On February 14, “Hetq” online informed about the lawsuit versus its founder, “Investigative Journalists” NGO. According to the notification that the “Investigative Journalists” received from the Court of General Jurisdiction of Kentron and Nork-Marash Administrative Districts of Yerevan, the lawsuit was submitted by the “ShinForum” LLC construction company. The company, represented by its Director Tigran Gasparian, contested two pieces published in “Hetq”: “Fatal Fraud: Tsitsernakaberd Highway Constructed with Kickbacks” (January 26, 2013) and “Clarifications on the Article about the Tsitsernakaberd Highway” (February 1, 2013). The Director of “ShinForum” demanded from the “Investigative Journalists” refutation of the statements, discrediting his business reputation, as contained in the pieces, compensation of moral loss, caused by libel in the amount of 2 mln AMD (about $ 4,800) and court fees of 44,000 AMD. “Hetq” also noted that after the articles were published, the construction company did not request any refutation or reply, “preferring to seek protection of business reputation at court”.
