Demonizing media: Yerevan Mayor’s populist tactic is a threat to democracy
Campaign posters ahead of the Mayoral elections in Yerevan, Armenia
20.12.2024
By Tigran Grigoryan and Tatev Baghdasaryan
On December 18, Factor TV hosted a live debate between Yerevan Mayor Tigran Avinyan and his predecessor, Hayk Marutyan. During the debate, Marutyan criticized Avinyan’s conduct in office, particularly highlighting investigative findings from the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP). These findings, authored by CivilNet journalists Mkrtich Karapetyan and Ani Grigoryan, examined the dealings of a company owned by Avinyan’s family, which benefited from public funds through direct payments after Avinyan assumed public office following the Velvet Revolution in 2018. For a detailed overview of the controversies surrounding Tigran Avinyan, refer to one of our recent Democracy Watch reports.
In response, Avinyan adopted a defensive stance, announcing that he had filed a lawsuit against CivilNet over the investigative report. He further exacerbated the controversy by referring to CivilNet and Armenian media outlets collectively as “a large garbage dump.”
This inflammatory remark triggered widespread condemnation from Armenia’s civil society and media organizations. Shushan Doydoyan, President of the Freedom of Information Center, took to Facebook to criticize Avinyan, denouncing his inability to accept criticism. Doydoyan argued that, as a public official, the mayor should prioritize accountability and offer transparent explanations for his actions rather than resorting to threats against journalists for carrying out their professional responsibilities.
Arthur Papyan, president of the Yerevan Press Club, has criticized Tigran Avinyan’s statement, deeming it unacceptable. He pointed out that referring to a media outlet in such a derogatory manner is already problematic and believes the issue, along with CivilNet’s publication, should be addressed by the leadership of the ruling Civil Contract party. According to Papyan, Civil Contract needs to clarify its position on Avinyan’s comments and actions.
Papyan also urged Avinyan to settle the matter without resorting to the courts, suggesting alternative channels such as the Information Disputes Council and the Media Ethics Observatory. He added that, in some cases, courts seek advisory opinions from the Information Disputes Council.
This is not the first time a high-ranking official in Armenia has attempted to discredit the media. In 2021, Alen Simonyan, the Speaker of the Parliament, notoriously referred to Hetq, Armenia’s leading investigative journalism outlet, as “yellow press” when questioned about his lavish expenses during a family vacation on the Greek islands.
The weaponization of legal proceedings to suppress free media and political opponents is a well-documented strategy employed by hybrid and authoritarian regimes. Governments in countries like the Philippines, Singapore, and Hungary have perfected this toolkit to silence critics in the press. For example, Maria Ressa, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate and editor-in-chief of Rappler, has faced charges of cyber libel brought by Philippine authorities, severely hindering her journalistic efforts. Similar tactics are employed by regimes worldwide to stifle dissent and undermine press freedom.
Another common tactic employed by populist leaders and politicians worldwide is launching verbal attacks against journalists and respected media outlets. These attacks aim to delegitimize the media, framing journalists as dishonest actors and casting the press as a “public enemy” within the populist “us versus them” narrative. By demonizing the media, populists seek to erode public trust in independent journalism and divert attention from their own failings or controversies.
Democracy Watch is a joint initiative by CivilNet and the Regional Center for Democracy and Security, a Yerevan-based think tank.
This material has been funded by UK International Development from the UK government; however, the views expressed do not necessarily reflect the UK government’s official policies.