Benik Harutyunyan has dropped slander charges against the daily newspaper Zhoghovurd.

He had sued the paper over a September 9, 2011 article entitled “The adventures of a PhD. Professor in the gold mines”.

Harutyunyan says he’s dropping the charges and the demand for 2.2 million in damages based on his belief that a vibrant press in Armenia is one of the cornerstones of a developing democracy.

He was urged to do so by Davit Karapetyan, press spokesman for the RA Ministry of Defense.

Harutyunyan is director of the Physical Health Defense Center in Armenia, an advisor to the Minister of Defense and a close friend of President Serzh Sargsyan.