Hovhannes Ishkhanyan renounces his ECHR victory

Writer, journalist and film director Hovhannes Ishkhanyan has declined the €6,000 compensation awarded to him by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).

"I renounce my ECHR victory for the independence of judiciary, democracy and human rights protection and Armenian democratic figures being tried in Baku," he said in a video message on Tuesday.

Ishkhanyan explained his decision by stating that the European community has contributed to strengthening an "authoritarian system in Armenia that undermines judicial independence" and handing over democratic Artsakh to authoritarian Azerbaijan.