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Three New Lawsuits Against “Zhoghovurd” Daily Before the End of Month

01/11/2011

On October 17, the daily “Zhoghovurd” received the third in this month notification of a lawsuit. All the three suits were filed claiming to receive compensation for defamation and insult. The overall amount of compensation claimed for the three lawsuits is 5,248,000 AMD (about $13,950).

The “Zhoghovurd” daily is being published since February 1, 2011 with a circulation of 3,500 copies. And since June 2011 the newspaper has launched its website – Armlur.am.

The first lawsuit was brought against by the governor of the Gegharkunik marz Nver Poghosyan who has demanded the daily to pay 2,2 million AMD (about $5,850).

The governor has applied to the court after the “Zhoghovurd” published a statement made by Ttujur village inhabitant Anna Torosyan in the article “The Governor Took Bribes” in its October 7 issue.

According to Torosyan the governor has taken US $3,000 by means of his driver to secure the victory for the vacancy of history teacher for Anna Torosyan’s rival, inhabitant of the same village.

In the interview with JNews, the daily’s editor-in-chief Taguhi Tovmasyan said that no preliminary hearing has been arranged for this lawsuit but the court has ordered the police to investigate the case of Nver Poghosyan.

Criminal Case Against Journalist Goes To Court

24/08/2011

The Sharur district prosecutor’s office has completed its investigation in the criminal case against Hakimeldostu Mehdiyev on charges of stealing electricity (Article 189-1.1). Mehdiyev is a regional correspondent with the Institute for Reporters’ Freedom and Safety (IRFS). On Monday, he was presented the indictment. “Prosecutor Kamil Shukurov asked me to “indemnify” the AZN 1050.18 to cause the criminal case to be stopped. I refused because I did not steal any electricity,” Mehdiyev told Turan. A copy of the indictment has not been given to either him or his lawyer Asabali Mustafayev, who arrived from Baku.

“All testimonies are written in the same way, like a template. Moreover, the witnesses are the local leaders – the head of a municipality, a representative of the executive power, the head of the electricity grid’s sale department, the deputy executive of the area, and even the local akhund (mullah),” Mehdiyev said. On July 15 the local authorities stopped the supply of electricity to Mehdiyev’s house in the Jalilkend village of the Sharur district under the pretext of its illegal use. However, all the electricity used has been paid for, and Mehdiyev has the proof. However, the family has lived without electricity for 24 days. ”Now we’ve been given light, but the voltage is very low and it is not enough even to turn the pump in the well,” Mehdiyev said.