"Fact" daily writes:
The process of confiscation of property of illegal origin, unfolding around Vahe Hakobyan, once again shows how the law is applied not only in the legal, but also in the information field. The problem is not only the lawsuit filed in court. The problem is the way it is presented to the public, emphasizing noise over argument.
The anti-corruption court accepted the lawsuit filed by the Prosecutor General's Office, requesting the confiscation of a number of properties and funds attributed to Vahe Hakobyan and his family members. The numbers are presented in an impressive way: real estate, cars, deposits, bonds, claims of billions of drams. However, while the judicial investigation has just begun, the impression of guilt is already forming on the public platform.
This is the main problem. First, an emphatic report is shown on Public Television, then the representative of the prosecutor's office announces the demands, with sharp and sentence-like wording. It turns out that society first hears the "judgment" and only then does the judicial process begin. During that time, the facts, counter-arguments, defensive positions remain in the shadows. Moreover, the family members, including minors, are publicly named in the case. Regardless of what legal justifications can be presented, such an approach creates an atmosphere of pressure and discredit.
When the legal process is accompanied by public display, it is difficult to perceive it as a purely professional examination. Time overlaps cannot be ignored either. There are already criminal proceedings against Vahe Hakobyan under other articles. Under these conditions, the loud start of the property confiscation process is naturally perceived as an additional pressure step. The use of such methods against political opponents has become a norm for a long time. The fight against corruption cannot be selective or demonstrative. If there is solid evidence, it should be presented in court in a calm and reasoned manner.
However, when the process turns into an information campaign, it becomes obvious that the goal is not only the legal result, but the formation of public perception to discredit a specific person. Vahe Hakobyan's case is still under investigation, and only the court has the authority to assess the validity of the submitted claims.
However, it can already be noted that the process is accompanied by elements of the show. And when justice turns into a show, it loses its main value: trust.
Details in today's issue of "Past" daily.
