The premier, after the visit, condemned the incident while talking to journalists. He expressed confidence that the guilty parties would be apprehended shortly. Sargisian stressed the need for an atmosphere of tolerance andmutual respect. In this context, a government- media-public dialogue should produce good decisions surrounding this matter, he said. On the same day, the Helsinki Civil Assembly Office in Vanadzor condemned the attack on Baghdasaryan. The assembly in particular declared that the attack on Baghdasaryan further clarified that journalists and human rights defenders of principle have become targets in Armenia. All similar attacks have remained unsolved, which testifies to conscious idleness of the authorities that aim to liquidate the last “islands” of protection for human rights and freedoms through impunity and atmosphere of fear, the assembly declared.
Baghdasaryan was attacked when approaching his car, which was parked near his office in Buzand Street. Baghdasaryan tried to take shelter in the entrance of the adjacent building, however the three attackers caught up with him, savagely beat him and escaped. He received head injuries and was taken to the Emergency Department of the Grigor Lusavorich Medical Center.
Baghdasaryan was moved to the Department of Neurosurgery. The Hetq office announced that Baghdasaryan’s health is satisfactory at present. However, physicians say he needs to stay for at least five days in the hospital to assess whether he has received more serious injuires than initially believed.
