Those Guys Did Not Fulfill Journalistic Duties: V. Gasparyan on Radio Liberty Journalists

Former Chief of Police of Armenia, General Lieutenant Vladimir Gasparyan, commented on the situation involving journalists from Radio Liberty, stating: "I view the statement by the president of Radio Liberty as pressure. He should have been aware that those guys did not fulfill journalistic duties; they committed an infringement and violated constitutional rights. They landed a drone directly above my yard at a height of 10-15 meters and for an extended period of time," he said during the ‘Pressing’ authorial program.

Gasparyan further explained that his initial thought was that this could potentially be a terrorist act, as he had all the grounds to believe so. "I quickly exited my yard with my equipment. As I was leaving, the drone also took off. I noticed it was moving upwards. Naturally, I followed in that direction. Along the way, I saw two parked vehicles with five to seven guys standing next to them. I passed by them, approached with my quadricycle, and saw one of them holding a remote control. I asked, 'What’s this, buddy?' He responded, 'It’s a remote,'" the former police chief recounted.

According to him, when he approached the group and realized that they did not seem like a threat regarding terrorism, he thought it might be a provocation and was prepared for that. The General Lieutenant noted that the drone was so close to him, directly overhead, that he initially thought it was a fly. "It was about 13-14 meters high. Ideal for committing a terrorist act. And I believe it is high time to adopt regulations regarding drones. Because that 'bravery' has led to a situation where the respectable leader of Radio Liberty does not teach his employees where their rights end and obligations begin. Is it the drone that's buzzing, or the one buzzing is the drone?" said Vladimir Gasparyan.

He mentioned that he had instructed a lawyer to prepare a lawsuit and that they would initiate a criminal case regarding this incident. According to Gasparyan, not only were the journalists not identifiable with insignia, but they only answered his questions about who they were after several inquiries and provided no proof of their identity. "I told them, when you send drones, think that tomorrow helicopters might come after them," the former police chief remarked.