Five members of RA President’s “Art” awards committee sued Levon Mutafyan, theater critic, for offending their honor, dignity and business reputation. They are asking from Levon Mutafyan 3 million drams and a public apology. Today, there was a preliminary hearing of the case at Kentron and Nork-Marash Court, where the defendant, Levon Mutafyan, and his lawyer were not present, nor third parties involved in the case, Blognews.am website editor Aram Antinyan and pressing.am editor Robert Kanaryan. The statements of the theatric critic were published by these websites, which, according to the plaintiff contain defamation and insult. Plaintiff’s lawyer, Armine Yeghikyan, motioned to continue the trial, given that the respondent was properly noticed. The court also considered their absence unexcused and continued the trial. Armine Yeghikyan presented the subject and demands of the claim: “to make Levon Mutafyan to publicly apologize to the plaintiffs for offending. Upon entering the verdict of civil case into force, within one week, to publicize the court verdict through the websites, and confiscate one million drams from Mutafyan in favor of plaintiffs. And, upon entering the verdict for defamation into force, within one week, to deny through Blognews.am and pressing.am sites the information of slander posted on Blognews.am, dated 09.05.2013, and pressing.am, dated 26.05.2013. To confiscate compensation of 2 million drams from Mutafyan in favor of the plaintiffs for defamation.” “The persons responsible for the Foundation and professional expert committee of “Art” nomination have long ago established a core mechanism of anti-art principles, which, putting into action, have attached other works of art and other works. Mainly granting awards to the artists, and, in one or two cases, to architects and filmmakers. In other words, the so-called artists Mafia has been established, which has listed acquaintance and close artists, and, in every competition, the prizes are awarded to them, by forming misconceptions about our arts, particularly theater and cinema. Being far from the theater, having no professional training, at the same time followed by gang interest, this Committee has declared war to the theater and cinema, privatizing the prize of the president, in its own way,” according to the lawyer, this record of Mutafyan’s Facebook page published in Blognews.am on 09.05.2013 insults and slanders the plaintiffs, discredited their business reputation, honor and dignity, accusing as artists for introducing anti-art principles, guided by them and other acts. The lawyer said that Mutafyan’s statements about Mafia and listing contain no grounds and does not meet the reality. As defamation, the lawyer presented also the statement of the theatric critic published in pressing.am, “A dirty trade cook place during the “Art” nomination of President’s Award 2012. Artist Henry Elbakyan promised Committee members to donate $ 5,000 out of $ 10,000 prize fund, and as a result of the promise he was awarded the prize.” As said by the lawyer, Mutafyan’s words for not meet the reality, “And, if the defendant believes that it meets the reality, he must bring evidence.” At the end of the court session, the court distributed the burden of evidence. The evidence regarding insulting to the plaintiff, and the defendant must prove that he has not made defamatory statements that could have caused damage to the plaintiff’s honor, dignity and business reputation. The court will notify the parties about the date and time of the next court hearing, additionally.
Arpine Simonyan
