On December 29, 2011, authorized representatives of Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly Vanadzor, Artak Zeynalyan and Arayik Ghazaryan, submitted a claim to the RA Constitutional Court to recognize that the provisions of Article 3 of the RA Law on Freedom of Information contradict Article 3 and Article 27 of the RA Constitution or Article 1 of the RA Constitution, and that the provisions of Articles 182, 185, and 262 of the RA Criminal Procedure Code contradict Articles 1, 14.1, and 27 of the RA Constitution, and should be considered invalid.

On December 13, 2011 the Court of Common Jurisdiction of the Kentron and Nork-Marash Administrative Districts decided to take into proceedings and prepare the court examination of the complaint of Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly-Vanadzor against Vladimir Gasparyan, demanding that Vladimir Gasparyan compensate for damages caused to the honor, dignity, and business reputation of the organization.

On December 9, 2011, the Lori Region Court of Common Jurisdiction, presided over by Judge N. Avetisyan, rejected the claim by Vano Yeghiazaryan against Kamsar Tamaryan, for reimbursement of the damage caused to his honor, dignity and business reputation.

Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly-Vanadzor submitted a claim to the RA Constitutional Court to recognize the 8th and 12th Articles of the RA Law on State Secrets as unconstitutional and invalid.

On November 23.2011, the RA Administrative Court rejected the claim of HCA Vanadzor against the RA Ministry of Justice.

On November 23, 2011, authorized representatives of Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly Vanadzor, Artak Zeynalyan and Arayik Ghazaryan, submitted a claim to the RA Constitutional Court to recognize that the 8th and 12th Articles of the RA Law on State Secrets contradict the 3rd, 5th, 6th, 27th, 43rd, 83.5th, and 117th articles of the RA Constitution and are invalid.

According to our information, after Vladimir Gasparyan was appointed as the RA Chief of Police, the US Government decided to terminate the financial and technical assistance provided to the RA Police.

“I forgave Sakunts a long ago,” Vladimir Gasparyan, Chief of Police told a reporter of  NEWS.am, referring to the lawsuit filed against him by Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly-Vanadzor, based on Vladimir Gasparyan’s interviews given to the www.hraparak.am electronic page on October 17, 2011 and to the “Zinuzh” TV program on October 15, 2011.

The verdict on the claim of HCA Vanadzor against the RA Ministry of Justice will be announced at14:53 p.m. on November 23, 2011, by Judge R. Hakobyanat the RA Administrative Court.

The Lori Region Court of Common Jurisdiction is proceeding with the lawsuit by Vano Yeghiazaryan, Mayor of Lernapat Community against a “Hetq” reporter, Adrine Torosyan, claiming to reimburse the damage caused to his honor, dignity and business reputation. 

The hearing of the claim of HCA Vanadzor against the RA Ministry of Justice was held on November 8, 2011, at the RA Administrative Court presided over by Judge R. Hakobyan.

The hearing of the claim of HCA Vanadzor against the RA Ministry of Justice is scheduled for 04:00 p.m. on November 8, 2011, at the RA Administrative Court (Address: 23 G. Nzhdeh, 3rd floor, room 318, Judge R. Hakobyan).

On October 26, 2011, the RA Civil Court of Appeals rejected Gevorg Melqonyan’s appeal against the decision of the RA Lori Region Court of Common Jurisdiction. 

The court examination of the claim of Lernapat Mayor, Vano Yeghiazaryan against the residents of the same village, Gevorg Melkonyan and Boris Ashrafyan, began today November 1, 2011, at 2:00 p.m., at the Lori Region Court of Common Jurisdiction, presided over by Judge Varduhi Hovnanyan. Aravot Daily was recognized as a third party without an individual claim.

If the old method to silence media was to use force, the new decriminalization of the defamation law allows a more “civilized” method of legal mechanisms but the result is the same…it silences the media.