Websites Spread False Information: The Catholicos Sent Condolences Immediately After the ‘Surmalu’ Explosion

On August 16, following the explosion at the ‘Surmalu’ shopping center, several websites linked to political authorities disseminated information suggesting that Catholicos Garegin II had "gone missing" and had not offered any words of condolence after the tragic incident.

The FIP fact-checking platform has addressed this topic.

What the media reported:

"Garegin II is missing, he hasn't been seen," stated the website medianews.site, which is known to be owned by the Deputy Head of the Prime Minister's Office, Taron Chakhoyan. A similar article was published by mediaroom.am. Additionally, an unknown website, hayfanat.ru, shared the same text in a video on August 17, garnering over 7,000 views.

"Just a moment ago, it was announced that, by the Prime Minister’s decision, August 17-18, 2022, is declared a day of mourning. So, where has the spiritual leader of the nation disappeared to?" the websites wrote.

The disseminated content is misinformation, as on the same day of the explosion—August 14—Catholicos Garegin II had addressed the event at the ‘Surmalu’ shopping center.

"With deep sorrow, we follow the tragic consequences of the explosion that occurred at the ‘Surmalu’ shopping center. From the bottom of our hearts, we pray for the peace and tranquility of the souls of the victims, seeking the consolation and comfort of the Holy Spirit for their families and loved ones. We also pray for the swift recovery of all the injured, wishing the Lord's care and support. May the Almighty God be our helper and protector for our country and people,” the Catholicos stated in his message.

Thus, we can note that the aforementioned websites have spread clearly false information by claiming that Garegin II had "not spoken" after the tragic incident.

It’s worth recalling that at 13:23 on August 14, an explosion occurred at the ‘Surmalu’ shopping center, resulting in the deaths of 16 people, 62 citizens suffering various degrees of injuries, and 2 individuals being reported missing.