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YEREVAN PRESS CLUB WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
OCTOBER 11-17, 2013
HIGHLIGHTS:
COURT REJECTS ONE OF BUSINESSMAN KHACHIK KHACHATRIAN'S LAWSUITS VS.
"ZHOGHOVURD" DAILY
JOURNALISTIC COMMUNITY DISCUSSES THE POSSIBILITY OF ESTABLISHING AN
ALTERNATIVE TV
FORBES' SECOND ATTEMPT IN ARMENIA
ARMENIAN PRESS DAY
COURT REJECTS ONE OF BUSINESSMAN KHACHIK KHACHATRIAN'S LAWSUITS VS.
"ZHOGHOVURD" DAILY
On October 14, General Jurisdiction Court of Kentron and Nork-Marash
Administrative Districts of Yerevan rejected the lawsuit filed by
businessman Khachik Khachatrian, owner of a major holding "X-Group", and
his enterprise "Yerevan Poultry" company versus the founder of the
"Zhoghovurd" daily, "Editorial Office of 'Zhoghovurd' Newspaper" LLC, and
the daily's correspondent Sona Grigorian. As we have reported, the
plaintiffs litigated an article
"Famous Oligarch
Fined for Selling Expired Eggs" ("Zhoghovurd", December 11, 2012), demanding
the respondents to publish refutation and to compensate the damage, caused
by libel and insult, by 3 million AMD (about $7,300). The hearings of this
case started on March 22, 2013.
The lawsuit was rejected on the ground that the facts of libel or insult
were not proven in the course of the trial.
It should be mentioned that the same General Jurisdiction Court is also
processing another lawsuit, filed by Khachik Khachatrian versus the founder
of the "Zhoghovurd" and Sona Grigorian. The matter of the dispute in this
lawsuit is the article
"'Zhoghovurd' Daily
Demands Public Apology from Khachik Khachatrian" ("Zhoghovurd", December 22,
2012). The businessman demanded to oblige the plaintiffs to refute the
information, discrediting his honor, dignity and business reputation, as
well as to pay him compensation equal to 3,200,000 AMD (about $ 7,600) of
which 3 million AMD for the damage caused by libel and insult, and 200,000
AMD for attorney's fees. The hearings of this case started on March 20,
2013, and are still in progress.
It should also be added that in the above-mentioned December 22, 2012 piece
"Zhoghovurd" reported on the businessman's obscene comment addressed at Sona
Grigorian: in a telephone conversation Khachik Khachatrian called the young
journalist a "prostitute" in response to "her question not quite desirable
for him", and advised her to publish that word, too. The newspaper, in its
turn, filed a lawsuit with the General Jurisdiction Court of the Ajapnyak
and Davitashen Administrative Districts of Yerevan versus Khachik
Khachatrian, demanding the latter's public apology. On April 29, 2013, the
Court dismissed the lawsuit on the ground that the comment could not be
qualified as insult, unless it was public (see details in YPC Weekly
Newsletter, April 26 - May 2, 2013
). The "Zhoghovurd" contested
this ruling at higher instance courts; however, both the RA Civil Court of
Appeal and the RA Court of Cassation rejected the appeal.
In the September 6 article, entitled
"'Zhoghovurd' Goes to
the RA Constitutional Court Trailing Eggs", the daily declared about its
intention to appeal to the RA Constitutional Court so that "henceforth, it
won't cross the mind of any businessman, oligarch or official to insult a
journalist and remain unpunished". It should be noted that the Armenian
legislation does not provide for the protection of citizens, including
journalists, from non-public insults: the law establishes liability only for
public defamatory statements. Experts believe that the responsibility for
non-public insult should be legally regulated (see details in YPC Weekly
Newsletter, September 6-12, 2013
).
In a conversation with YPC the "Zhoghovurd" Editor-in-Chief Taguhi Tovmasian
said that the newspaper intended to go to the Constitutional Court to
clarify the compliance of some provisions in the RA Civil Code with the Main
Law.
JOURNALISTIC COMMUNITY DISCUSSES THE POSSIBILITY OF ESTABLISHING AN
ALTERNATIVE TV
On October 10, in Yerevan the journalistic community discussed the
possibility of establishing an alternative public satellite TV channel in
Armenia. The Concept of a Genuinely Public TV Company, developed by Levon
Barseghian, Board Chairman of "Asparez" Journalists' Club, in cooperation
with an initiative group, was presented at the meeting attended by about 60
media experts and representatives of media and journalistic organizations.
The Concept states that the project aims to create a "non-commercial
satellite TV company, public in essence, and independent of any political
force and the authorities".
FORBES' SECOND ATTEMPT IN ARMENIA
On October 16, Aravot.am
published a press release, according to which the Armenian version of the
famous business magazine Forbes would soon start to be published in Armenia.
