Epress.am News from Armenia
A charity book sale was organized 4 pm on Monday in Yerevan’s Liberty Square by writers Arpi Voskanyan and Hambardzum Hambardzumyan to support local daily Haykakan Jamanak (“Armenian Times”), which was mandated by the courts earlier this year to pay 2 million 44 thousand drams ($5,444 USD) each to three notorious businessmen MPs Samvel Aleksanyan, Ruben Hayrapetyan and Levon Sargsyan as compensation for publishing material that discredited their honor, dignity and business reputation.
The book sale/demonstration included books by Levon Khechoyan, Vahram Martirosyan, Gayane Babayan, Vano Siradeghyan, and Arpi Voskanyan. All writers donated their books to the cause, and according to organizers, all proceeds from the sale of the books will go to the newspaper to help cover its fine.
Speaking to reporters late Monday, Voskanyan that until 9 pm (when the book sale/demonstration was expected to end), they will also be featuring works by Armen Ohanyan, Liza Tchagharyan, and Karine Khodikyan, among others.
However, 40 minutes after the book sale began, a few police officers approached the group and after finding out what was taking place, informed the group that the sale of books is prohibited in the square.
Hambardzum Hambardzumyan explained that this was a spontaneous demonstration and the number of demonstrators did not exceed 100 people (after which permission from city hall is required). “Let’s see what they decide,” responded a senior officer, Sergeant Davtyan (as he identified himself), as he picked up his phone. Asked by reporters who is to decide, Sergeant Davtyan responded, “Me.” Reporters then rather dubiously asked whether the officer was calling himself — “Yes,” he answered, and after talking by phone, asked the group to gather their books from the base of Tumanyan’s statue and spread them on benches or the steps to the Opera building.
Organizers fulfilled this request after which Sergeant Davtyan asked to speak privately with Hambardzumyan, who later told reporters that the officer wanted to know which writers were participating in the book sale/demonstration. After receiving an answer, he again began to make phone calls, but the demonstration continued unabated.
Note the charity book sale will continue today, again from 4 to 9 pm.
Recall, the three MPs named above sued and won a libel suit against the paper for an article that stated that Russian law enforcement agencies had created a list in which different Armenian officials and businessmen were named as being connected to a number of criminal cases and Russian criminal groups. The three plaintiffs were among those named by the paper.