18 business representatives applied to the court in respect of media publications in 2019. By 1 December 2020, this number had gone down twice.

The emphasis in the complaints lodged by business circles is on the damage to their professional reputation. This does not, however, mean that when granting the damages award claims judges must award bigger sums. It is up to the judge of course, but the law does not make a distinction between an ordinary citizen and a businessman when it prescribes the procedure and conditions for awards in case of damage to professional reputation.

David Asatryan, lawyer: “In conformity with the judicial practice of the Cassation Court, in each case the court is bound to first examine whether the retraction has been sufficient. Since the damage is of non-pecuniary nature, the damages award should also be primarily non-pecuniary. And if following a non-pecuniary damages award the court finds that this is not sufficient, it should decide the issue of pecuniary (financial) damages.”

Once the financial award is pushed to the background, many will stay away from succumbing to the temptation of lodging compaints against media outlets.

Text by Karine Asatryan

The video was created in collaboration with “A1+” TV company