Freedom of Information Center of Armenia.

During the presidential elections in February 19, several cases were registered when the right of journalists to have access to information was violated. Here are 2 examples of such cases (sourse` A1+ news agency).

There was a hustle and bustle at Precinct 5/23, Arabkir, at about 6 o’clock p.m. Over ten fellows were “seriously engaged in something.” They seemed to be putting in a bulb. In fact, some of them were standing on the table, while the others were stuffing ballots in the ballot-box. By the way, the chairman of the commission was standing aside taking no preventive measures.

All of a sudden, one of the voters who had probably noticed the stuffing ran up to the group and grasped the last ballot. “Shame on you. You are rigging the election. Don’t you feel shame at it?” the middle-aged voter told the chairman. Then he opened the parcel and gave it to us. “Look! The eighth candidate, Serzh Sarkissian, is ticked off.” The representative of the “Zharangutiun” (Heritage) Party confirmed it.

A1+ was recording the incident. On seeing A1+'s camera, the fellows attacked our cameraman. The chairman called the presentees to order. Meanwhile, the guys left the room. But they didn't leave the building. They were “hiding” on the second floor waiting for us. Fortunately, our journalists left the building safe and unharmed as the police saw them off the precinct.

At 13/16 election district, which is located at 43 school, the correspondent of “Haykakan Zhamanak” (Armenian Times) daily newspaper Lusine Barseghyan was beaten in the eyes of the police. The latter was informed that a lot of ballot papers were stolen and taken to the room of the election commission’s head and kept there. When Ter-Petrosyan’s representative and member of the “Heritage” party Armen Martirosyan demanded to register the case, the head of the commission refused to obey. The correspondent of “Haykakan Zhamanak” tried to find out the details of the incident from the head of the commission. In respond to this, the head of the commission Vasil Afyan invited the policemen in and wanted to make the correspondent out of the precinct. But the journalist continued carrying out her professional duties.

However, a man intruded into the precinct, took the photo of the journalist, took away her photo camera and the recorder and began beating Lusine Barseghyan severely. The policemen witnessed this incident and did not interfere.