Op-ed by Karen Harutyunyan, editor-in-chief
Yerevan Mayor Tigran Avinyan announced this week that he has filed a lawsuit against CivilNet over a corruption investigation.
“I apologize, but the media in our country has become one big garbage dump. They say whatever they want, without consequences,” Avinyan declared during a debate on Factor TV, responding to accusations from former Yerevan Mayor Hayk Marutyan.
During the debate, Marutyan referenced a joint article by CivilNet and the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) published last month.
CivilNet’s investigation, titled Armenia’s Former Deputy PM Oversaw Project That Benefited His Family Company, revealed that between 2018 and 2021, when Avinyan served as Deputy Prime Minister overseeing the agricultural sector, nine beneficiaries of a government program providing subsidies to agricultural businesses subcontracted work to a company owned by Avinyan’s family. Five beneficiaries received roughly $620,000 worth of direct payments to set up intensively cultivated orchards. The gardens were established by “Irrigate” LLC, headed by Avinyan’s father.
As CivilNet’s editor-in-chief, I would like to thank Mr. Avinyan for several things.
First and foremost, Avinyan’s statement and lawsuit against Civilnet have highlighted the crucial role of independent media and investigative journalism in holding officials accountable.
Secondly, his statement has immensely amplified our work on corruption. After the mayor’s announcement, the article became our most-read piece on the site, with numerous people sharing it on social media and drawing massive public attention to the issue of corruption in the country.
CivilNet’s collaboration with OCCRP speaks to the quality and credibility of our investigation.
Avinyan’s actions prompted numerous media partners, journalists, journalism organizations, civil society groups, and prominent individuals to express their support for CivilNet. Such statements and lawsuits only strengthen journalists’ determination to continue their vital work in the public interest.
His statement brought another crucial issue into public discourse: the need for officials to be tolerant to criticism.
We hope other officials who find themselves at the center of our investigations will similarly help raise public awareness about their activities.
This is what we call impact.
As for Avinyan’s “garbage dump” reference – well, that truly falls under the mayor’s jurisdiction. We hope he succeeds in solving one of Yerevan’s biggest problems – the issue of legal and illegal garbage landfills in his city.
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