On 2 April 2017, Shoghik Galstyan, correspondent for the online media website “Araratnews.am” was obstructed from performing her lawful professional activity and violence was exerted upon her.

A criminal case was instituted by the RA Police on the fact of obstruction of her professional journalistic activity, which was later referred to the Special Investigative Service. One person was charged on the basis of sub-paragraphs 3 and 5 of paragraph 2 of Article 149 (i.e. obstruction of the exercise of electoral rights, the activities of electoral commissions combined with the exertion of violence or threat thereof committed by a group of persons). On 3 May the case was sent to the General Jurisdiction Court of Kentron and Nork-Marash Districts of Yerevan along with the indictment and was declared admissible by the Court on 5 May.

Upon the journalist’s request, her interests were represented by the CPFE’ lawyer. The court hearings in this case were held on 3 July, 7 August, 28 September, 6 November and 19 December 2017. While the defendant Julietta Kokolyan who exerted violence against the journalist and obstructed her lawful professional activity failed to attend the hearings, her representative announced that the defendant was heavily ill. The Court required proof of this. Considering the fact that such evidence was not submitted to the Court, and the defendant was not found in her regular place of residence, the Court decided on 5 February 2018 to declare search of Julietta Kokolyan, an action, which has not so far rendered any results.