Nikol Pashinyan has appealed the ruling of a first instance court on a defamation lawsuit filed by Hrayr Tovmasyan, the former chairman of Armenia’s Constitutional Court, to the Court of Appeals.

The appeal was lodged with the higher court on March 21, Panorama.am learned from the judicial portal Datalex.am. It has been assigned to judge Ani Mkhitaryan.

Tovmasyan filed the defamation lawsuit two years ago after Pashinyan announced that the chief judge “offered his services” to him starting from May 2018.

The Yerevan Court of General Jurisdiction partially granted the lawsuit earlier in March, ordering Pashinyan to refute his claims.

Pashinyan was entitled to appeal against the ruling within one month after its delivery.