On November 28 “Zhoghovurd” daily informed that its founder, “Editorial Office of ‘Zhoghovurd’ Daily” LLC, has lodged a counter action on the protection of honor, dignity and business reputation versus the Governor of Gegharquniq region Nver Poghosian. This information was reported in the editorial, placed on “Zhoghovurd” website, www.armlur.am. Earlier, Nver Poghosian had contested the article “The Governor Took a Bribe”, published in “Zhoghovurd” on October 7, 2011. The lawsuit versus the daily founder and “Zhoghovurd” correspondent Anna Torosian contained demands on refuting the information that discredited the honor and dignity of the Gegharquniq Governor, as well as compensating 2,5 mln AMD (over $ 6,500): 2 mln – as a moral damage compensation, and 500,000 – court costs. The hearings on the case started on November 17 at Gavar court of general jurisdiction of Gegharquniq region (see YPC Weekly Newsletter, November 18-24, 2011).
As the editorial of “Zhoghovurd” noted, on the November 17 court session the attorneys of Nver Poghosian announced that the newspaper had no right to publish such a piece, as “the Governor is a public figure”. Meanwhile, “Zhoghovurd” stressed that the Governor had not directly addressed the newspaper requiring a refutation. Subsequently, the Governor aims to cause a financial damage to the newspaper and curtail its right to free dissemination of information, “Zhoghovurd” concluded. Such a matter of facts and the public announcements of Nver Poghosian regarding the contested piece were assessed as libel and insult by “Zhoghovurd”. In its counter claim the daily’s founder demanded from the Governor a moral loss compensation of 1 luma (the smallest Armenian currency) and apologies, the editorial of “Zhoghovurd” emphasized.
