Epress.am News from Armenia
Margarita Khachatryan, chair of the Zinvor Association of NGOs and mother of a deceased soldier, is preparing to sue local daily Hraparak.
Speaking to an Epress.am reporter, Khachatryan said, “I’m going to demand an open trial. I respect journalists; I haven’t put a finger on any [journalists] for 13 years, but that newspaper is disgracing the names of mothers who’ve given their sons to us, to our country. Everyone knows me; they know me in the army and I’m going to demand that my honor and dignity be reinstated. They live today at the expense of our children’s lives. We won’t allow the memory of the victims to be discredited.”
Hraparak editor Armine Ohanyan offers her version of what happened. “Mrs. Maroz [Khachatryan’s well-known nickname] came to the Hraparak editorial offices yesterday. A woman from the street had come to the office at the time, with her entourage, whose aim was to scare us — to curse, insult and harm us. Those sexual curses that were heard from her lips most likely are only heard in fortresses and military bases — from men and only in that instance when there are no women nearby.
“This woman accustomed to beating men, consistently nurtured and pampered by our authorities, this time decided to try her strength on journalists.
“A woman who can speculate the death of her son and demand that she is eternally paid [back] and respected, since she has suffered a great loss, should be condemned by society. The head of an NGO who can raise a hand on a journalist should be refused and condemned by all, including those entities that fund the activities of people like her,” reads Ohanyan’s column in part.
Note, Ohanyan has provided a police testimony in connection with these events.
Photo: zinvorhk.wordpress.com