This year, on December 16, Zhoghovurd daily journalists Sona Grigoryan and Knarik Manukyan, while carrying out their professional duties at the National Assembly (NA), approached the head of the NA Civil Contract faction, Hayk Konjoryan, and asked him a question regarding the controversial circumstances about the purchase of his private residence. The property was reportedly acquired at a price below market value, a fact uncovered by our colleagues at Hetq.am.
Instead of providing clarification, Konjoryan immediately submitted complaints to the Head of the National Assembly Staff and representative of the ruling Civil Contract party, Davit Arakelyan, demanding that the journalists who asked what he deemed “undesirable” questions be stripped of their accreditation and barred from entering the National Assembly, meanwhile, as justification, he claimed, that there had been no prior agreement for an interview and alleged that the journalists were not located in a designated area. However, according to the journalists, the State Protection Service (SPS) officers stated that the area where they were standing was permitted.
Thus, on December 17, 2025, journalist Sona Grigoryan received a warning from Davit Arakelyan without her explanation being heard. Two days later, she was unlawfully stripped of her accreditation and barred from entering the National Assembly building as a journalist for one year and once again, Arakelyan didn’t condifrt the position of the other party.
In case of the other journalist- Knarik Manukyan, a double violation has occurred. On December 18, she was issued a warning for approaching Konjoryan, again without her explanation being heard, and on December 19 she was stripped of her accreditation for the same deed. Knarik Manukyan has also been unlawfully barred from entering the National Assembly for one year, and her right to be heard has been violated.
Read also
It should be recalled that the authorities—who declare themselves as a bastion of democracy—back in August 2021, following the parliamentary elections, cordoned off the National Assembly area, restricting journalists’ freedom of movement and creating obstacles to their work. At the time, this drew strong criticism and condemnation from the then Human Rights Defender. It is precisely these so-called “regulations” that the authorities are now wielding as a cudgel against journalists.
We also highlight that in the same way, literally following the same scenario—two consecutive reprimands—journalist Vahe Makaryan was stripped of his National Assembly accreditation and is currently seeking to restore his violated rights through the courts.
The Union of Journalists of Armenia strongly condemns the Armenian authorities’ practice of stripping Zhoghovurd daily journalists of their National Assembly accreditation, restricting journalists’ freedom of movement, and effectively denying them the opportunity to work in the main legislative body of the state.
Any journalist should not be deprived of the opportunity to carry out their professional duties simply because a question they asked displeased a member of the parliament—even if that MP is the head of the ruling party parliamentary faction, Hayk Konjoryan.
The Union of Journalists of Armenia calls on National Assembly officials vested with decision-making authority to return to a constructive course, restore journalists Knarik Manukyan and Sona Grigoryan’s right to work within the National Assembly, and refrain from creating artificial obstacles to journalists’ professional activities.
THE UNION OF JOURNALISTS OF ARMENIA
