Russian billionaire and leader of the "Strong Armenia" bloc, Samvel Karapetyan, has decided to respond to pre-election accusations through the courts. According to the Datalex legal database, the politician filed a lawsuit against the Civil Contract party and Public Television of Armenia, demanding a retraction of the information disseminated about him and a public apology.
The lawsuit was filed with the Yerevan Civil Court on May 21. The defendants are the ruling party and Public Television, which aired the Civil Contract campaign video. Karapetyan is demanding that they retract the information within three days of the court ruling, using the same method it was disseminated—that is, on air.
The lawsuit stems from the wording used in the campaign video. The lawsuit alleges that Karapetyan has been called an "oligarch," a member of a "three-headed war party," a person who allegedly "deceives the people," "intimidates citizens," "buys votes to come to power," "provokes war," "liquidates Armenia's independence," and is a "foreign spy." The politician considers these allegations slanderous and claims they damage his honor, dignity, and business reputation. In addition to a retraction, he demands a public apology.
The court initially returned the lawsuit on May 25, but the following day, the application was refiled. Judge Suzanna Ulikhanyan will preside over the case.
Shortly before, Karapetyan's name came into the spotlight following The Insider's investigation into alleged Russian influence in the Armenian parliamentary elections. The authors of the publication claimed that the politician's passport file contained the notation "FSB Information Center" in the "place of work" column, and based on this, they alleged his possible ties to Russian intelligence agencies. Karapetyan himself denied these accusations, calling the publication false and politically motivated.
These are not the only accusations Karapetyan has faced during the current campaign. Earlier, the Anti-Corruption Committee of Armenia reported the uncovering of a scheme allegedly to bribe voters for the "Strong Armenia" bloc. According to investigators, residents of several localities were paid money under the guise of salaries, financial assistance, and charitable programs in exchange for supporting the party in the elections. Several people were detained in connection with the case, but representatives of the bloc denied the charges, calling them politically motivated.
The conflict surrounding Karapetyan's lawsuit is not the first dispute involving the Public Television of Armenia during the current election campaign. Opposition representatives have previously accused the channel of disseminating false information and political bias.
For example, Iveta Tonoyan, press secretary of the Prosperous Armenia party, claimed that slander against Gagik Tsarukyan and his family members was disseminated on air. Prime Ministerial candidate Arman Tatoyan from the Wings of Unity party also expressed his intention to file a lawsuit. He called the reports about his political party's alleged Russian funding "an absolute fabrication."
Karapetyan's lawsuit is one of several legal episodes plaguing the current election campaign in Armenia.
