Pashinyan vows to sue Hraparak over infidelity allegations

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has announced plans to take legal action against the Hraparak newspaper following a report that alleged he could have been unfaithful to his wife.

"I will definitely sue Hraparak to prove in court that family and spiritual life are core values for me, not instruments for misleading the public," he wrote on Facebook on Friday, dismissing the report as defamatory.

Pashinyan again accused Catholicos Karekin II of violating his vow of celibacy and fathering a child, urging him to challenge the claim in court.

"Let Karekin II sue me as well to prove that he lives up to the proclaimed values and the role he holds. The Armenian Apostolic Church is sacred – it is our identity. We must no longer tolerate those who defile that sanctity," he added.

Pashinyan's remarks prompted strong criticism from Hraparak editor-in-chief Armine Ohanyan, who accused him of double standards.

“So, you have the right to raise questions, asking the Catholicos every day whether he is celibate or not, but Hraparak's journalist is denied the same right?” he said in a comment on Pashinyan's post.

“You and your wife have made unproven allegations against various individuals for years, including Boris Murazi just a few days ago. You've accused clergy of pedophilia, claimed that there are 12,000 draft dodgers in the country, former leaders sold children and foreign agents operated in Artsakh – none of which you’ve substantiated. But when a journalist like Norayr Martirosyan publishes something he’s heard, or poses rhetorical questions, he is threatened with legal action? You might as well add to your post, "Is there a judge in Armenia who wouldn’t rule in my favor?' and then proceed with your lawsuit," Ohanyan added.