Apology made to Vano
00:00, July 4, 2011 | Press Release | Freedom of Information and Speech, Right to Fair Trial
Lernapat community member Gharib Mitichyan has applied to the RA Court of Appeals.
Lori region Court of General Jurisdiction, presided by Varduhi Hovnanyan, partly satisfied Lori region Lernapat village Mayor Vano Yeghiazaryan’s claim against his co-villager Gharib Mitichyan.
The court obliged the 61-year-old villager to make a public apology via “Zhamanak” daily and exact 30 000 AMD from Gharib Mitichyan in compensation. Gharib Mitichyan was also made to publicly deny the slanderous statements through “Zhamanak” daily. Moreover, the court has made a decision to exact 9200 AMD from Gharib Mitichyan as compensation for the state duty paid by plaintiff party Yeghiazaryan. The father of six sons does not agree with the taken verdict: he did not offend the Mayor, did not slander him, instead, he expressed his opinion over his activities. “I did realize how I came out to be guilty. One-sided trial has been conducted; they did not even consider my opinion. I disagree with the verdict”, complains Mitichyan.
He claimed that the court had reached a biased verdict. “It becomes clear from the court’s verdict that today’s laws turn the innocent guilty”, is overwhelmed Mitichyan.
In October, 2010, Lernapat village Mayor submitted a civil suit to the court by accusing him of causing damage to his prestige, dignity and business authority. The Lernapat Mayor filed a claim by which he demanded that the court oblige Gharib Mitichyan to make a public apology via the same media and exact 1 000000 AMD in compensation as well as oblige the responding party to publicly deny his slanderous statements, exact 2 000000 AMD, and cover the court costs by confiscating his property as compensation.
Gharib Mitichyan had addressed several slanderous statements to the community head in an article published in the September 1, 2010 issue of “Zhamanak” daily, which became a motive for court proceedings. Even now Gharib Mitichyan does not deny his statements; moreover, he claims the community head has been pulverizing the community budget. “He has been wasting the village property until present. While, the investigation body has not completed any of his authorizations, he would have been already arrested in case they had done something. He has powerful patrons”, explains the villager.
A criminal case was filed against Lori region Lernapat community head V. Yeghiazaryan at Lori Region Department of RA Police.
The community mayor is charged with exceeding his official authorizations, embezzlement and official fraud. Release upon his signed agreement was chosen as a measure of restraint. Gharib Mitichyan is going to appeal the verdict taken by the court of General Jurisdiction at RA Court of Appeals.