In the evening of November 17, 2008 in Yerevan Edik Baghdasarian, the Chairman of “Investigative Journalists” NGO, the Chief Editor of “Hetq” online publication, was assaulted and beaten. The journalist had a brain concussion, and several seams were put on his head at “Surb Grigor Lusavorich” medical center.

Edik Baghdasarian had received threats before, and this allows believing that this attack is directly linked to his professional activities. For many times already scores are settled with journalists in this mean manner. And every time the authorities assure that they will do everything in their power to identify the perpetrators. Yet the crimes remain undisclosed, with their organizers and implementers unpunished. This lack of punishment unties the hands of those who seek to repress the freedom of expression.

We condemn the violence committed against Edik Baghdasarian, and we call on the authorities to refrain from repeated waste of promises, to really disclose the crime and punish those guilty.

Yerevan Press Club
Committee to Protect Freedom of Expression
Internews Media Support NGO
Journalists Union of Armenia
“TEAM” Research Center
Media Diversity Institute-Armenia
“Asparez” Journalist’s Club
Armenian Representative of “Scoop” Danish Network Promoting Investigative Reporting
Helsinki Committee of Armenia
“Transparency International” Anti-Corruption Center
“For Sustainable Human Development” Association

November 18, 2008