Affiliated media: Hraparak.am, Online publication

Incident date: March 6, 2017

Attack type:

• Administrative arrest, remand, pre-trial detention, prison
• Court trial

Who attacked: Non-authorities

Source: Committee to Protect Freedom of Expression

Location: Armenia, Yerevan

Additional information:

On March 6, the court of general jurisdiction of the Kentron and Norq-Marash administrative districts in Yerevan held a court session on the case of the parliamentarian Ara Babloyan, owner of “Arabkir” medical center, vs. “Hraparak Daily” Ltd. The reason for the lawsuit was an article published in the Hraparak Daily newspaper on February 12 under the heading “Arabkir center – a 'favorable' hotbed for Hepatitis C”, which reported on complaints by people treated in a medical center who after treatment there travelled to Belgium and were found to have hepatitis C. According to them, they got the infection at the “Arabkir” centre. The plaintiff refuted the claim as defaming his honour and dignity, and demands a reimbursement of AMD 2 million.