Number of western media outlets have covered the Friday incident in Yerevan when the police officers showed up  at two opposition TV stations and filed administrative proceedings for alleged violation of infection-prevention rules.

In its story, The New York Times (https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2020/07/03/world/europe/ap-eu-armenia-media.html?fbclid=IwAR0S90aEe4pV0d6O_BttkmYpN2bt8X0JLkolMMgsXxIoSXuf9MBg4BYzcgg) quoted Samvel Farmanyan, the co-owner of ArmNews TV station, saying the visit appeared to signal Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's intent to “declare war on the media.” “He will suffer a shameful defeat,” said Farmanyan.

ArmNews executives said they had been told by the head of the national broadcasting commission that it wasn't mandatory for anchors to wear masks while on the air.

ABC News (https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/armenian-tv-stations-politics-police-checking-masks-71600739?fbclid=IwAR3dYa2jYbZSvYasMCHEU6l3rB13mbIhvDpiIj1MF1wM6owdj1frihSTBJA) reports that the police also visited another opposition-leaning TV station, Channel 5, to look into a similar complaint of anchors not wearing masks.

Both stations have been critical of Pashinyan's activities, closely scrutinizing his government's response to the coronavirus pandemic and its economic policies, said the source.

The incident was covered by the The Washington Times (https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/armenian-tv-stations-see-politics-in-police-checking-masks/2020/07/03/f7eb6262-bd67-11ea-97c1-6cf116ffe26c_story.html?fbclid=IwAR3pgzsmDTjnvxun0MFNqOKvnUiuTbjIoPoQxiwmvln4QTHEbZeLMCX9WIk) as well.