A Yerevan court today ordered the publisher of the newspaper Yerkir to pay MP Tigran Arzakantsyan 200,000 AMD in slander compensation.

The offensive word in question, according to presiding Judge Apinyan, was “lakot” (loosely translated as “street urchin” or “riff-raff”).

The publisher was also directed to pay MP Arzakantsyan 80,000 AMD for legal fees incurred and an 8,000 AMD court fee. The newspaper must also publish the court’s verdict.

Arzakantsyan had sued for 3 million AMD in compensation for slander and defamation and 586,000 AMD in legal fees.