Court decides to hear lawsuit filed by Armenia National Security Service ex-director against daily newspaper

YEREVAN. – The Yerevan court of general jurisdiction has decided to hear the lawsuit filed by Armenia’s former National Security Service (NSS) director Artur Vanetsyan against Haykakan Zhamanak daily, the DataLex judicial information system informs.

The reason for the lawsuit is an article published in Haykakan Zhamanak, in which it was written, in particular, that the “propaganda campaign, which a number of specific media outlets are carrying out against Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s family members—in particular his wife Anna Hakobyan and his daughter Mariam Pashinyan, is being coordinated and inspired by NSS former director Artur Vanetsyan. At the same time, there are grounds to believe that this anti-propaganda is also paid for by Vanetsyan.”

Before applying to the court, Artur Vanetsyan’s legal representatives had demanded that the newspaper refute this report and publish the text of this refutation, but Haykakan Zhamanak failed to do so.