Armenia’s second president, Robert Kocharian, has filed a new lawsuit against National Assembly Speaker Alen Simonyan, demanding a public apology and retraction over allegedly defamatory remarks posted on Simonyan’s Telegram channel.
According to Armenia’s judicial portal Datalex.am, Kocharian is seeking a court order compelling Simonyan to publish an apology both on Telegram and on his official Facebook page. The former president claims the statements were “false, baseless,” and damaged his “honor, dignity, and business reputation.”
If successful, Simonyan would be required to post the following statement:
“Previously, I made offensive remarks about former President Robert Kocharian with the intent to tarnish his honor and dignity. I regret this and offer my apologies.”
This is Kocharian’s second defamation lawsuit in recent weeks. On June 14, he filed a similar claim against both Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Simonyan, demanding public apologies and compensation for emotional distress. Kocharian is seeking 6 million drams (approximately $15,000) from Pashinyan and 9 million drams (around $12,500) from Simonyan.
Simonyan responded with a pointed message on Telegram, mocking Kocharian for “choosing the courtroom over the old-school methods of past regimes.” He also questioned why the former president didn’t sue over previous accusations calling him “illiterate” and labeling him a “spy.”
The lawsuits mark a new escalation in Armenia’s already charged political climate, where legal and personal battles increasingly play out in both courtrooms and social media.
