Tigran Avinyan’s Father Sued
Grigor Iskandaryan, a member of the Yerevan City Council’s “Mother Armenia” faction, has filed a lawsuit against the father of Yerevan Mayor Tigran Avinyan, Armen Avinyan, for calling “Opel” drivers “hooligans.”
In a video posted on his Facebook page, Iskandaryan stated that he had submitted a claim to the court demanding symbolic compensation of 500,000 AMD for the insult.
I demand financial compensation for the insult because such statements are unacceptable.
The incident occurred after Armen Avinyan referred to Opel drivers as “hooligans” in response to a journalist’s question about “Red Lines” during an interview. The video circulated on social media, sparking a wave of discussions.
Following the public outcry, Tigran Avinyan apologized to the citizens. He mentioned that his father admitted his mistake, explaining that it was said “in the heat of the moment, under stress.”
Article 1087.1 of the Civil Code of the Republic of Armenia outlines the measures for liability in cases of insult and defamation. In cases of insult, an individual may seek one or more of the following remedies through the court:
1. Publicly apologize. The court determines the format of the apology.
2. If the insult was disseminated through media outlets, the court may require the dissemination of its decision in full or in part through the same outlet. The court determines the method and extent of publication.
3. Pay compensation of up to 1,000 times the minimum wage (up to 1 million AMD).