TWO MEN DETAINED ON CHARGES OF ATTACKING

UNCLAS YEREVAN 001148

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

DEPT FOR EUR/CACEN, DRL

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL ARMENIA'>AM
SUBJECT: TWO MEN DETAINED ON CHARGES OF ATTACKING
JOURNALISTS



1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified, protect accordingly.

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SUMMARY
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2. (SBU) The Office of the Procurator General (PG)
announced May 12 that they had identified and
officially charged two men for attacking journalists
during an opposition rally on April 5. An assaulted
journalist had identified one of them as the man who
stole her camera and knocked her to the ground. The
two men will likely be charged with "hooliganism," a
charge that can carry up to five years of prison. The
opposition press has called on the authorities to
identify those who ordered these two to disrupt the
April 5 rally. End Summary.

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EGGS, FIRECRACKERS, AND BROKEN CAMERAS
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3. (SBU) The PG's office announced May 12 that they
have detained two unemployed men, Ashot Avetisian and
Hrair Harityunian, for allegedly attacking journalists
during the April 5 opposition rally held by the
National Unity Party in Yerevan. The rally was
disrupted when roughly two dozen men started to throw
eggs at party leader Artashes Geghamian and then set
off firecrackers. Photo and TV journalists who filmed
the disruption had their cameras smashed by a group of
"well-built thugs" with shaven heads. The incident was
widely covered by TV and print media; several TV
channels and opposition newspapers carried some of the
disrupters' photos for few days.

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INITIAL POLICE INACTION
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4. (SBU) According to eyewitness accounts the police,
led by Deputy Police Chief Hovhannes Varian, stayed
idle and simply watched the whole scene unfold. Some
reporters and politicians speculated that the attackers
were bodyguards of ARMENIAn oligarchs, fueling wide-
spread rumors that the incident may have been
orchestrated by the authorities. (Note: A slightly
different, but equally plausible version, was provided
by a senior GOAM official to us informally. He claimed
that one press photographer started snapping pictures
of the private goons on stand-by at the edge of the
crowd. One of them took umbrage and seized camera and
photographer. Attracted by the commotion, other
photographers moved in to cover the scene, and the
other goons joined their colleagues in destroying the
film and cameras -- with attendant personal violence.
Our source did not know the goons' affiliation, but
seemed convinced they belonged to one or more prominent
oligarchs. In this version, there was no direct
connection between the egg-throwers and those who
attacked the journalists. End Note.)

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COMMENT: IT'S A START
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5. (SBU) Thus far the PG's office has detained two
alleged perpetrators; according to the PG's statement,
the suspects have already been interrogated and
confessed. Aravot daily correspondent Anna Israelian
recognized one of the suspects, Hrair Harutyunian, as
the man who stole her camera and knocked her to the
ground. The PG's office announced that the two
suspects will be charged with "hooliganism," a Criminal
Code Article that carries up to five years of
imprisonment. The opposition press, meanwhile, is
calling on the authorities to identify those who
ordered Avetisian and Harityunian to disrupt the rally.
Human rights activists and opposition supporters will
be watching this case closely to judge how committed
the government is to pursuing those responsible for the
April 5 events.
ORDWAY