ARMENIAN PRESIDENT RECOGNIZED THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES WERE WRONG IN THEIR ACTIONS TOWARDS JOURNALISTS

03.11.2000, MEDIAMAX, YEREVAN. In an interview to the Armenian National TV the Armenian President Robert Kocharian commented the actions of the law enforcement bodies after the meeting and rallies of Arkadiy Vardanian’s supporters organized October 30 in Yerevan.
“Journalists have right to get information and the law enforcement bodies must apologize for their mistakes,” Kocharian said. At the same time the Armenian President called intolerable actions by Arkadiy Vardanian and his supporters, who, according to him, were trying to avoid the responsibility for violations “while pretending to be journalists.”
Kocharian said that on October 30 and the following days the actions of the law enforcement bodies were adequate to the created situation and that they were on their duty.
17 persons were made answerable for organization of unsanctioned rally on October 30 among whom is the president of the 21st Century association Arkadiy Vardanian who was detained for 10 days. On October 30 and the following days policemen in some cases hindered journalists from executing their duties, threatening them and taking their video records. -0–