In a statement, signed by Forbes Armenia, it is mentioned that the latter
was granted a license for publication. The representative of Forbes Armenia
is "Media Partners" company which plans to have 12 issues of the magazine
during the year and to launch the business portal www.forbes.am. The press
release states that Gagik Yeghiazarian is the publisher and Editor-in-Chief
of Forbes Armenia, and Shushan Harutyunian will act as the Editor-in-Chief
of www.forbes.am. As the Forbes Armenia informed YPC, the first issue of the
magazine was scheduled to come out in November 2013.
On December 15, 2006 Yerevan already witnessed the presentation of the first
issue of the Armenian-language Forbes magazine (see YPC Weekly Newsletter,
December 15-21, 2006 ). However,
there was no follow-up issuance. At the end of December the magazine
Editor-in-Chief Petros Ghazarian (Director of "Kentron" TV at that time,
currently the author and anchor of a popular TV program "Urvagits" on the
same channel) resigned, accounting his action for the excessively
politicized response to the magazine. Early in January 2007 the press
circulated rumors that the publishers of the Armenian Forbes made an illegal
use of the title, having no agreement with the US owners of the brand.
Elizabeth Petrosian, Director of "Faces" LLC (the founder and publisher of
the Armenian Forbes), mentioned in a conversation with YPC that negotiations
with the American party on a number of issues were underway and promised to
invite a press conference shortly afterwards to clarify the situation (see
YPC Weekly Newsletter, January 8-11, 2007
). No clarifications followed;
the question of probable piracy hung in the air and was forgotten over time.
Now, six years later, another attempt has been undertaken for the Forbes to
enter the Armenian market, but the published information suggests that this
attempt has been undertaken by other entities. The outcome of the second
attempt will rather become known in November.
ARMENIAN PRESS DAY
On October 16, the Armenian Press Day was celebrated. The professional
holiday was established by a governmental decree in 2004 replacing the Day
of the Press Worker. The new holiday was scheduled to celebrate the issuance
of the first Armenian periodical - the newspaper "Azdarar" - in the Indian
town of Madras on October 16, 1794 (see YPC Weekly Newsletter, October 8-14,
2004 ).
When reprinting or using the information above, reference to the Yerevan
Press Club is required.
You are welcome to send any comment and feedback about the Newsletter to:
[email protected]
Subscription for the Newsletter is free. To subscribe or unsubscribe from
this mailing list, please send a message to: [email protected]
Editor of YPC Newsletter - Elina POGHOSBEKIAN
____________________________________________
Yerevan Press Club
9B, Ghazar Parpetsi str.
0002, Yerevan, Armenia
Tel.: (+ 374 10) 53 00 67; 53 35 41; 53 76 62
Fax: (+374 10) 53 56 61
E-mail: [email protected]
Web Site: www.ypc.am
OCTOBER 11-17, 2013
HIGHLIGHTS:
COURT REJECTS ONE OF BUSINESSMAN KHACHIK KHACHATRIAN'S LAWSUITS VS.
"ZHOGHOVURD" DAILY
JOURNALISTIC COMMUNITY DISCUSSES THE POSSIBILITY OF ESTABLISHING AN
ALTERNATIVE TV
FORBES' SECOND ATTEMPT IN ARMENIA
ARMENIAN PRESS DAY
COURT REJECTS ONE OF BUSINESSMAN KHACHIK KHACHATRIAN'S LAWSUITS VS.
"ZHOGHOVURD" DAILY
On October 14, General Jurisdiction Court of Kentron and Nork-Marash
Administrative Districts of Yerevan rejected the lawsuit filed by
businessman Khachik Khachatrian, owner of a major holding "X-Group", and
his enterprise "Yerevan Poultry" company versus the founder of the
"Zhoghovurd" daily, "Editorial Office of 'Zhoghovurd' Newspaper" LLC, and
the daily's correspondent Sona Grigorian. As we have reported, the
plaintiffs litigated an article
"Famous Oligarch
Fined for Selling Expired Eggs" ("Zhoghovurd", December 11, 2012), demanding
the respondents to publish refutation and to compensate the damage, caused
by libel and insult, by 3 million AMD (about $7,300). The hearings of this
case started on March 22, 2013.
The lawsuit was rejected on the ground that the facts of libel or insult
were not proven in the course of the trial.
It should be mentioned that the same General Jurisdiction Court is also
processing another lawsuit, filed by Khachik Khachatrian versus the founder
of the "Zhoghovurd" and Sona Grigorian. The matter of the dispute in this
lawsuit is the article
"'Zhoghovurd' Daily
Demands Public Apology from Khachik Khachatrian" ("Zhoghovurd", December 22,
2012). The businessman demanded to oblige the plaintiffs to refute the
information, discrediting his honor, dignity and business reputation, as
well as to pay him compensation equal to 3,200,000 AMD (about $ 7,600) of
which 3 million AMD for the damage caused by libel and insult, and 200,000
AMD for attorney's fees. The hearings of this case started on March 20,
2013, and are still in progress.
