CivilNet

Logo of CivilNet

CivilNet is an online television channel focused on human rights, democracy, regional peace, and diaspora issues in Armenia. Operating since September 21, 2011, CivilNet is a program of the Civilitas Foundation. The outlet presents news, interviews, analyses, video stories, and investigations, reaching audiences in Armenia and the diaspora.


In recent years, CivilNet has prioritized fact-checking. Since December 2021, CivilNet Check operates as the outlet's fact-checking unit with the mission of combating fake news, exposing disinformation and manipulations, and developing fact-checking journalism in Armenia. Since July 2024, CivilNet Check has cooperated with Meta, reviewing and evaluating content published on Facebook and Instagram and applying ratings when false, misleading, or distorted information is detected.


Until September 2023, CivilNet maintained a team in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) reporting on the situation there. Following the forced displacement of Artsakh's population, team members continued their work from Yerevan.


In late 2024, Yerevan Mayor Tigran Avinyan filed a lawsuit against the Civilitas Foundation based on CivilNet's investigative article "The Avinyan Family Business: Indirect Beneficiary of State Funds." Avinyan demanded a retraction and AMD 3 million (approximately USD 7,600) in compensation. One month after publication, during a debate with former mayor Hayk Marutyan on Factor television, Avinyan addressed the investigation and stated: "The media in our country has become a big garbage dump." The Civilitas Foundation filed a countersuit against Avinyan demanding a public apology for the statement made on live television. Civilitas is not seeking monetary compensation. Both cases are currently pending in court.

Key Facts

Audience ShareMissing Data
Ownership TypePrivate
Geographic CoverageTransnational
Content TypeFree
Active Transparency
company/channel informs proactively and comprehensively about its ownership, data is constantly updated and easily verifiable

Ownership

Ownership Structure

CivilNet belongs to the Civilitas Foundation, whose ultimate beneficial owners, according to the submitted declaration, are Mihran Minassian and Vartan Oskanian.

Voting RightsThe Civilitas Foundation has two main governing bodies: the Board of Trustees and the Executive Body. The Board of Trustees serves as the foundation's oversight body, ensuring the organization's mission is fulfilled. Mihran Minassian chairs the board, presiding over board meetings, ensuring proper governance, and facilitating communication between the board and executive leadership. Board members include Salpi Haroutinian-Ghazarian and the foundation's founder, Vartan Oskanian. The Executive Body manages the foundation's daily operations. Abraham Boghigian serves as Chief Executive Officer, responsible for overall leadership and management. Deputy CEO Karen Harutyunyan assists the CEO and assumes leadership responsibilities during the CEO's absence.
Individual Owner

Media Companies / Groups

Facts

Founding Year2011

The Civilitas Foundation was established in 2008 by Vartan Oskanian, a political figure and former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia. The foundation's name derives from the Latin word "civilitas," meaning "the citizen's responsibility toward society."

The foundation's mission is to support efforts aimed at strengthening Armenian statehood and citizen well-being, and the full realization of the rights and duties of Armenian citizens. Since 2011, the foundation has operated CivilNet, an online television channel focused on human rights, democracy, regional peace, and diaspora issues in Armenia.

Oskanian served as Armenia's Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1998 to 2008 under Presidents Robert Kocharyan and Serzh Sargsyan. He founded the Civilitas Foundation shortly after leaving government.

CEO
  • Abraham Boghigian

    Abraham Boghigian has served as Director of CivilNet since 2019. He was a long-time member of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF/Dashnaktsutyun) before his removal from the party in 2018.

    Boghigian was born in Anjar, Lebanon, and studied in Los Angeles. He began his journalism career in 1985 as editor of the Armenian section of the ARF's daily newspaper Asbarez. In 1990, he moved to Armenia to establish the ARF's press and information center and founded the daily newspaper Yerkir.

    In 2008, Boghigian returned to the United States and resumed his position as editor of Asbarez. In 2018, he was removed from the ARF due to articles published in Asbarez under his editorship that diverged from the party line. In September 2019, he left Asbarez, moved to Armenia, and joined CivilNet.

Editor-In-Chief
  • Karen Harutyunyan

    Karen Harutyunyan serves as Editor-in-Chief and Deputy CEO of CivilNet. He holds a degree in International Relations from Yerevan State University and a Candidate of Historical Sciences degree.

    Before entering journalism, Harutyunyan worked for international organizations, serving as Rural Development Program Manager at World Vision and as Public Relations Officer at the International Committee of the Red Cross office in Stepanakert (Nagorno-Karabakh).

    Harutyunyan began his journalism career in 2007, taking on management positions at several media outlets including the Capital business daily and the news website Tert.am. He joined the Civilitas Foundation as Editor-in-Chief of the Orakarg newspaper and subsequently became Editor-in-Chief of CivilNet.

Contact1 Northern Ave.
Suite 30
0010 Yerevan
Armenia
info@civilnet.am
+374 10 500119 ; +374 94 800754
www.civilnet.am
RevenueAMD 418.4 Million / USD 1․1 Million
Operating ProfitAMD 4.1 Million / USD 10.5 Thousand
Advertising (in % of total funding)Missing Data
Market ShareMissing Data
Headlines
Meta Data

Information about CivilNet is available on the civilnet.am website, including the Civilitas Foundation's financial reports, charter, goals, and mission. The media outlet's About Us section contains detailed information about CivilNet's principles, policies, and partners. The website also features a Our Team section presenting CivilNet's employees and their activities.

Beneficial ownership information was derived from the State Register of Legal Entities. Biographical information about leadership and staff members is based on publicly available sources and their published work.

Sources
Documents (PDF)
  • Civilitas Foundation profile (Armenian)
    Link File
  • Civilitas Foundation Beneficial ownership declaration (Armenian)
    Link File
  • Civilitas Foundation CEO (Armenian)
    Link File
  • Civilitas Foundation charter (Armenian)
    Link File
  • Civilitas Foundation financial report (Armenian)
    Link File
  • MOM request to Civilitas Foundation (Armenian)
    File
  • Civilitas Foundation response to MOM request (Armenian)
    File