On Thursday, Armenia’s leading media associations strongly condemned the riot police for injuring at least a dozen journalists during Wednesday’s clashes in Yerevan with protesters demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.
The associations accused the police of deliberately targeting reporters and cameramen covering the protest near the Armenian parliament building.
During the scuffles, security forces deployed dozens of stun grenades into the crowd, injuring at least 83 people who required hospital treatment. Law-enforcement authorities reported that 18 policemen were also injured.
Among the injured was Vazgen Yetumian, a cameraman with the News.am online news service, who suffered a broken leg from one or multiple grenade explosions. Other injured cameramen included Narek Hayrian of Civilnet and Hovsep Hovsepian of Armlur.am.
“Although there were no protesters around me at that point, several explosive devices exploded right next to me,” Hayrian told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service. “I had a vision blackout and felt unwell. My leg got hit, and I fell down.”
Earlier on Wednesday, journalists were also injured during a less severe scuffle at the same location. ABC Media reporter Nane Hayrapetian and her cameraman Arman Gharibian were among the injured, with doctors suspecting they both suffered concussions.
“Ignoring the fact that I had a ‘press’ inscription on my shirt and ABC written on my back, and my cameraman carried a badge and a camera, the police literally trampled us underfoot,” said Hayrapetian.
Another ABC Media crew that replaced them was injured in subsequent stun grenade explosions.
“We condemn the police’s use of brute force against media representatives, and unprofessional, uncalculated actions that led to serious consequences,” stated a joint release from nine Armenian press freedom groups.
“From numerous videos and a photo by the Photolur news agency, it is clear that stun grenades were also directed at journalists and operators standing in a location where media cameras were concentrated,” the statement continued.
The associations expressed serious concern that Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and his allies defended the police actions “without waiting for the results of their analyses.” They demanded the Interior Ministry investigate the actions and “hold accountable the officers who abused their powers.”
As of Thursday evening, the ministry had announced no such inquiry. Armenia’s Investigative Committee, echoing Pashinyan’s statements, blamed the protesters for the “mass disturbances” and said it had identified 40 people involved. An opposition-linked lawyer reported that 28 protesters arrested during the violence remain in custody and face potential criminal charges.
