The Gegharkunik Regional Court yesterday found in favor of Gegharkunik Regional Governor Nver Poghosyan and ordered that 200,000 AMD be seized from the newspaper Zhoghovurd.

The newspaper has issued a statement that it refuses to pay and considers the court’s decision unjust.

Judge Artur Tamrazyan, without providing substantiation, also threw out the newspaper’s countersuit.

Regional Governor Poghosyan had sued the paper for publishing an allegation made by Anna Torosyan, a resident of the Tutoujur village that he had pocketed a $3,000 bribe from an applicant seeking to be chosen for the post of history teacher.

Torosyan had also applied for the job.

Poghosyan had sued, demanding that the newspaper pay 2.5 million AMD in compensation for defamation and insult.