Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08YEREVAN933
2008-11-19 04:10:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Yerevan
Cable title:
INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISTS' LEADER ATTACKED
how-toVZCZCXRO4307 RR RUEHLN RUEHVK RUEHYG DE RUEHYE #0933 3240410 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 190410Z NOV 08 FM AMEMBASSY YEREVAN TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8310 INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE RUEHLMC/MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORPORATION WASHINGTON DC RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 0666 RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 0602
UNCLAS YEREVAN 000933
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EUR/CARC
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM ASEC KDEM AM
SUBJECT: INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISTS' LEADER ATTACKED
(U) Sensitive but unclassified. Please protect accordingly.
UNCLAS YEREVAN 000933
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EUR/CARC
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM ASEC KDEM AM
SUBJECT: INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISTS' LEADER ATTACKED
(U) Sensitive but unclassified. Please protect accordingly.
1. (SBU) On November 17 the Chairperson of the Investigative
Journalists NGO and chief editor of Hetq online media outlet Edik
Baghdasarian was attacked and severely beaten by three unknown
individuals when exiting his office and approaching his car.
According to Baghdasarian's reports to the media, the assailants
were clearly waiting for him at his car. During the scuffle his
camera fell to the ground and the assailants took it with them. One
of the attackers hit Baghdasaryan's head with a stone, causing
severe injury. Baghdasaryan is currently in the hospital; his
injuries are not life-threatening. Police have launched a criminal
case. Baghdassarian is a regular EMBASSY contact, particularly on
TIP issues. Post has been unable to contact Baghdassarian directly
since the attack.
2. (SBU) Edik Baghdasarian and his online news agency have reported
on a variety of politically charged cases, including human
trafficking and corruption. His work has named names, some
high-profile, in alleged official corruption cases in the mining and
natural resources sectors. In September, for instance, Baghdasarian
was awarded the Global Shining Light Award 2008 at the Global
Investigative Journalism Conference in Norway for the series of
articles he published on illegally provided mining licenses. The
licenses were allegedly awarded by former Minister of Nature
Protection Vardan Ayvazian to mining organizations owned by his
relatives.
3. (SBU) The journalistic community is abuzz with hypotheses over
the motives of what seems to have been a targeted ambush of
Baghdasarian. While most tend to believe the attack was politically
motivated -- though by whom exactly is unclear -- one savvy Public
Affairs contact claimed to us the incident might more likely have
been fall-out from a romantic liaison.
MYOVANOVITCH
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EUR/CARC
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM ASEC KDEM AM
SUBJECT: INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISTS' LEADER ATTACKED
(U) Sensitive but unclassified. Please protect accordingly.
1. (SBU) On November 17 the Chairperson of the Investigative
Journalists NGO and chief editor of Hetq online media outlet Edik
Baghdasarian was attacked and severely beaten by three unknown
individuals when exiting his office and approaching his car.
According to Baghdasarian's reports to the media, the assailants
were clearly waiting for him at his car. During the scuffle his
camera fell to the ground and the assailants took it with them. One
of the attackers hit Baghdasaryan's head with a stone, causing
severe injury. Baghdasaryan is currently in the hospital; his
injuries are not life-threatening. Police have launched a criminal
case. Baghdassarian is a regular EMBASSY contact, particularly on
TIP issues. Post has been unable to contact Baghdassarian directly
since the attack.
2. (SBU) Edik Baghdasarian and his online news agency have reported
on a variety of politically charged cases, including human
trafficking and corruption. His work has named names, some
high-profile, in alleged official corruption cases in the mining and
natural resources sectors. In September, for instance, Baghdasarian
was awarded the Global Shining Light Award 2008 at the Global
Investigative Journalism Conference in Norway for the series of
articles he published on illegally provided mining licenses. The
licenses were allegedly awarded by former Minister of Nature
Protection Vardan Ayvazian to mining organizations owned by his
relatives.
3. (SBU) The journalistic community is abuzz with hypotheses over
the motives of what seems to have been a targeted ambush of
Baghdasarian. While most tend to believe the attack was politically
motivated -- though by whom exactly is unclear -- one savvy Public
Affairs contact claimed to us the incident might more likely have
been fall-out from a romantic liaison.
MYOVANOVITCH