Pro-opposition newspaper to pay Kocharians three million drams
A pro-opposition Armenian newspaper is to pay a total of three million drams in compensation to the family of Armenia's former President Robert Kocharian.
The Court of General Jurisdiction of Yerevan's Kentron and Nork Marash districts today upheld a libel lawsuit filed by Kocharian's family against "Zhamanak" daily.
The Court ruled that the newspaper is to pay the family one million drams for moral damages and another two millions for defamation. Besides, the newspaper is obliged to print a retraction.
In a series of articles published in September, "Zhamanak" claimed that Kocharian is involved in lucrative imports of pharmaceuticals and owns a chain of drug stores through his wife Bella. Citing an unnamed source, it also alleged that Kocharian's elder son Sedrak has purchased a diamond mine in India.
Kocharian and his family members dismissed the reports as a fraud through the ex-president's spokesman and legal counsels. They sued the paper for defamation, demanding 6 million drams in compensation.
The newspaper's lawyer dismissed the accusations saying their reports did not contain any libel or personal offense.
