On June 6 the court of general jurisdiction of Kentron and Nork-Marash administrative districts of Yerevan released the judgment on the suit of the spouse and the son of the Second President of Armenia Robert Kocharian, Bella and Sedrak Kocharians, versus “Skizb Media Kentron” LLC, founder and publisher of “Zhamanak” daily. As it has been reported, the reason of the suit became the pieces published in “Zhamanak” on September 25, September 29 and October 7, 2010. The articles dealt with a number of companies, which were reportedly owned by the Kocharians’ family or managed through the third parties. The plaintiffs filed the court, demanding to bind “Zhamanak” to refute the information damaging the honor, dignity and business reputation of Bella and Sedrak Kocharians, exact 3 million AMD (about $ 8,200) from the respondent as compensation for libel and defamation, as well as pay off the court expenses of 3 million AMD. The court hearings started on February 25 and ended on April 20, 2011. The court decision was to be announced on May 5, meanwhile, the court resolved to start a new consideration of the case due to the necessity of additional examination of presented facts. The retrial started on May 20 (the plaintiffs presented the court a document, grounding their expenses made for attorney fees). At the next May 23 session, held in a blitz mode – less than a minute, the judge announced that the ruling will be released on June 6 (see details in YPC Weekly Newsletter, May 20-26, 2011).
On June 6 the court resolved to secure the suit partially. The demand of the plaintiffs to compensate the court expenses of 3 million AMD was revoked. “Zhamanak” is bound to refute the information, damaging the honor, dignity and business reputation of Bella and Sedrak Kocharians, as well as pay off the plaintiffs 3 million AMD as compensation for libel and insult.
The attorney of the respondent Nikolay Baghdassarian informed YPC about the intention of “Zhamanak” founder to contest this judgment.
