Affiliated media: Medianews.site, Online news website

Incident date: December 14, 2025

Attack type:

• prosecution for violation of the honour, dignity and business reputation; violation of privacy following civil lawsuit

Who attacked: Non-authorities

Source: Judicial information system

Location: Armenia, Yerevan

Additional information:

On 14 December, Artur Vanetsyan, leader of the opposition Homeland Party, filed a lawsuit with the Yerevan Court of General Jurisdiction against Media News LLC, the founder of the news website Medianews.site. He is demanding a public apology for defamation and compensation of two million drams (over USD 5,000). The lawsuit was prompted by the website’s republication of a Facebook post dated 15 November by user Naira Sahakyan. The post stated: “Auntie Vanets with flowers for hair (a reference to the Vanetsyan family’s flower business and an attempt to portray the politician as a woman – CPFE note) has quite an appetite: they say he’s started talking nonsense again, claiming that with a single call he can bring thousands of people out onto the streets… No matter how hard you tear yourself apart, nothing will come of it.” The image accompanying the post depicts Vanetsyan with flowers instead of hair. The case is currently under consideration by the court.