The criminal case surrounding the August 11, 2008, attack and beating of "Haykakan Zhamanak" reporter Lusineh Barseghyan has been suspended. (For more details see:  Assailants Unknown: Investigation Surrounding Assault on Reporter Dropped).

The case was halted exactly three months later, on November 11. The reporter’s assailants were never found despite the fact that the investigating body claimed that no stone was left unturned to uncover the truth.

"Hetq" then sent letters of inquiry to the RoA General Prosecutor’s Office and the Chief of Police, questioning the appropriateness of the investigation.In response to our inquiry to the General Prosecutor, Mr. V. Shahinyan, Head of the Personal Assaults Division, stated, "…The RoA Deputy Prosecutor General forwarded a written directive to the Avan and Nor Nork District Prosecutor regarding the criminal case of bodily assault on Lusineh Barseghyan, instructing the district office to initiate an examination of the facts pertained therein."

After "Hetq" published the article and above response an inspector and members of the police visited the offices of "Haykakan Zhamanak" and again interrogated Lusineh Barseghyan and several other employees. Soon afterwards the police summoned everyone who called Mrs. Barseghyan on or about the day of the attack to clarify a call made to the reporter by a person calling himself Karen.

"They apparently wanted to show that they were doing their job after the article was published. They could have at least jotted down the numbers that I received calls from rather than dragging everybody down to the police station," says Mrs. Barseghyan. Lusineh's father was also directed to show and be interrogated once again but he refused.

"I said all that I had to say. I described that person and I'd recognize him if I saw him," Mr. Barseghyan said. "Hetq" also received another letter dated June 30 signed by Senior Prosecutor A. Maroukhyan of the General Prosecutor’s Personal Assaults Division stating that, "The investigations into the criminal case of bodily assault on Lusineh Barseghyan directed by the RoA Deputy General Prosecutor that were carried out by the Avan and Nor-Nork investigations unit revealed nothing of a positive nature. It must be pointed out that L. Barseghyan, her father, N. Barseghyan and members of the "Haykakan Zhamanak" editorial board refused to cooperate with the preliminary examination body and thus we weren't able to form a composite sketch of the individual called 'Karen'."

Mrs. Barseghyan believes that all this is pure show on the part of law enforcement. "I didn't go for further questioning because I am not convinced that a composite sketch would be made if I did go. It's pure theatrics. They never followed up on the leads I gave them and the facts I presented," Mrs. Barseghyan argues. When the inspector went to the editorial offices of "Haykakan Zhamanak" for a second time, the staff didn't want to provide answers to the same questions as before.

Lusineh Barseghyan says, "They come during working hours and take up pour time with senseless questions. Whatever I needed to tell them I did so right after the attack. I knew from the start that the case was a lost cause and that nothing would be revealed. But I went to the police and spent long hours answering their questions in detail."