Since May 21 “Ashtarak TV” and the homonymous newspapers operating in Ashtarak, Aragatsotn region, had to interrupt their activities because the building where the editorial offices of these media rent premises was locked by its owner, Director of “Aragatsotn Arspas” LLC Sargis Amirian. In the opinion of the management of “Ashtarak TV”, the conflict may be related to a number of critical articles to the address of Sargis Amirian, published in the newspaper.
Earlier, by a decision of the court of primary jurisdiction of Aragatsotn region a suit of Aragatsotn Prosecutor’s Office versus “Ashtarak TV” on the recovery of the debts of the latter for not complying with the tax liabilities was secured. In April “Ashtarak TV” appealed to the same court with a suit versus the regional Prosecutor’s Office to stop the arrest on the property, imposed by the officer of the court to execute the court ruling. The demand of the TV company was motivated by the fact that some of the arrested property belongs not to “Ashtarak TV” but to private persons and organizations. In particular, the editorial office used the equipment of Internews Armenia public organization. The latter addressed the court with a request to be recognized as a third party on the case. On June 7 the petition of the organization was secured. At the session of June 9 Internews Armenia presented to the court documents, confirming that a part of the property registered and arrested is owned by itself. The representatives of Internews hope that at the coming session the issue of lifting the arrest of the organization’s property will be solved.
