATTACKED IN YEREVAN

AZG Armenian Daily
19/11/2008

Local

A prominent Armenian investigative journalist known for his stories
exposing government corruption became the target of a violent attack,
which he believes is connected with his reporting, "Azatutyun"
reported.

Edik Baghdasarian, who heads the Armenian Association of Investigative
Journalists and runs a Yerevan-based online magazine, Hetq, left his
office in downtown Yerevan at about 8 p.m. Monday and shortly was
ambushed and beaten by three unknown assailants as he was going to
get into his car parked in the street, according to his own account.

An ambulance service then administered first aid to Baghdasarian on the
spot and the journalist was hospitalized with a head injury. Doctors
later said the injuries were not life threatening.

Baghdasarian also says he lost a computer disc with several
investigative stories that he planned for publication online. The
journalist says he saw the face of at least one assailant and could
recognize that person if he saw him again.

A criminal case has been initiated in connection with the incident
under article 113 of the Criminal Code (inflicting bodily harm of
medium gravity by a group of persons). An inquiry was ongoing, police
officials said.