A year ago, on April 30, 2009, Argishti Kiviryan, Coordinator of the Armenia Today News Agency was assaulted.

An attempt on his life was committed at 5:00 a.m., when he was returning home. Three unknown persons attached him at 9 Nalbandian Str, Yerevan.

At his meeting with journalists, Kiviryan reported that the attackers had clubs in their hands, but they were also armed and even fired three shots at him. It was a lucky chance that they “missed the target.”

Immediately afterwards, the Police Department of the Center community initiated criminal proceedings on Article 117 of the RA Criminal Court (causing trivial injuries)!? Moreover, the police repeatedly tied to hush up the case. It was only due to the photo journalist Gagik Shamshyan, who promptly arrived at the scene of action and took pictures of the cartridge cases on the floor, that the fact of shot was proved. Furthermore, after the crime, the police tried to persuade Mr. Kiviryan’s neighbors into lying and saying they had not heard any shots. A few days later, the case was sent to the Investigation Department of the RA National Security Service. The case was re-classified as “attempted gang murder.”

Argishti Kiviryan also pointed out that the April 30 assault was not the first. “On April 20, at about 6:00 a.m., when I was about to leave the office, I saw three persons approaching me. I had not yet locked the door, so I went into the office and locked the door,” Kiviryan said. He is sure the crime committed against his will never be disclosed, as the RA Security Service released the perpetrators. “The case will soon be dismissed and shelved,” said the journalist. Kiviryan pointed out that no crime against journalists has ever been disclosed in Armenia. “After the incident, the Presidential Spokesman stated the case was under the President’s personal control. But is it not under this strict control that the persons been released?” asked Kiviryan. As to whether he feels secure now, he said that no journalist can feel secure in Armenia.

T.P.