Armenia: Suzy Badoyan, Lia Sargsyan Obstructed In The Field Amid Anti-Government Protests
Location: Armenia, Yerevan
Date: May 6, 2022
A woman is detained by police in Yerevan on May 3. Photo Credit: RFE/RL
Journalist Suzy Badoyan was obstructed in the field when a member of parliament belonging to the ruling Civil Contract in Armenia snatched her phone and hurt her hand during an interview. Other media workers, including Lia Sargsyan, were injured as law enforcement officials resorted to using force to prevent coverage of anti-government protests. The Coalition For Women In Journalism condemns the attacks on journalists and calls on the authorities to allow the press to do their jobs freely and without fear of government retaliation.
On May 4, 2022, Yerevan Today reporter Suzy asked member of parliament Hayk Sargsyan for a comment but he snatched her phone from her hand, injuring it. Local media reported that Sargsyan returned Suzy’s phone but did not apologize for his behavior.
According to the Union of Journalists of Armenia, two days prior to this, head of the Patrol Police Service, Sargis Hovhannisyan used brutal force against journalists associated with Mediahub.am and media workers. The top policeman also hit a journalist questioning him and physically attacked a cameraman.
Caught in the clash between the police and protesters, Yerkir.am reporter Lia fainted, according to an update she posted on Facebook (Meta), shortly after the incident.
Another journalist, David Fidanyan, working for AntiFake news website, was punched by security officers who tried to push him away as he documented police brutality against protesters. Police also reportedly attempted to detain his cameraman.
“It should be reminded that according to international rules, police officers must be in uniform with clearly identifiable personal information, with at least mandatory first and last names,” read a statement by the Union of Journalists of Armenia.
They called on the authorities to “strictly adhere to their duty to respect professional activities of journalists”. The journalists’ body stated that Hovhannisyan should be reminded “that he is not a bodyguard for the personal use of an individual but a civil servant” and held accountable for his actions.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism condemns the attacks on journalists by Armenian authorities and officials and stresses on the need for safer working conditions for the press. We extend support to Suzy Badoyan and Lia Sargsyan and demand immediate action against those responsible. We emphasize that hostility propagated against journalists by state institutions and public figures disproportionately impacts female media workers. Impunity for such violations only heightens the dangers of the job for journalists on ground.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.
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