16:00, 23 March 2013

Armenia: court appoints sentencing on suit against newspaper "Zhokhovurd" for March 27

The decision on the claim of defamation lodged by Khachik Khachatryan, the owner of the Yerevan poultry factory, to the newspaper "Zhokhovurd" and its correspondent Sonia Grigoryan will be made on March 27, as Judge Ruben Apinyan said during his consideration of the lawsuit.

In January, Khachatryan filed a lawsuit demanding to refute the publication of the above newspaper that his poultry factory had been supplying eggs with expired shelf life to the markets of Armenia, and to pay compensation to the claimant of 3 million drams (about 7500 US dollars). Then, the court arrested the property of the respondent. Later, an action in defence of journalists of the newspaper was held in Yerevan.

On February 2, Khachatryan filed another lawsuit, in which he demanded 3 million drams more for paying for lawyers' services. Thus, he claims over 6 million drams from the newspaper, the "Panorama.am" writes.

Armenian Ombudsman Karen Andreasyan has harshly condemned the lawsuit against the newspaper and called the court's decision to arrest property arrest "anti-legal", the "Tert.am" reports.

Author: Inessa Sargsyan

Source: CK correspondent