We Demand Justice - dikran.a@rogers.com

Dear friend,

If you agree with the content of the letter appearing below, please click on We Demand Justice [ http://justice.keghart.com] to add your name. You may access the list at the end of the text in the site which is updated weekly.

Thank you for your time and attention to this matter.

23 November 2008, Canada

We Demand Justice

On November 17, 2008, Mr. Edik Baghdasaryan, a highly respected journalist, Chief Editor of the Armenian daily Hetq (Track) and the President of Investigative Journalists’ Association of Armenia, sustained severe head injuries after being attacked by three assailants as he was leaving his workplace; the attackers also stole Mr. Baghdasaryan's camera. This incident occurred following repeated “warnings” and "threats" received by the Hetq staff.

This assault on Mr. Baghdasaryan highlights a disturbing trend of physical violence and other forms of intimidation on Journalists since the February 2008 presidential elections. On August 11, 2008, Ms. Lusineh Barseghian, the correspondent of the Armenian daily Haikakan Zhamanak (Armenian Times), was assaulted and also sustained head injuries outside her home. A week later, Mr. Hrach Melkumian, Acting Head of the Yerevan Office of the Armenian Service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, was also attacked. None of the culprits has been brought to justice. The police are unperturbed at best and appear to be intent on harassing the journalists and their staff. The circumstances related to Mr. Gagik Hovakimian, Ms. Anna Zakharian, Mr. Gagik Shamshian, and Ms. Gohar Vezirian, are all examples of police intimidation, harassment, arbitrary arrest and unlawful detention. Violence against Armenian journalists and their staff seems to be a common-place occurence these days.

We strongly condemn these acts of violence and intimidation, and call upon the authorities to investigate these crimes and prosecute the assailants. The international community has also taken note of the frequent violations of basic freedoms of the press. For example, the Paris-based organization, Reporters Without Borders (RWB), has dropped Armenia from 77th to 102nd position on a list of 173 countries ranked by their press freedom. The perception of foreign observers following the beating of Edik Baghdasaryan was succinctly captured in a letter addressed to Mr. Edward Nalbandian, the Foreign Minister of Armenia, by the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Mr. Miklos Haraszti, who wrote: "Violence against journalists is not 'crime as usual', because it undermines a basic institution of democracy - the free press".

We, the undersigned, deplore any undertaking that hampers the growth of democracy. The world will be watching and expecting concrete and prompt action from the authorities in Armenia.

Ani Boghossian BA, Toronto, Canada Hasmig Kurdian MEd, Toronto, Canada
Antranig Bedrossian BA, B. Comm. CMA, Montreal, Canada Hratch Tourikian PHC KCSO, Toronto, Canada
Aram Adamyan MSc, MBA ACCA, Toronto, Canada Kate Tairyan MD MPH, Vancouver, Canada
Ardavast Avakian, Boca Raton, Florida, USA Kevin McGill, Activist, Canada
Arsine Attarian, Activist, Montreal, Canada Koko Yerevanian P. Eng., California, USA
Artin Boghossian PhD, Toronto, Canada Nader Rastegar MBA, London, United Kingdom
Avo Bedrossian MASc., P. Eng., Ottawa, Canada Ohannes Hagopian PhD, Ridgewood NJ, USA
Berge Minassian MD, FRCP(C), Toronto, Canada Raffi Chitilian B. Eng., Montreal, Canada
Prof. Davit Zargarian, Ottawa, Canada Rita Charchyan, Toronto, Canada
Prof. Dennis R. Papazian, USA Ruth Cooper BSW (Hons.) RSW, Waubaushene, Canada
Dikran Abrahamian BA, MD, Penetanguishene, Canada Shirley Fersch RPN, Penetanguishene, Canada
Edgar Manukian PhD, Toronto, Canada Unus Ali BA, Midland, Canada

Hagop Kouyoumjian MA, Architect, Beirut, Lebanon Vigen Ghazarian CFA, Toronto, Canada

Hagop Sevakian, Management Consultant, Toronto, Canada Viken L. Attarian P. Eng. MSc MBA, Montreal, Canada
Haig Baltadjian DDS MScD, Montreal, Canada Virginia Misakyan B. Comm., Toronto, Canada
Haig Misakyan P. Eng., Toronto, Canada Vrejouhy Atikian RN, Calgary, Canada

Nous demandons Justice !

Le 17 Novembre 2008, Edik Bagdassarian, le très respecté journaliste, rédacteur-en-chef du quotidien arménien Hetq et Président de l' « Association des journalistes d'investigation d'Arménie », a subi de graves blessures à la tête après avoir été attaqué par trois assaillants alors qu'il quittait son lieu de travail. Les agresseurs ont également volé son appareil photo. L'incident s'est produit après des «avertissements» et «menaces» répétés reçues par le personnel de Hetq.

Cette agression souligne une tendance inquiétante vers des actes de violences et autres sur des journalistes depuis les élections présidentielles de Février 2008. Le 11 août 2008, Mme Lusineh Barseghian, correspondante du quotidien arménien Haikakan Zhamanak, avait aussi été agressée et également blessée à la tête sur le seuil de sa maison.Une semaine plus tard, Hrach Melkumian, chef de service du bureau arménien Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty à Erevan, a également été attaqué. Aucun des coupables n'a été traduit en justice. La police ne semble pas s'émouvoir plus que de raison, privilégiant le harcèlement des journalistes. Les circonstances relatées par Gagik Hovakimian, Anna Zakharian, Gagik Shamshian, et Madame Gohar Vezirian, sont autant d'exemples d'intimidation policière, harcèlement, arrestation arbitraire et détention illégale. La violence contre les journalistes arméniens et leur personnel semble être devenue un événement commun ces jours-ci.

Nous condamnons fermement ces actes de violence et d'intimidation, et lançons un appel aux autorités pour qu'une enquête soit diligentée sur ces crimes aux fins de poursuivre les agresseurs. La communauté internationale a également noté ces fréquentes violations des libertés fondamentales de la presse. Ainsi l'organisme Reporters sans frontières (RSF), basé à Paris, a déclassé l'Arménie de la 77ème à la 102ème position sur une liste de 173 pays classés par rapport à la liberté de la presse locale. La perception des observateurs de l'étranger faisant suite au passage à tabac d'Edik Baghdassaryan a été succinctement évoquée dans une lettre adressée à Edouard Nalbandian, Ministre des affaires étrangères d'Arménie, par le Représentant de l'OSCE sur la liberté des médias, Monsieur Miklos Haraszti ; lequel a écrit: «La violence contre les journalistes n'est pas «crime habituel», parce qu'il sape une institution fondamentale de la démocratie - la liberté de la presse ».

Nous, les soussignés, déplorons toute entreprise qui entrave la croissance de la démocratie. Le monde reste vigilant et s'attend aux concrètes et promptes actions de la part des autorités d'Arménie.

Copies of this document will be forwarded to the Catholicosates in Etchmiadzin and Antelias, Honourable Edward Nalbandian (Foreign Minister of Armenia), Honourable Hranush Hacobyan (Minister of Diaspora), Mr. Armen Harutyunyan (the Ombudsman and Human Rights Defender of the Republic of Armenia), PEN Canada, PEN International, Journalists for Human Rights, other Human Rights organizations, and the public at large..

www.keghart.com

16/12/08

Dear friend,

Please check the Visitors' Comments for updates .We Demand Justice is ongoing.

Respectfully,

Dikran Abrahamian

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