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.