In Armenia, editor-in-chief of "Iravunk" finds MP Arzakantsyan's lawsuit groundless

The campaign unleashed against the media by the deputy from the ruling Republican Party of Armenia Tigran Arzakantsyan is discrediting the understanding of the freedom of speech, said Ovannes Galadjyan, editor-in-chief of the newspaper named "Iravunk" (Law), who treated the MP's lawsuit as absurd and groundless.

With respect to the two lawsuits filed against the newspapers "Erkir" and "Iravunk", in which Arzakantsyan demanded compensation for the damage caused to his honour and dignity, the politician asserts that "newspapers write lies."

"They write that we possess, together with Speaker Ovik Abramyan, gold mines, and one of them is my property. Let him, who is lying, read the Bible. Some of our journalists have become tools in hands of certain politicians," said the MP.

On June 24, the Yerevan court of general jurisdiction of communities Kentron and Nork-Marash decided to dismiss the lawsuit lodged by Arzakantsyan against the Limited Liability Company (LLC) "Iravunk Media" – the founder of the newspaper "Iravunk" – as unjustified.

His lawsuit demanded to oblige the "Iravunk", which is the official organ of the Party Union "Constitutional Law", to publish a refutation of the information contained in the article "Lost a Tidy Sum", published in February 22 this year. Besides, the MP demanded to collect 3 million drams (about 8000 US dollars) from the newspaper as compensation for abusing his honour and dignity by insults and slander. According to the lawsuit, the article contained completely offensive and untrue expressions and information.

At the trial, the defendant said that the actuality of the information about the parliamentarian was driven by the need for the public to know the details of deputies' activities.