Journalist Ani Gevorkyan released in Yerevan

Ani Gevorkyan, a journalist of the oppositional newspaper "Aikakan Zhamanak" (Armenian Time), who was kept in custody since June 1 was released under recognizance not to leave. This was reported by her advocate Lusine Saakyan.

According to the lawyer, the custody was also replaced by recognizance not to leave to two other May 31 detainees - Sarkis Gevorkyan, Ani's brother, and David Kiramidzhyan.

As a result of dispersal by policemen of the protest action in Yerevan on May 31, 16 persons were detained and delivered to the police station. 13 were released, and three faced charges. In particular, Ani Gevorkyan was accused under Article 316, part 1, of the Criminal Code of Armenia ("Violence to a power official"); her brother Sarkis Gevorkyan and David Kiramidzhyan, an activist of the opposition, were accused on suspicion of hooliganism (Article 258 of the Criminal Code).

An appeal to the authorities of Armenia demanding to release Ani Gevorkyan, who performed her journalistic duty in the Freedom Square, was addressed by the authoritative human rights organization "Committee in Defence of Journalists".

The demand to release Ani and Sarkis Gevorkyan and David Kiramidzhyan was addressed to the authorities of Armenia by journalistic and human rights organizations, among them: the "Committee in Defence of Freedom of Speech", the Yerevan Press Club, the "Internews" and others.

Levon Zurabyan, coordinator of the Armenian National Congress believes that all the three arrests were politically motivated.