Minister of Health Anahit Avanesyan has responded to reports that Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan has filed a lawsuit accusing her of slander and insult. In a post on her Facebook page, Avanesyan suggested filing a joint countersuit against Galstanyan.
“I learned from Hetq’s publication that Bagrat Galstanyan has sued me for insult and defamation. I wonder if his insatiable desire to ‘shoot’ has now transformed into a judicial method of expressing dissatisfaction, or if, even after the lawsuit, he’s still considering terrorist scenarios and needs funding. Don’t stop—go ahead and file complaints with international terrorist organizations too, claiming that the Armenian authorities have thwarted your coup plans,” she wrote.
Avanesyan also reposted an earlier message she published after the release of wiretaps by the Investigative Committee and added: “I again suggest filing a joint lawsuit against the individual who called the people a ‘deep livestock.’ This is a good time for repentance… Power in Armenia belongs to the people. Terrorism has no place in our country.”
According to Sputnik Armenia, citing the Datalex judicial information system, former head of the Tavush Diocese Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan has filed a lawsuit against Minister Anahit Avanesyan, Civil Contract MP Vahagn Aleksanyan, and several other public figures. He is demanding compensation for non-material damage caused by alleged defamation and insults.
Specifically, Galstanyan is seeking 6 million drams from Vahagn Aleksanyan and 3 million drams each from Anahit Avanesyan, Republic Party leader Aram Sargsyan, Yerevan council member Ani Khachatryan, former MP Styopa Safaryan, and political analyst Harutyun Mkrtchyan.
