Zoo Director Sues Journalist Narine Kirakosyan

The director of the Yerevan Zoo, Ruben Khachatryan, has filed a lawsuit against journalist and environmentalist Narine Kirakosyan. This information comes from the Judicial Information System.

Khachatryan is seeking a retraction of information he considers defamatory and monetary compensation for non-material damages. The lawsuit was submitted on September 24, and the case has been assigned to Judge Naira Hovsepyan at the Yerevan City Court of General Jurisdiction.

Khachatryan's representative, Arsen Harutyunyan, informed us that the reason for the lawsuit is Kirakosyan's Facebook post made on August 25. In her post, Kirakosyan claimed that Ruben Khachatryan, self-appointed as the head of the zoo, has inflicted significant harm on the animal world. She also stated that Khachatryan has given rare animals, considered part of the country’s wealth and state property, to other countries.

Kirakosyan further alleged that Khachatryan is secretly transferring a breeding pair of snow leopards out of the Yerevan Zoo to his own foundation's so-called animal shelter located in the community of Urcadzor in the Ararat province.