Journalist of top opposition daily detained on charges of running over a pedestrian. UPDATED

Armenia -- Journalist Hayk Gevorgyan covers and opposition rally, Yerevan, undated
Armenia -- Journalist Hayk Gevorgyan covers and opposition rally, Yerevan, undated

Rock-solid and self-assured Hayk Gevorgyan projects an image of a reliable man. Tall and tireless, Hayk is one of those rare Armenian journalists, who has always been on the spot to face riot police, their water cannons and stun grenades with a camera and a hell of a lot of courage.

Gevorgyan, 45, a prominent journalist working for pro-opposition newspaper “Haykakan Zhamanak”, was arrested on Friday on charges of running over a man named Ashot Frangulyan and abandoning him on the site of the traffic accident.
The veteran journalist, columnist and editor of Armenia’s top-selling daily newspaper has been detained more than 20 days after the alleged accident.
Gevorgyan’s friends, colleagues, as well as the Armenian opposition claim, that charges against Hayk Gevorgyan are fabricated. Prominent opposition activist @himakaren twitted yesterday, that head of Armenia’s police Vova Gasparian is thus punishing the journalist for a critical article published on the day of the alleged car accident, January 13th.
https://twitter.com/#!/HimaKaren/status/165424071167840256
Gevorgyan drives a popular off-road vehicle, a Niva.
Note, Hayk Gevorgyan’s son, Vahagn Gevorgyan, is one of the accused in the Aug. 9, 2011 incident between Armenian National Congress activists and police.
PS: I simply refuse to believe that Hayk Gevorgyan could run over somebody and leave them helpless on the street. He is just not that type of a person. And I firmly believe, that the Armenian police are trying to punish Hayk Gevorgian for being who he is… for being a real journalist!

Artur Papyan

Journalist, blogger, digital security and media consultant

41 Comments

  1. So you’re saying this was basically a setup? If the facts come out he was arrested for merely being a journalist, I also think this is gonna reflect badly on the Armenian government with the worldwide watchful eye of journalists rights associations and it could potentially affect Armenia’s image as a “corrupt place”.

    1. I’ve laid out the facts I know and my simple belief, that Hayk Gevorgian, an excellent person and a great journalist, couldn’t have done something so immoral as to leave a run-over pedestrian helpless.

    2. @GOR-GORlen
      so, you’re saying basically you’re a anti-ARmenite?? if the facts come out that you’re merely an anti-ARmenite, also I think this is gonna reflect badly on the gor-gor owned & controlled government with worldwide watchful eyes of ARmenians’ rights associations and it could potentially affect the gor-gors image as a “corrupt evil anti-ARmenite thieves”
      LMFAO :)))))

      1. why is this guy allowed to comment still? if anyone wants to see the extent of his idiocy, I will gladly forward his words of actually wishing a genocide on his own people (if he’s actually Armenian that is)
        Arlen, there have been multiple infractions in the area lately against journalists, from Syria, to Iran to Turkey… I’m hoping people WILL stand up and protect the rights of these journalists

      2. Newsflash “Kavkas”: Only an Azeri wants to be known as a “Kavkas” – because they are not. An Armenian who is true to his heritage would never label himself a “Kavkas”. Of course you needed to find another name right after you found out Zoravar Antranig was a gor-gor.
        Newsflash II “Kavkas”: In case you have no clue, the Russians came up with this term to describe ‘darkies’. Calling yourself Aryan and a Kavkas shows you do not have a clue about the terminology you labeled yourself with.

  2. He was in wanted list by police but at the same time was out there entering government buildings freely ( where there are police guard). Either police is incapable doing its basic functions or this is shameless fabrication.

  3. What is the point of releasing all political prisoners from jails and then detaining a journalist? There are dozens of journalists like him working for that daily paper.
    So what does this detention give? With all my sceptisism, I believe police this time.

      1. This link doesn’t show anything about “personal”. Any other valid and tangible explanation you can give?
        Preferably facts about this case and preferably not from the same paper. Obviously that paper cannot be independent in this very case.

