Courts as Means of Getting Even: No Distorted Facts in Article on Kocharian, Expert Says

Participating in the campaign against pro-opposition media are ruling coalition representatives, oligarchs, and, regretfully, second president of the Republic of Armenia Robert Kocharian and his family, said Committee to Protect Freedom of Expression (CPFE) Chair Ashot Melikyan, speaking to Epress.am today and commenting on Robert Kocharian’s recent lawsuit against local daily Hraparak.

“I myself read the article that served as a reason for the suit yesterday and I have to say, I don’t see any grounds for a lawsuit in this article. There are the journalist’s judgements, with which one can agree or not, but there are no distorted facts. This is simply an attempt at getting even with opposition media,” he said.

To avoid such situations, Melikyan named two requirements:

“First, news agencies have to display a high level of professionalism and refrain from publishing unnecessary attacks. Professionalism and a high level of accountability are important.”

As a second requirement, Melikyan noted the establishment of an impartial judicial system in Armenia.

“As long as the judicial system is under the influence of the administration, as long an unbiased judicial system has not yet been established, courts continue to serve as a mechanism for getting even,” he said.

Recall, Robert Kocharian is demanding 6 million drams (about $16,350 US) in compensation from Hraparak, for insulting his honor and dignity. An article titled “They Destroy Kocharian, Explain to Tsarukyan?” became the grounds for the legal proceedings.

Hraparak editor Armine Ohnayan told Epress.am that after the lawsuit was initiated, the court already displayed a biased attitude, sustaining Kocharian’s request to freeze the newspaper’s bank accounts and assets.

“They ask that we publish a retraction, compensate for moral losses and finally, the third demand, to freeze bank accounts and property, and this latter is nothing if the hindering of the activities of a paper that is subject to no one,” she said.

She said that they’re preparing to fight through all legal means.

“Though it’s already clear from practice that the percentage of the court being objective is very small,” she said.