UJA draws international attention to violence against journalists 

ArmInfo. The Union of Journalists of Armenia informs with alarm about the increased pressure on journalists and the media in recent days, disrespectful treatment of them, insults, numerous cases of obstruction of the work of journalists and even threats to the life and health of journalists. This is stated in a statement by the Union.

Its authors note that basically all this is carried out by the  authorities, pro-government circles - on social networks, public  places, news sites. Thus, on May 13, during one of the actions of  peaceful disobedience organized by the Tavush for the Motherland  movement, the commander of the special forces battalion of the  Yerevan city administration, Haykaz Jomardyan, his name became famous  in the context of events in the Yerablur military pantheon, when  violence was applied to the parents of the victims. "unprecedented  brute force," said Hasmik Arakelyan, a journalist covering the action  from the Antifake.am website: "You yourself are blasphemous, you  understand, Hasmik Arakelyan, you are a scumbag." The reason for this  behavior was the journalist's defense of the mother of a deceased  serviceman. "In connection with the incident, we demand that the  police of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Armenia  evaluate their employees who disregard the rules of police conduct,"  the statement says.

In addition, on May 14, on Abovyan Street, a police car hit Nare  Gevorgyan, a journalist for the MediaHub website. In the Kirants  community of Tavush region, a member of the "Armenia" faction of the  National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia, former journalist  Gegham Nazaryan, did not mince words, cursed, insulted and cursed the  founder of the NewDay.am website, journalist Ani Gevorgyan, who has  been covering the events taking place almost daily for almost 2  months in Tavush, demanded that the journalist stop broadcasting  live, humiliated her honor and dignity, calling the journalist a  provocateur and allowed himself other offensive expressions.

"We would like to remind you that journalist Ani Gevorgyan was  invited by the residents of the Kirants community to cover the  current situation. The Union of Journalists of Armenia strongly  condemns the outrageous persecution of journalists that has become  periodic. No one has the right to demand that a journalist stop  broadcasting live in a public place during a public event. No one has  the right interfere with the professional activities of a journalist,  insult him, especially demonstrate behavior unbecoming a man and a  deputy. We call on law enforcement agencies to take measures to fully  and comprehensively investigate the case of obstruction of the  professional activities of journalist Ani Gevorkyan by MP Gegham  Nazaryan. At the same time, we call on our colleagues. do not succumb  to provocations, show careful and restrained behavior, control your  emotions and not violate the rules of journalistic ethics even in the  most difficult and sensitive situations. We call on international  journalistic and human rights structures and organizations to keep  the spotlight on numerous cases of violence and disrespectful  attitude towards journalists," emphasized in the statement of the  SJA.