On September 23 at the court of primary jurisdiction of Center and Nork-Marash communities of Yerevan the hearings on the suit of the former assistant of Electrical Energy Chair of State Engineering (Polytechnic) University Karen Khachatrian versus “Aravot” daily started and were postponed. The plaintiff demanded that the daily publish the refutation text prepared by him to the article “Sexual Harassment of a Student”, published in “Aravot” on June 24, 2005. The piece was based on the complaint of a group of students and professors of the Engineering University about the behavior of Karen Khachatrian and his father Varos Khachatrian, a professor of the same Chair, addressed to the RA Human Rights Defender.
The consideration of the suit of Karen Khachatrian versus “Aravot” was postponed since presently criminal proceedings are underway on the appeal of the father of a female student of the Engineering University. The court has no competence to consider the civil suit, filed by Karen Khachatrian, until the investigation is over.
As it has been reported, a similar suit with the same claim was filed by Karen Kachatrian versus “Chorrord Ishkhanutiun” newspaper. The court hearings again were delayed due to the same reason (see YPC Weekly Newsletter, September 9-15, 2005).
Meanwhile, it became known that Karen Khachatrian is no longer employed by the Engineering University. As “Aravot” daily reported on September 24 with a reference to the Rector of the Engineering University Yuri Sargsian, considering the big amount of complaints from students, the administration did not find reasons to sign a contract with Karen Khachatrian.
