“Gagik Harutyunyan’s decision is like him”
"It is a "half-baked" decision," this is how editor of Hraparak Daily Armine Ohanyan defined the decision that the Constitutional Court took during a discussion on the constitutionality of the articles on slander and offense of the RA Criminal Code.
"The decision is very much like the image of Gagik Harutyunyan and the Constitutional Court. It has both positive and negative sides," editor of "Hraparak" Daily Armine Ohanyan mentioned during a press conference.
President of the Committee in Defense of Freedom of Speech Ashot Melikyan says the CC's decision is first and foremost a message to courts and the National Assembly.
"It seems as though it is explaining how Article 1087.1 of the Civil Code should be applied in order not to breach the principles of freedom of speech in judicial practice," Ashot Melikyan said.
"The Constitutional Court is not a legal advisory organization," the editor of Hraparak Daily added.
According to Ohanyan, this decision put an end to the reforms in the articles on slander and offense of the Civil Code that had turned media outlets into hostages.
"The fact that Armenia has 30 lawsuits against newspapers goes to show that the article is so bad and gives way to so many misinterpretations that anybody can appeal to the court with any article and claim that a newspaper article has hurt his honor and dignity and demand a large sum," Armine Ohanyan said.