        1. I rather saw a lot of “personal” in this link, but from the opposite side, not police’s.

          1. I dont think he drove over this person and left him alone.
            It is obviouse that Vova had planned a personal vendeta and it wouldnt be hard to order an ex-convict to go and try to jump behind a car.
            Sorry but Armenian police has 0 credit, They still employ people in their forces who killed people in March 1, beaten, harrased, and wounded many and still cover up those cases.
            Armenian police is a fascistic organisation.

        2. He in person told Vova his nickname.

          1. You i couldnt care less about anyone’s nickname. What i care is why he drives over people and leaves them on the roads.

  4. Here’s the official explanation from the Police:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCe15XUmXbk&feature=g-all-lik&context=G2ec1183FAAAAAAAAAAA
    The video shows Ashot Frangulyan and explains why there was a delay in arresting Hayg Gevorgyan. I’d very much appreciate reader’s comments on this:

    1. Thank you for posting this, you did not believe Hayk could run over the man and leave him helpless on the road. Here you see Nikol Pashinyan telling about that. It’s not what police says, it’s what Nikol Pashinyan says. So he really bumped a man and left him helpless and just drove away.
      You know, oppositioners are human beings too. The police can not ALWAYS be wrong.
      This kind of accidents make lots of people disappoint with opposition. But it could be different. Hayk would make me praise him if he took the guy to the hospital.

  5. @svejk
    If you think police has zero credit, do not call the police if you’re robbed, raped or hit by car. What else can I say to a citizen like you….

    1. Believe me, many try to resolve issues without calling police. Interaction with police in Armenia will increase your troubles even if you are completely innocent. By default they treat you as a criminal until proven that you are innocent, rather than vice versa.

      1. @s-am
        thats not just in ARmenia, also that’s in qaq hotac ugly shit america and rest of the world, but at least in Hayastan I can bribe the evil greedy mafiya cops $20-100 lousy dollars to GO AWAY and they’ll happily leave…for the moment….eventually in near/distant future they’ll come back with their greedy mafiya owned & controlled hands out ASKING/DEMANDING FOR MORE, especially if they know you’re a ARmenian from america/western country where they think/believe that we are all rich & successful and have all this money pouring out of our pockets and ears
        however, in america you can’t pay a cop anything
        the cops in america are nazi/al-qaeda (gor-gors love the cops here) and they hate everything AMERICA was founded on, thats why they signed up to be nazi/al-qaeda, so they can piss all over the innocent and let the guilty roam as they please causing mayhem and crime every where

      2. If you as a citizen have an approach of resolving criminal issues without police, I have nothing to add to my pervious comment.
        Instead of applying and constantly demanding from police some of my citizens think to solve issues by themselves. Obviously police will never change having such citizens.
        And finally. This post was about the criminal, not the police. If you have ever lived in EU or US you would know that the police would charge this guy Nikol Pashinyan as well. Because he knew about the crime and did not contact the police. What a “rightful” approach.
        If he and guys like him are going to be in our next parliament, we won’t move much towards the country of law. Unfortunately.

  6. http://www.nikolpashinyan.com/?p=2255 – there are so many inconsistencies in the Police actions and statements… one has to be deaf and blind not to see those. above all, it is very sad that many “ordinary” people willy-nilly took part in the chain of fabrication planned by Vova. that’s the saddest part of this shameful process.

    1. Yeah, I guess the police bet the guy, broke his body and ordered him to pretend a victim.
      I feel shame for the person who left the guy on the street and drove away. I also feel shame for the guy on this video, who, instead of applying to police or calling the victim calls press conferences.
      I saw this video before you posted it here. And my opinion about Nikol Pashinyan became even stronger. I’m saddened to have such co citizens.

      1. And I hope now when Hayk is released from detention, as he will be released today or tomorrow, after giving another press conference about “Vova vendetta” he will eventually visit the victim and at least will say “I am sorry” to the guy.

        1. Sorry for what?! Sorry for being the victim of a mean fabrication? Bravo!

          1. No, sorry for bumping him with a car.

          2. how come you are so sure he did bump him with a car? will you explain the source of your confidence?

