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According to our data, at around 13:00 pm today, on June 23, shooting cameraman of ilur.am news website Sargis Gevorgyan was apprehended by the Police officials during the shootings of a protest action held at the Yerevan Central Department of the Police. Yesterday and today Sargis Gevorgyan elucidated the public protest actions regarding the increase of public transportation fare in Yerevan and still yesterday the Police officials attempted to remove the cameraman him from the piquet venue. Today as well as yesterday Sargis Gevorgyan was at the piquet site with his colleague journalist under the order of whom he carried out the shootings. The cameraman, along with 5 other apprehended persons, was set out of the Police station at about 15:30 pm.

Via this statement, we condemn the conduct of the Police and the measures exerted against the shooting cameraman, we assess the aforementioned actions as  unlawful and forced impediment of professional duties carried out by the cameraman and his colleague, which is deemed as a criminal offense.

We demand that the Police should hereafter exclude the vicious practice of impeding the implementation of legal duties by the Mass Media representatives by warning that in the event they continue displaying such a behavior, the Police officials may encounter insuperable and dangerous problems.

We call on the RA lawyers to provide professional assistance to Sargis Gevorgyan regarding further protection of his own civil and professional rights.

“Asparez” Journalists’ Club
Committee to Protect Freedom of Expression
galatv.am,
“LyunSe” Youth program on Public TV
epress.am,
“Shrjapat” weekly,
Journalists for the Future NGO
Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly Vanadzor
asekose.am,
“Meghri Women’s Resource Center” NGO
Meghri “Civil forum” NGO
“Peace Dialogue” NGO,
Human Rights and Conflict Research Institute NGO
3 dozens of citizens from the RA and the USA