The January 27 issue of the Public Television of Armenia started with the prime minister’s Facebook live, where he reflected on the situation over the Constitutional Court. The extensive report also included a part of an interview with Alen Simonyan with Azatutyun TV, in which he recalled an episode of a conversation with former NSS director Arthur Vanetsyan, which Vanetsyan, himself, later denied stating that he had not talked to Alen Simonyan about Hrayr Tovmasyan: “Firstly, there was no such mediation, and secondly, even if could’ve been, he was not the person with whom I would discuss such a question. I am sorry that his political team treats him this way. It is a pity that he has agreed to use such a shameful way for the sake of a single person’s absurd ambitions, who does not refrain from provoking friends and family members against each other,” noted Vanetsyan. It was obvious that the reporters had chosen what to cover and what not to. Many facts were not included, for example, the journalist did not comment on recent discussions over the pen, the Prime Minister’s Facebook posts following one another, and the outrageous behavior of a member of Yerevan Council of Elders towards Tovmasyan’s “daughter”, which caused a lot of discussions; as a result, he had to put down his mandate. Furthermore, ArmTV hosted independent MP Arman Babajanyan, who, in his turn, insulted Tovmasyan; “Hrayr Tovmasyan is nothing but a stooge and puppet in this story, he represents the Robert Kocharyan-Serzh Sargsyan and now Arthur Vanetsyan ensemble.”
“Media Advocate” initiative notes that this is an obvious propaganda and a gross violation of journalistic ethics, no contradictory opinion is presented, only optional facts are presented; This is an evident attempt to discredit Hrayr Tovmasyan.
