On September 15 the Armenian National Congress (coalition of opposition parties) called its partisans and readers of “Haykakan Zhamanak” to take part in the fundraising to support and save the daily from bankruptcy. The reason for this message was the August 3 refusal of the RA Court of Cassation of the complaint lodged by the founder of “Haykakan Zhamanak”, ”Dareskizb” LLC. The latter demanded to nullify the ruling of the court of second jurisdiction on the suit of RA National Assembly MPs Samvel Aleksanian (unaffiliated), Levon Sargsian and Ruben Hayrapetian (members of Republican Party of Armenia faction). As it has been reported, on February 7, 2011 the court of general jurisdiction of Kentron and Nork-Marash administrative districts of Yerevan secured the demands of the MPs on refuting the information discrediting their honor, dignity and business reputation, as contained in the piece “Seven of the Eight Are in the List”. The article, published in “Haykakan Zhamanak” on October 14, 2010, told that some of the Armenian officials and businessmen, including the abovementioned RA NA Deputies (who are at the same time major entrepreneurs), appear in a number of criminal cases, instituted by the Russian law enforcement bodies. The court of general jurisdiction obliged the “Haykakan Zhamanak” founder to pay off a moral compensation of 2 million AMD and the state duty for filling the court of 44,000 AMD to each of the MPs. Thus, the overall amount made 6 million 132 thousand AMD (about $ 16,800). On June 9 RA Civil Court of Appeal resolved to uphold the ruling of the court of general jurisdiction finding no grounds for reconsideration. After the Court of Cassation revoked the complaint of “Haykakan Zhamanak” founder on August 3, “Dareskizb” LLC announced about its intention to address the European Court of Human Rights (see YPC Weekly Newsletter, September 8-15, 2011).
