VZCZCXRO2160
RR RUEHDBU RUEHLN RUEHSK RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHYE #0219/01 0861238
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 271238Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY YEREVAN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8870
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 YEREVAN 000219 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/PPD, EUR/CARC 
 
E.O.:  12958:  N/A 
TAGS: PHUM KPAO SCUL AM
 
SUBJECT: PROFESSORS ACCUSED OF CORRUPTION; JOURNALIST BEATEN 
 
¶1.  Summary:  On March 13, local youth NGO Miasin staged an 
initiative designed to publically denounce corruption in Armenia's 
universities.  The group placed photos of allegedly crooked 
professors in several highly trafficked areas of the city. 
Reactions were mixed, but passionate.  The pro-government group was 
criticized by university administrators, politicians and human 
rights groups.  In response, that same day, a group of students from 
Yerevan State Linguistic University (Brusov) marched in opposition 
to the initiative.  Miasin's motives for launching the campaign 
remain unclear. 
 
¶2.  In addition to the controversy raised by Miasin's actions, a 
well-known photojournalist covering the march was severely beaten 
when he attempted to enter Brusov University without authorization. 
Brusov's rector issued a statement "regretting" the journalist's 
injuries, but maintaining that he provoked the incident.  Human 
Rights Defender Armen Harutyunian criticized the beating, citing a 
"climate of intolerance in Armenian society" that encourages a sense 
of impunity when attacking journalists.  The security guard 
responsible for the beating was detained and is under investigation. 
 End Summary. 
 
------------------------------ 
Wanted Posters in Public Arena 
------------------------------ 
 
¶3.  On March 13, local youth NGO Miasin (Together) organized a 
protest initiative designed to publically denounce corruption in 
some of Armenia's most prestigious universities.  The group placed 
photos, labeled with the phrase "bribe-takers," of more than 30 
allegedly corrupt professors from Yerevan State University (YSU), 
the Pedagogical University, and Brusov in several highly trafficked 
areas of the city.  The photos were hung overnight without a prior 
statement or press release from the NGO.  The initiative generated 
mixed emotions from students, faculty and the general public. 
 
¶4.  Miasin stated that professors were identified as corrupt by 
students in an anonymous survey.  Those in favor of the initiative 
have praised the group for "taking action," noting that 
anticorruption measures are "strategies that remain on paper only," 
and that the denunciations have drawn public interest to the issue. 
The group has received criticism, however, particularly from 
students and journalists, for refusing to reveal concrete evidence 
against professors and providing no information that would permit 
verification of the accuracy of the survey.  Many students at Brusov 
have speculated that students could have accused professors of 
bribery motivated by revenge.  When asked, students of the 
universities and departments cited above have generally (and perhaps 
predictably) claimed not to have participated in the initiative. 
Further credibility concerns were raised when a journalist from the 
Respublika Armenia newspaper investigated one of the photos and 
learned that it was a person who had never worked at the university 
and was currently Armenia's ambassador to Egypt. 
 
¶5.  Brusov issued a statement condemning the activities of Miasin as 
"irresponsible," "unfounded," and "provocative."  The Rector of 
Yerevan State University said Miasin reminded him of the Stalin 
regime of 1937 when people were charged without any grounds. 
Opposition Heritage Party MP Vardan Khachatrian said the accusers 
should either provide proof or be prosecuted for libel.  The Yerevan 
director of Transparency International described Miasin's actions as 
"a dark story lacking in transparency." 
 
------------------- 
Journalist Beaten 
------------------- 
 
¶6.  In response, Brusov students organized a protest march against 
the Miasin initiative on the same day, walking from the Miasin 
headquarters to the university.  They were followed by a group of 
journalists.  When well-known photojournalist Gagik Shamshian 
attempted to enter the university with the students, he was stopped 
by security guards.  A verbal altercation with one of the guards 
ended with Shamshian being severely beaten.  An ambulance was called 
for from the offices of Radio Liberty, where Shamshian had fled.  He 
was later diagnosed with severe injuries to the groin and internal 
bleeding.  The security guard has been detained and an investigation 
is underway. 
 
¶7.  On March 14, Brusov issued a statement claiming Shamshian had 
instigated the conflict.  In support of the statement, the 
university's press office presented video footage demonstrating 
Shamshian's aggressive behavior and refusal to obey university 
regulations.  The statement also criticized the security guard, 
noting that he should not have responded to the journalist's verbal 
assaults with force.  In an interview with Iravunk newspaper on 
March 17, Rector Suren Zolyan stated, "I am sorry for Gagik 
Shamshian's physical injuries but I have to say that it was 
instigated by him.  We filed a complaint with the police to 
investigate the case.  We regret that the security guards attacked 
 
YEREVAN 00000219  002 OF 002 
 
 
him instead of grabbing him by his hands and calling the police." 
 
-------------------------- 
A "Culture of Intolerance" 
-------------------------- 
 
¶8.  Journalists and human rights activists have been vocal in their 
condemnation of the beating.  Human Rights Defender Armen 
Harutyunian denounced the incident stating, "Such an action against 
a journalist once again proves the culture of intolerance rooted in 
our society.  This is a result of the fact that similar cases have 
gone unpunished in the past."  Member of Parliament Anahit Bakhshian 
also publically noted that the beating is a "result of a criminal 
atmosphere which offers impunity and prevails in the country."  A 
group of media and civil society NGOs have also decried the 
incident.  Their statement maintains, "This is yet another case of 
obstructing the professional activities of a journalist."  Reports 
on attacks or pressure placed on journalists have occurred an 
average of 4-6 times per year for the past several years, with the 
largest number of reported attacks (18) occurring in 2008. 
 
¶9.  Comment:  Miasin arose in response to the opposition youth 
organization "Hima" (Now).  The group appears to have the blessing 
of President Serzh Sargsian and Prime Minister Tigran Sargsian and 
is loosely connected to the MIAK political party (now headed by 
MCA-Armenia CEO Ara Hovsepian).  The President turned up at their 
first anniversary celebration on February 21 and the Prime Minister 
expressed public support last November for Miasin's  declared goal, 
"to disclose all corruption cases in universities," if not for their 
methods. Corruption in education remains a chronic problem in 
Armenia and the GOAM has taken recent steps to address this, 
including closing private universities viewed as diploma mills, 
establishing anti-corruption hotlines, and raising teacher salaries. 
 Ten instructors have been fired from the Yerevan State University 
since 2007 for taking bribes "and serious disciplinary offenses. 
The issue continues to provoke strong emotion.  End Comment. 
 
Pennington