A “Hetq” reporter Ani Hovhannisyan, in the interview with Aravot.am, told that she was in Baghramyan Avenue at about 5:20 pm and saw musclemen dressed in civilian clothes walking down the street. “I took photos of how they pushed someone on the right side and took him to the car by beating …. There was a real brawl in Liberty Square, people both dressed in civilian or police uniform were using the least blasphemy and were beating people with the least viciousness. I moved ahead with my two friends to take photos of it, all of a sudden one broad-shouldered in civilian clothes came running towards us. Generally, they were falling behind everyone and it did not matter who is standing in front of them. When this man followed us, we ran to Sayat-Nova Street, but we were caught. There was a boy with us and they attacked him, I showed my journalistic license to him, tried to protect the boy, but the broad-shouldered man said that he will detain all three of us. In the meantime, he caught another one.
We all get on “Gazel” vehicle and were taken to the Kentron police department. People there were talking quite tough with everyone, if someone was saying two more words, they were intimidating that it would be worse,” told Ani. She also informed that several other journalists were detained, and a woman also came to the Kentron police department saying that all of them are detained on suspicion of hooliganism, there were journalists from panarmenian.net, 1in.am, whose ID badges were taken and have not given them back.
As told by the “Hetq” reporter, someone’s journalistic license was torn deliberately and the were dragging a panarmenian.net journalist. As asserted by her, after the journalists were released, as well as some detainees were released through the mediation of friends and acquaintances.
Gohar HAKOBYAN, Photos by David Banuchyan
