Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly-Vanadzor

HCAV Chairperson Artur Sakunts made two lawsuits to court, demanding from Narek Malyan to refute the defamation against him and the Organization and compensate for the damage caused to dignity.

On 7 December 2019, Narek Malyan - who is known for targeting human rights activists - published fake news about HCAV Chairperson Artur Sakunts on his Facebook page aiming to cast a shadow on his activity, and to tarnish and degrade his honor and dignity as a human rights activist in the eyes of society. N. Malyan cut certain parts from an interview A. Sakunts gave years ago and presented those parts out of the context  by distorting the substance of the content, and disseminated disinformation that Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly Vanadzor Office - headed by A.Sakunts - received money “in order to sell territories”, and attributed the defeat of the 44-day war of 2020 to Artur Sakunts and HCAV. On 19 December 2019, A.Sakunts applied to court claiming to publicly refute the defamation and compensate for the damage caused to honor and dignity. The lawsuit was processed, however, investigation of the case was delayed for about a year due to the temporary incapacity of the judge, and only on 19 January 2022, did judge A.Musheghyan decide to accept the proceedings of Artur Sakunts’s lawsuit against Narek Malyan.

The case is being examined by the Kotayk Region General Jurisdiction Court. The next court hearing is scheduled for 20 October 2022 at 16:00 o’clock in the Yeghvard Residence of Kotayk Region General Jurisdiction Court.

This is not the first case when Narek Malyan has tried to degrade the activity of human rights activists and democratic values through slander. In an interview of 3 February 2021, N.Malyan accused A.Sakunts of unpatriotic activity after the 44-day war. Based on this, A.Sakunts also made a lawsuit, claiming to publicly refute the defamation and compensate for the damage caused to dignity. In the frame of this case, the preliminary hearing will take place on 2 August 2022 at 14:30, in the Yeghvard Residence of Kotayk Region General Jurisdiction Court.

Update: The court hearing scheduled for August 2 was postponed upon the request of the plaintiff in order to examine the defendant’s response to the lawsuit and present their position. The next court hearing is scheduled on 13 December 2022 at 14:20.