25 November 2003, 23:54
Claim against Public TV Company
"The director of Armenian Public TV Company has illegally released me from my job", journalist Sevak Grigoryan announces. The contract concluded with him was suspended on July 1, 2003, without any substantiation.
On November 20, the court of first instance heard his claim against Public TV Company Executive Director Armen Arzumanian.
The plaintiff demanded to reinstate him as an employee and to award damages, paying off 405,000 drams - the salary from July 1 to December 31, 2003. Sevak Grigoryan has worked in the "First Program" of Public TV since May 1, 2002.
"I haven't broken any norm within my 13-month-long activity. I have never received any rebukes from the superior", Grigoryan stated in court.
At the previous court session, a Public TV Company representative Vage Stepanian announced, "Public TV Company has no journalist staff, and Sevak Grigoryan was not a permanent employee."
It is strange for the plaintiff how a metalworker or a guard can be considered permanent employees of a TV company but a journalist can not. "A journalist is the same for a TV company as a teacher for a school," he says.
Sevak Grigoryan produced to the court the report of June 15, 2003 by Anna Arutyunian, a coordinator of the "First Program", on the suspension of the contract concluded with him.
The Public TV Company Executive Director had addressed on it "PD" (Personnel Department probably) and approved. There is no posting note on the report which has made the plaintiff suspect its lawfulness.
Answering the question whether the claim would be legal if the plaintiff turned to be right, Mr. Stepanian said, "Yes, it will if the report is false since there was no notification before."
Source: Human Rights in Armenia Website
