On September 8 the court of primary jurisdiction of Center and Nork-Marash
communities of Yerevan started and postponed the hearing on the suit of Karen
Khachatrian, the assistant of Electrical Energy Chair of State Engineering (Polytechnic)
University of Armenia versus “Chorrord Ishkhanutiun” newspaper. The plaintiff
demanded that the newspaper be required to publish a refutation (as written
by him) for the article “The Odyssey of the Khachatrians of Polytechnic”, published
in “Chorrord Ishkhanutiun” on June 28, 2005. The article described the “unhealthy
atmosphere, created at the University” by a professor of the same Chair Varos
Khachatrian and his son Karen, who came to defend him. It should also be noted
that “Chorrord Ishkhanutiun” enabled Karen Khachatrian to speak out on the matter,
having published on July 26 a piece, titled “Explanations of K.Khachatrian of
Polytechnic”.
The consideration of the suit of Karen Khachatrian versus “Chorrord Ishkhanutiun”
newspaper was delayed since presently criminal proceedings are instituted on
the appeal of the father of a female student of the Engineering University,
and the investigation is underway. The court has no competence to consider the
civil suit, filed by Karen Khachatrian, until the investigation is over.
A similar suit with a similar demand was filed by Karen Khachatrian versus
another newspaper, “Aravot”. This time the dispute centered on article “Sexual
Harassment of a Student”, published in “Aravot” on June 24. The publication
based on the complaint of several students and professors of the Engineering
University about the behavior of Varos and Karen Khachatrian, addressed to the
RA Human Rights Defender. The court hearing on the case is scheduled on September
23.