          3. He trusts the police.

          4. Mazybe he is Ashot Frangulian or Vova.

          5. PPL – I beg you. Stop attacking each other. I know Armenia.im and he’s a genuinely concerned citizen of Armenia.
            Even though all of us here are convinced (and yes, I am STRONGLY convinced), that the Police are setting up this whole thing to punish Hayk and scare independent or pro-opposition journalists, I beg your tolerance towards Armenia.im’s alternative opinion.
            This blog would lose its face, if we couldn’t continue holding civilized dialogue and discussion without personal attacks.

  7. Not only bumped, but also left him on the street driving away. That’s really mean.
    P.S. why should I trust Hayk Gevorgyan, but not Ashot Frangulyan?

    1. you asked me question, and I am responding to it: you are free to trust the Police and Vova and Frangulyan, go ahead! Haik is a very well-known journalist in Armenia, and the huge public protest that followed his arrest was another proof of that. if you choose not to trust Hayk, both as a journalist and as a person, you are free to do that. go ahead!
      And here is the link to Haik’s story of what happened on January 13. And yes, you are free to disregard it.
      http://youtu.be/zTSIMZ4yn7M
      🙂

    2. with the same logic you could assert Haik killed JFK!

  8. Or for example, why should I trust Nikol Pashinyan?:) that’s weird:)
    I don’t know this person and, actually, not even keen to know him, as well as not keen to know Vova Gasparyan:)
    Enjoy Hayk’s freedom, tell him to drive safely. respect other’s opinions.
    as i see Hayk trusts the police, as he claims he threatened to call the police when he saw something suspicious in this Ashot’s movements. . so tell him to really call the police once he sees the need.
    I’m finishing posting and reading comments under this post. have a great day.

  9. Here is Hayk Gevorgyan’s own version of what happened. This type of fake traffic accident is pretty common in the U.S., but there it occurs when someone is trying to extract an insurance payout from the driver. http://hetq.am/eng/news/10299/
    Hardly a coincidence that the set-up was car-related, since the Police Chief had been asked by Gevorgyan about how he had acquired his $150,000 Mercedes. I don’t believe that question has yet been answered.

  10. @Ani,
    The police chief drives a $150k car? LMAO!

    1. “We are assuming that [Police Chief Vova [Vladimir] Gasparyan] his
      nerves finally gave in because of the publication, which was publicized on the first page of Haykakan Zhamanak’s February 3 issue, which refers to the whereabouts of Vova Gasparyan’s Mercedes[-Benz] G-Class worth 120-150 thousand [US] dollars,” The Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly Vanadzor Office’s statement specifically reads.”
      http://news.am/eng/news/91953.html

      1. I am definitely going to give all my best to become a government official in Armenia.

  11. A new regular G class in the US starts at $107k. The AMG version starts at $125k. I don’t know if Mr. Gasparyan has a used one, obviously, the value drops as the car depreciates.
    What is concerning is the source of those moneys, where does a police chief make so much money as to be able to purchase a car like that.
    For example, before becoming a president, Barack Obama was a millionaire (self-made due to his published works) and drove a$25k Chrysler 300. And Bush Jr. drove a $30k pickup truck.

    1. not sure to what extent this is relevant to this case, but Armenians are show-offs and often show more than they honestly have. In Lebanon, there is an actual loan for plastic surgery and quite a few Armenian women pick it up in order to make themselves look like supermodels. I know that there are extremely poor people who drive 50k$ cars, because they can’t bear the thought of looking poor. As a police chief, I’m thinking that a man’s ego would not be able to take looking any less than he wants to look ad that car might be off a loan and not necessarily flat cash. Again, I don’t know this man, have never talked to him, let alone gotten to know his situation… As such, I can only make an assumption that he likes to show off, most probably on money he doesn’t even have

      1. Yes, when you see something like that happening with a public official, it is good to ask questions like this. Especially if it’s about the second most corrupt institution in the country (judiciary being the number 1).

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