Yesterday the rumors of the arrest of Haykakan Zhamanak journalist Haik Gevorgyan were spread in the media at the lightning speed.
At first, it became known that people in civilian clothes (who, as it turned out, the police) arrested him in his yard and he was taken to an unknown direction. The police then provided some details, but it was not clear what for they have arrested Hayk. It was announced that Hayk Gevorgyan was under custody of the Criminal Code, Article 242 paragraph (1) (violation of traffic rules and vehicle operation), and Article 244 (Traffic leaving the accident site) characteristics. Some of the media sources, referring to their sources, indicated that Hayk was arrested on charges of hit a person by car. During the second half of the day a press conference was organized by the editor-in-chief of Haykakan Zhamanak at 6p.m. Nicol Pashinyan read the statement of HZH. But before adverting to Pashinyan’s statement we’d like to inform that two hours after the police spread a statement. "A few days before the arrest of a citizen was run by Hayk Gevorgyan and this has became a subject of speculation in some media," and that "the police made a clear and legitimate his problem." According to the police, "On January 13 at 17:30 on Mher Mkrtchyan Street # 8 in front of" VAZ -21214 "model 19 OL 158 a car hit a citizen named Ashot Frangulyan, as a result of which injuries caused and the driver escaped from the scene. The Police Department prepared materials. According to Frangulyan’s explanation the given car was driving backward. The driver stopped the car, came out, threatened to call police and dishonored the victim. Then got back in the car and left the victim helpless. After the car accident Frangulyan was moved to the "St. Gregory the Illuminator" medical center and received a medical treatment. From the conclusion of the forensic examination, Frangulyan received medium gravity damage to health caused by long-term decay. A. Frangulyan filed complaint on January 20. The police initiated a criminal case and started investigation." N. Pashinyan, however, shared the following: “On January 13, Hayk Gevorgyan was at the Ministry of Economy. When leaving, he tried to move with the car, get out of the parking behind the car in some men: The journalist gave a signal, but he has not left. After seeing that the signal does not give results, Hayk shouted from the car and gave a voice to leave. The man responded, but when the reporter tried to get out of the parking lot, the man held his leg and screamed "oh my leg!" said the victim. According to Pashinyan there has been no contact. Hayk got out of the car and screamed at the person angry and threatened to call police. After ensuring that nothing happened he got back in the car, and told the story to editorial staff. Pashinyan also drew attention to the fact that on the previous day, on January 12, Hayk Gevorgyan was stopped by traffic police officer and asked why there was no car insurance check on a journalist’s car’s windshield. Hayk responded that he will have the ticket on his car’s windshield only after the chief of police Vladimir Gasparyan has one pasted on his car’s window. “Hayk Gevorgyan was literally set up,” said Pashinyan, adding that police provided the name of the “victim.” Pashinyan called the hospital, where he was told that this man is in critical condition, however, when HZH reporter went to the "St. Gregory Hospital, it turned out that there is no such person. “What was funny is that the victim told the court that he was very weakly hit by car. He injured a muscle of his feet. His head hit a tree and he sat on sidewalk,” said Pashinyan. By the way, according to the editor, they have already had other facts, which prove that the Hayk was innocent but they didn’t publicize those because of tactical reasons. That’s it about the case. According to the police report, "In the course of the preparation of the materials it was revealed that the car is registered in the name of Anna Hakobyan, who on January 14 and 16, duly notified of the interrogation present But on January 19 the police department called her husband, and without presenting any valid reason, said that as a woman. So he refused to attend the Department of Central Police Division. The latter has been given an assignment to find out the driver’s identity. A response was received, according to which Hayk Gevorgyan hit him with a car. The police department of Malatia, on January 17 notified for questioning of Hayk Gevorgyan on January 20 by calling the investigator, agreed to review present date and time, but he did not attend." A decision was made on the following day to send a notice of the investigator’s wife, Anna Hakobyan, because the car is registered in the name of the latter. After Pashinyan had to call the investigator and said that the summons was not properly filled in, "What does that mean to you?" Hayk Gevorgyan send notice of the investigator, the investigator also said that the notice should have been properly completed as required in the criminal code. And then what happened is that Hayk’s wife called HZH and said that the neighbors saw how his husband’s car was surrounded by 4-5 unknown people and the husband was taken to an unknown direction. Pashinyan labeled this "Muskie Show," organized by Vova Gasparyan. On January 23, a decision was made to arrest Hayk Gevorgyan. The operations-intelligence conducted a search to identify Hayk Gevorgyan. In announcing the investigation and restraint in detention, "the police report, but even before the conference of journalists in this statement is absurd to think that H. Gevorgyan with them on January 23 after officials took part in various conferences and meetings. Furthermore, while driving in the same car Hayk visited various state bodies. Pashinyan also noted that the search be declared when a person’s location is not known, while Hayk was not hiding. He went to work for 10 days and returned home at his usual hour, and he was driving the same car. "The car was used for 10 days. And Vova Gasparyan led police to one of the ways was not able to identify and record the car is the largest assessment of Vova Gasparyan. 10 days after he was unable to identify a person who publishes an article in the newspaper every day, and after that man we want him to discover the crime,” said Pashinyan. In the opinion of the editor of HZH the reason of the arrest of his employee is connected with the latter’s professional activity. As it was already mentioned on January 12 there was a publication about APPA insurance tickets. Then was a publication about the SUV that Vova Gasparyan drives. According to HZH the SUV was presented by the chair of the State Revenue Committee Gagik Khachatryan. There was another big publication on the speculation of 22.5 million USD within the defense system. This is how Hayk is being revenged on. The editor also expressed an opinion that the chief of police wouldn’t do this on his own without the boss’s permission. Pashinyan assured that they will do their best to protect the freedom of Hayk Gevorgyan, and he expected the same assistance and support from the media. For journalists this is limitation of freedom of speech."
