The controversial lawmaker, Artur Hovannisian, attacked the Zhoghovurd newspaper and two other media outlets on December 7 as the National Assembly refused to reelect Haykuhi Harutiunian as head of an anti-corruption body scrutinizing the declared incomes of state officials.
The parliament debate and an ensuing vote came several days after Zhoghovurd reported that several deputies from Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian’s Civil Contract party held a confidential meeting with Harutiunian to complain about the body’s actions taken against them, their relatives or friends.
“For example, somebody may pay the Zhoghovurd daily to commission an article saying bad things about somebody else, which is a normal practice for Zhoghovurd or, for example, Asekose.am or Hraparak [daily,]” Hovannisian declared on the parliament floor.
Following the debate, the paper’s parliamentary correspondent, Knar Manukian, approached Hovannisian in the parliament lobby and challenged him to “prove what you just said” by submitting a crime report to law-enforcement authorities. The lawmaker, who is the number two figure in the ruling party’s parliamentary group, refused to do that or answer questions from Manukian during the angry exchange.
On December 15, Zhoghovurd posted on its news website, Armlur.am, a video of its interviews with journalists and media experts who condemned Hovannisian’s allegations and accused the Armenian authorities of seeking to silence independent media. A few hours later the paper received a letter from the National Assembly saying that Manukian’s press credentials have been revoked because she tried to interview Hovannisian in an “unauthorized area” before “chasing” him and making “slanderous” claims.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Zhoghovurd condemned the ban and said it is preparing a lawsuit against Hovannisian.
Manukian was also unrepentant, saying that she “defended the honor of my media outlet” and did not break any rules set for parliamentary correspondents. She argued that security guards witnessed her conversation with the parliamentarian and did not intervene.
“Many deputies shun journalists who ask them tough questions, and you have no choice but to run after them with a microphone in your hand and try to get answers to your questions,” the reporter told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service.
Pashinian’s party seriously restricted journalists’ freedom of movements inside the parliament building in 2021, drawing strong condemnation from Armenian media groups. A year later, it amended an Armenian law on mass media to allow the parliament, the prime minister’s office and other government agencies to revoke journalists’ accreditations typically valid for one year. Incidentally, Hovannisian was one of the authors of those amendments.
Also, Hovannisian was among pro-government lawmakers who shouted in April this year abuse and threats at an outspoken opposition candidate for the then vacant post of Armenia’s human rights ombudsman. He pledged to “cut the tongues and ears of anyone” who would make disparaging comments about the 2018 “velvet revolution” that brought Pashinian to power.
