State-sponsored television station in Armenia sued for slander over broadcasts about Jehovah’s Witnesses
YEREVAN, Armenia—The Christian Religious Organization of Jehovah’s Witnesses in the Republic of Armenia filed a claim on December 9, 2010, against Armenian Public Television and its representatives.
Beginning on November 8, 2010, many media outlets in Armenia repeated the statement that a young man who was charged with the brutal murder of his elderly parents in Sevan, Armenia, was one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. That report is false. Neither the young man nor his parents were ever Jehovah’s Witnesses, nor did they have any association with Jehovah’s Witnesses. The religious community of Jehovah’s Witnesses is in agreement with those who deplore this tragic act of violence.
In addition to airing the misinformation about the religious beliefs of the family, the state-sponsored Armenian Public Television also used derogatory and insulting expressions when referring to Jehovah’s Witnesses. One of the broadcasts suggested that viewers should resort to physical violence against the Witnesses, which has already fueled violent attacks against them in some towns and cities in Armenia.
On November 12, 2010, the Human Rights Defender of the Republic of Armenia called on the mass media “to cease” representing the accused as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
The state-sponsored Armenian Public Television refused to take corrective measures, forcing the Witnesses to take legal action. Jehovah’s Witnesses in Armenia have filed a claim requesting that the defendants be ordered to apologize for their defamatory statements, issue a full retraction, and publish an unedited response from Jehovah’s Witnesses.
Worldwide there are over 7.5 million Jehovah’s Witnesses who peacefully meet together for worship. In Armenia, more than 24,000 persons attended the annual observance of the Memorial of the death of Jesus Christ, which was commemorated around the world by Jehovah’s Witnesses this past year on March 30, 2010. Jehovah’s Witnesses received state registration in Armenia on October 8, 2004.
Jehovah's Witnesses sue RA Public Television
07:40 GMTPanARMENIAN.Net - The Christian religious organization ofJehovah's Witnesses, as well as representatives of the organization submitted a claim against the Public Television of Armenia, as well as journalists Gevorg Altunyan, Sona Torosyan, Nune Alexanyan to the court of general jurisdiction of Kentron and Nork-Marash administrative districts.
Director of the center of rehabilitation and aid for the victims of destructive cults Alexander Amaryan told aPanARMENIAN.Net reporter that Jehovah’s Witnesses accuse the Public Television of Armenia of “publishing and disseminating wrong information concerning their honor and dignity.”
According to Amaryan, court hearings will start in January.
We would like to recall that 23-year-old resident of Sevan town Arman Torosyan, who killed his parents in November 2010, was declared a member of the organization of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
While the organization will try to prove during the trial that the criminal is not a representatives of the organization and that similar aggressive behavior is not typical for the organization members.
'Jehovah'S Witnesses' File Lawsuit Against Armenian Public TV For A Blackwash
- From: Mihran Keheyian <mkeheyian@gmail.com>
- Date: Fri, 14 Jan 2011 09:29:00 +0400 (AMT)
'JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES' FILE LAWSUIT AGAINST ARMENIAN PUBLIC TV FOR A BLACKWASH ArmInfo 2011-01-13 14:35:00 ArmInfo. The religious organization 'Jehovah's witnesses' has filed a lawsuit against Armenian Public TV, the latter reported. 'The lawsuit of the religious organization contains a demand to disseminate the rejoinder of the information which touches on its honor and dignity, and to repay compensation. But Armenian Public TV does not agree to such accusation and is going to protect its rights and reputation in line with the law', - APTV says. To note, since 8 November 2010 Armenian mass media has been disseminating the information that a young man, accused for killing his parents in Sevan town, is a member of 'Jehovah's witnesses'. But neither he nor his parents have never been members of this religious organization. On 12 November Armenian Ombudsman called on mass media to stop presenting the young man as a member of 'Jehovah's witnesses'. But Armenian Public TV refused to take any measure for settlement of the situation and after that religious believers were forced to go to the law.
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