The news outlet 1in.am published an article entitled “Behind the Gaming Trillions: Armenia’s Unaccounted Poverty.”
The article addresses Armenia’s iGaming industry, the financial performance of companies operating in the sector, and the taxes they have paid. It concludes with subjective assessments that are not supported by any substantiated cause-and-effect relationship. Immediately below the headline, the outlet published a photograph of Vahe and Vigen Badalyans together.
Although the article concerns companies operating across the iGaming industry as a whole, the publication of the Badalyan brothers’ photograph directly beneath the headline effectively singles them out. This goes beyond the permissible limits of freedom of expression and the standards of journalistic ethics and constitutes defamation, as it is capable of creating the impression in the mind of an ordinary, impartial reader that the brothers are directly connected to the article’s content and headline. This association damages their business reputation.
The Badalyan brothers formally requested that the media outlet publish a retraction. However, 1in.am rejected their request. Consequently, they have brought legal proceedings seeking the publication of a retraction and compensation for the damage caused to their business reputation, claiming the maximum amount permitted by law: AMD 12 million in total.
