Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has filed a defamation lawsuit against Samvel Karapetyan, the leader of the "Strong Armenia" party. The court has officially accepted the case for proceedings, following controversial public statements made by the opposition figure regarding the Prime Minister's personal conduct.
Operative Information Center-OMM reports, citing Armenian media outlets, that the legal action stems from Karapetyan's assertions alleging that the Prime Minister consumes "hallucinogenic mushrooms." In the lawsuit, Pashinyan characterizes these claims as slanderous and is demanding a formal public retraction along with financial compensation totaling 6 million drams (approximately $16,000).
This legal dispute underscores the deepening political polarization within Armenia's domestic sphere. High-profile defamation cases between government officials and opposition leaders have become a frequent occurrence in the country's political landscape, as factions increasingly turn to the judiciary to settle disputes over public rhetoric. The "Civil Contract" party, headed by Pashinyan, continues to face intense scrutiny and sharp criticism from the "Strong Armenia" movement and other opposition groups amid ongoing regional and internal challenges.
