YPC, Yerevan, 12 Sep 2008 – Kentron Police Department instituted criminal proceedings against free-lance photo journalist Gagik Shamshiyan and the correspondent of “Chorrord Ishkhanutyun” newspaper Gohar Veziryan. As it has been reported, the incidents with the journalists occurred during the hearing of the same case in the court of general jurisdiction of Kentron and Nork-Marash communities of Yerevan.
On August 5, 2008 upon the order of judge Gagik Avetisyan Gagik Shamshiyan was dismissed from the courtroom, after which the journalist was first locked in the basement of the court and was later taken to the Kentron Police Department. The next day, August 6, a similar sanction was applied on Gohar Veziryan: upon the order of the same judge the journalist was ousted from the courtroom, was held in the room, intended for defendants, after which she was sent to the Kentron Police Department. Having spent over two hours at the police station, Gagik Shamshiyan and Gohar Veziryan were released on August 5 and 6, respectively.
The criminal proceedings against journalists were instituted by Part 1, Article 343 of the Republic of Armenia Criminal Code (“Disrespect to Court”), stipulating a penalty of 100-300 minimal salaries or imprisonment of one to two months. As YPC was told by attorney Hovik Arsenyan, the journalists do not acknowledge their guilt, moreover, in their opinion, judge Gagik Avetisyan exceeded his competence.
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