Photographer/reporter for the “Fourth Power” and “Aravot” papers Gagik Shamshyan claims that he is still being persecuted after the conflict with head of the Nubarashen community of Yerevan. The journalist told “Azatutyun” radio station that Hayk Mangoyan, who is investigating Shamshyan’s case, called Shamshyan and asked him to refuse to testify against the brother of the community head Ruben Hovhannisyan. Based on the testimony, Ruben Hovhannisyan not only attacked Shamshyan, but also stole his cellular phone and recorder.
Besides that, on August 4, the investigator of the Erebuni community police station called Shamshyan and told him that there were some complaints filed against him. The relative of the owner of the house Shamshyan had rented filed a complaint against him, claiming that Shamshyan had destroyed house property, didn’t’ make the payments and keeps some false documents in the house.
In the morning of August 4, deputy head of the investigation department of the Erebuni police called Shamshyan over to the police station to talk. At the police station, Shamshyan was informed that he was sued, but didn’t find out why and didn’t even see the document. Afterwards, he was taken to his apartment and was told that they had to investigate the premises. Shamshyan, who was accompanied by his colleagues and attorneys, refused to open the door to his apartment without the presence of his lawyer and left. Shamshyan’s friend called him later and said that “soldiers and real estate agents were breaking in”.
“They’ll break the door, go inside, they might put something in the house or not. They might damage household appliances and say that I did it,” said the journalist and added that this was all being done by community head Mher Hovhannisyan and his father. The speaker for the General Prosecutor’s office Sona Truzyan said that there is no case against Shamshyan at the office, but “there are many field complaints and comments about Shamshyan’s crimes and prosecutors are investigating those cases.”
Although the Erebuni-Nubarashen community prosecutors aren’t dealing with his case, however Truzyan didn’t deny the fact that “some investigation is going on”.
Ruben Hovhannisyan, who is one of the suspects for attacking Gagik Shamshyan and the brother of the Nubarashen community head, was released two days ago in exchange for some items put up to bid.
In the evening of July 12, Shamshyan was attacked by a group of people and he knew some of them. The journalist had given some names to the police, stated the reason for the attack-his article on the huge amounts of money stolen from the “Ardshininvestbank” branch in the Malatia-Sebastia community-according to which, the suspects of the robbery were relatives of the Nubarashen community head. Ruben Hovhannisyan was arrested based on Shamshyan’s testimonies.