Epress.am News from Armenia
The Court of General Jurisdiction of Kentron (“Center”) and Nork-Marash Administrative Districts of Yerevan was to have resumed hearing the case Jehovah’s Witnesses in Armenia v. Armenian Public Television (H1) today. However, as both parties were absent in court today, the trial was postponed.
Recall, Jehovah’s Witnesses in Armenia filed a claim in early 2011, requesting that the defendants be mandated to apologize for statements which harmed their honor and dignity, issue a full retraction, and publish an unedited response from Jehovah’s Witnesses. The plaintiffs also ask that the retraction be aired as many times on air as the defamatory statements were broadcast.
During Nov. 9, 10 and 11, 2011 broadcasts on H1’s Haylur and Tesankyun programs, derogatory statements were made in reference to Jehovah’s Witnesses, along with misinformation about the religious beliefs of Arman Torosyan, who was accused of brutally killing his elderly parents in Sevan, Armenia. Many media outlets reported that Torosyan was a Jehovah’s Witness; the organization, however, says this is untrue.
In past court sessions, Ara Zohrabyan, representing the defendants (H1) said he doesn’t agree the statements aired on H1 to be defamatory. Nevertheless, at the previous court session, the defense said it was prepared to settle and publish a retraction. Artur Martirosyan, representing the plaintiffs, however, informed Epress.am that H1 hasn’t yet produced such a retraction.
The next court date is not yet known.