Armenian TV refutes information that Jehovah's Witness killed his parents

Following the court ruling, on June 5, the Public Television of Armenia (PTA) refuted in the news programme live on air the false information about the religious community of Jehovah's Witnesses. The believers of this community welcomed both the ruling and the action of the television.

On November 9, 2010, the "NEWS.am" Agency released a news item that the 23-year-old resident of Sevan Arman Torosyan, accused of brutally murdering his parents – Khachik Torosyan and Marietta Torosyan, who was detained by police on November 8, 2010, near the crime scene, had some relation to Jehovah's Witnesses. On November 9-11, 2010, the PTA retransmitted the news in the programmes "Haylur" and "Tesankyun" (Aspect).

On December 9, 2010, the religious community filed a lawsuit against the PTA and journalists Gevorg Altunyan, Sona Torosyan and Nune Alexanyan at the general court of the administrative districts Kentron and Nork-Marash. They were accused, in particular, of "publishing and disseminating false information causing damage to the honour and dignity" of Jehovah's Witnesses, the "PanARMENIAN" reports.

In the course of the litigation, the religious community and the PTA reached an agreement, according to which the broadcaster undertook to refute the information in the prime time, during the first 20 minutes of the newscast, that is, from 5:00 to 10:00 p.m. Besides, the refutation should be posted, in the period from June 5 to 14, among the top five news items on the website of the PTA, the "Epress.am" reports.

The PTA has fulfilled the ruling of the court. "As a result of the criminal investigation, it was established that Arman Torosyan who had killed his parents was not a member of Jehovah's Witnesses; therefore, the PTA refutes the earlier information that Arman Torosyan who had killed his parents is a member of Jehovah's Witnesses. The PTA hereby informs that the programmes 'Haylur' and 'Tesankyun' had no intention to offend the religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses," says the refutation posted on the website of the Public Television of Armenia.

"The Jehovah's Witnesses worldwide have appreciated this positive step of the PTA," wrote the official media website of Jehovah's Witnesses.