It should also be added that in the above-mentioned December 22, 2012 piece
"Zhoghovurd" reported on the businessman's obscene comment addressed at Sona
Grigorian: in a telephone conversation Khachik Khachatrian called the young
journalist a "prostitute" in response to "her question not quite desirable
for him", and advised her to publish that word, too. The newspaper, in its
turn, filed a lawsuit with the General Jurisdiction Court of the Ajapnyak
and Davitashen Administrative Districts of Yerevan versus Khachik
Khachatrian, demanding the latter's public apology. On April 29, 2013, the
Court dismissed the lawsuit on the ground that the comment could not be
qualified as insult, unless it was public (see details in YPC Weekly
Newsletter, April 26 - May 2, 2013
). The "Zhoghovurd" contested
this ruling at higher instance courts; however, both the RA Civil Court of
Appeal and the RA Court of Cassation rejected the appeal.
In the September 6 article, entitled
"'Zhoghovurd' Goes to
the RA Constitutional Court Trailing Eggs", the daily declared about its
intention to appeal to the RA Constitutional Court so that "henceforth, it
won't cross the mind of any businessman, oligarch or official to insult a
journalist and remain unpunished". It should be noted that the Armenian
legislation does not provide for the protection of citizens, including
journalists, from non-public insults: the law establishes liability only for
public defamatory statements. Experts believe that the responsibility for
non-public insult should be legally regulated (see details in YPC Weekly
Newsletter, September 6-12, 2013
).
In a conversation with YPC the "Zhoghovurd" Editor-in-Chief Taguhi Tovmasian
said that the newspaper intended to go to the Constitutional Court to
clarify the compliance of some provisions in the RA Civil Code with the Main
Law.
JOURNALISTIC COMMUNITY DISCUSSES THE POSSIBILITY OF ESTABLISHING AN
ALTERNATIVE TV
On October 10, in Yerevan the journalistic community discussed the
possibility of establishing an alternative public satellite TV channel in
Armenia. The Concept of a Genuinely Public TV Company, developed by Levon
Barseghian, Board Chairman of "Asparez" Journalists' Club, in cooperation
with an initiative group, was presented at the meeting attended by about 60
media experts and representatives of media and journalistic organizations.
The Concept states that the project aims to create a "non-commercial
satellite TV company, public in essence, and independent of any political
force and the authorities".
FORBES' SECOND ATTEMPT IN ARMENIA
On October 16, Aravot.am
published a press release, according to which the Armenian version of the
famous business magazine Forbes would soon start to be published in Armenia.
In a statement, signed by Forbes Armenia, it is mentioned that the latter
was granted a license for publication. The representative of Forbes Armenia
is "Media Partners" company which plans to have 12 issues of the magazine
during the year and to launch the business portal www.forbes.am. The press
release states that Gagik Yeghiazarian is the publisher and Editor-in-Chief
of Forbes Armenia, and Shushan Harutyunian will act as the Editor-in-Chief
of www.forbes.am. As the Forbes Armenia informed YPC, the first issue of the
magazine was scheduled to come out in November 2013.
On December 15, 2006 Yerevan already witnessed the presentation of the first
issue of the Armenian-language Forbes magazine (see YPC Weekly Newsletter,
December 15-21, 2006 ). However,
there was no follow-up issuance. At the end of December the magazine
Editor-in-Chief Petros Ghazarian (Director of "Kentron" TV at that time,
currently the author and anchor of a popular TV program "Urvagits" on the
same channel) resigned, accounting his action for the excessively
politicized response to the magazine. Early in January 2007 the press
circulated rumors that the publishers of the Armenian Forbes made an illegal
use of the title, having no agreement with the US owners of the brand.
Elizabeth Petrosian, Director of "Faces" LLC (the founder and publisher of
the Armenian Forbes), mentioned in a conversation with YPC that negotiations
with the American party on a number of issues were underway and promised to
invite a press conference shortly afterwards to clarify the situation (see
YPC Weekly Newsletter, January 8-11, 2007
). No clarifications followed;
the question of probable piracy hung in the air and was forgotten over time.
Now, six years later, another attempt has been undertaken for the Forbes to
enter the Armenian market, but the published information suggests that this
attempt has been undertaken by other entities. The outcome of the second
attempt will rather become known in November.
ARMENIAN PRESS DAY
On October 16, the Armenian Press Day was celebrated. The professional
holiday was established by a governmental decree in 2004 replacing the Day
of the Press Worker. The new holiday was scheduled to celebrate the issuance
of the first Armenian periodical - the newspaper "Azdarar" - in the Indian
town of Madras on October 16, 1794 (see YPC Weekly Newsletter, October 8-14,
2004 ).
When reprinting or using the information above, reference to the Yerevan
Press Club is required.
You are welcome to send any comment and feedback about the Newsletter to:
[email protected]
Subscription for the Newsletter is free. To subscribe or unsubscribe from
this mailing list, please send a message to: [email protected]
Editor of YPC Newsletter - Elina POGHOSBEKIAN
____________________________________________
Yerevan Press Club
9B, Ghazar Parpetsi str.
0002, Yerevan, Armenia
Tel.: (+ 374 10) 53 00 67; 53 35 41; 53 76 62
Fax: (+374 10) 53 56 61
E-mail: [email protected]
Web Site: www.ypc.am