Armenia's leading media associations have strongly condemned riot police for injuring at least a dozen journalists during clashes in Yerevan with protesters demanding Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian's resignation.
"We condemn the police's use of brute force against media representatives, and unprofessional, uncalculated actions that led to serious consequences," said a joint statement released on June 13 by nine Armenian press freedom groups.
"From a number of videos as well as a photo by the Photolur news agency, it is clear that stun grenades were also directed at journalists and operators standing in a place where media cameras were concentrated," it said.
Security forces hurled dozens of stun grenades into the crowd during clashes on June 12, injuring at least 83 people. According to law-enforcement authorities, 18 policemen were also hurt.
Vazgen Yetumian, a cameraman with the News.am online news service, suffered a broken leg, and two other cameramen, Narek Hayrian of Civilnet and Hovsep Hovsepian of Armlur.am, were injured.
Hayrian told RFE/RL that several explosive devices went off right next to him.
"I had a vision blackout and felt unwell," he said. "My leg got hit and I fell down."
Journalists were injured during another clash at the same location earlier on June 12. They included ABC Media reporter Nane Hayrapetian and her cameraman Arman Gharibian. Doctors suspect that they suffered concussions.
"Ignoring the fact that I had a 'press' inscription on my shirt and ABC written on my back and my cameraman carried a badge and a camera, the police literally trampled us underfoot," said Hayrapetian.
The ABC Media crew that replaced the duo was injured in subsequent stun grenade explosions.
The nine press freedom organizations that signed the statement expressed serious concern over Pashinian and his allies' unequivocal defense of the police actions "without waiting for the results of their analyses."
They demanded the Interior Ministry investigate those actions and "hold accountable the officers who abused their powers."
The ministry had announced no such inquiry as of the evening of June 13.
Echoing Pashinian's statements, Armenia's Investigative Committee blamed the protesters for the "mass disturbances" and said it has identified 40 people involved. An opposition-linked lawyer said earlier in the day that 28 protesters arrested during the violence remain in custody and risk criminal charges.
