On October 6, 2023 Derderian had filed a complaint against Jabarian for defamation. Derderian only focused on 15 statements out of nearly 60 exposés made by Jabarian during the years 2015-2023. He left nearly 45 statements un challenged.
On February 7, 2024 Jabarian filed a special motion to strike Derderian’s all 15 statements at issue against USA ARMENIAN LIFE.
On November 22, 2024, “after a hearing, the Los Angeles County Superior Court granted Jabarian’s motion, striking Derderian’s complaint in its entirety,” the court documents showed. They concluded “Derderian failed to show actu al malice as to the first six alleged defamatory statements, and the treason statement was nonactionable opinion.” The Superior Court Judge (Case No. 23STCV24374) granted the anti-SLAPP motion on all fifteen statements. The Court also ordered Western Diocese’s Arch. Derderian to pay Jabarian’s legal fees.
On January 15, 2025, Derderian filed an appeal. The Appellate Court documents show: “On appeal Derderian does not challenge the trial court’s ruling striking all nine statements as “fair and true report[s]” of judicial proceedings under Civil Code section 47,subdivision (d)(1).
The court documents also mention: “Derderian failed to make aprima facie showing of actual malice
regarding the child abuse statement.” It was further elaborated: “The factthe Western Diocese prior to publication sent a letter claiming the child abuse statement in the media inquiry were not true does not show actual malice. … The Western Diocese’s letter denied the allegation and stated it had evidence demonstrating the statement was false, but it did not describe or attach any evidence.”
On May 14, 2026, The Court of Appeal of The State of California issued an unpublished order upholding the California Superior Court’s decision to uphold the Superior Court’s granting USA ARMENIAN LIFE/Appo Jabarian’s motion to strike 4 out of 6 statements by Western Diocese’s Arch. Hovnan Derderian. (Appeal Case no. B343954; Los Angeles County Superior Court Case No. 23STCV24374).
Below is a summary of the fifteen statements that Derderian used in his Superior Court Lawsuit/complaint against Jabarian.
SUPERIOR COURT GRANTED JABARIAN’S MOTION TO STRIKE ALL 15 STATEMENTS.
Statement No. 1: Embezzlement of Armenian Genocide Victims Settlement Funds
“The person behind the team in the embezzlement of Armenian Genocide Victims Settlement Funds: Western Diocese’s Arch. Hovnan Derderian … Arch. Derderian is directly involved in the numerous acts of misappropriation of funds” Media Inquiry/Statement No. 2: Child Abuse … hush-hush money “According to certain sources, Primate of the Western Diocese, Hovnan Derderian, ‘committed child abuse.’ . . . However, at the last moment, the mother of the child must have received a ‘large amount of hush-hush money from Arch bishop Hovnan Derderian to remain silent and suspend the court case.”
Statement No. 3: Arch. Derderian expelled… for breaking his celibacy
vows “Arch. Derderian Expelled from Cilician Catholicosate in Lebanon for Breaking His Celibacy Vows. He Was Caught in Engaging [sic] Illegal Sexual Acts”
Statement No. 4: Arch. Derderian gets caught in an illegal sexual act “[T]he young Derderian’s mother re ceived complaints from other mothers for [the Archbishop’s] sexual pass at other boys…[and] decides to cover up his sexual tendencies by enlisting him as a young student-priest for celibate priesthood. But he gets caught in an illegal sexual act. He gets expelled from the convent.”
Statement No. 5: American judge declared as ‘liars’ Arch. Derderian, pastor Manouk Markaryan, his son, Harout “[A]n American Judge in the Cali fornia Superior Court declared as ‘liars’ Arch. Derderian, pastor Manouk Markaryan and his son, the Executive Director of the Western Diocese, Ha rout Markaryan.”
Statement No. 6: Catholicos Karekin II, Arch. Hovnan Derderian, Arch. Yezras et al perpetrated treason “Many are now convinced that the three former regime kleptomaniacs – former Presidents Levon Ter-Petrosyan,
Robert Kocharyan and Serzh Sargsyan with Catholicos of All Arme nians Karekin II along with his clansmen such as Western Diocese primate Arch. Hovnan Derderian, Moscow’s Arch. Yezras have perpetrated treason against the Armenian nation. Their treasonous acts range from acts of sabotage of Armenia/ Artsakh’s war efforts behind the front line, cutting off military supply by bribed Army general officers; corrupt army general officers’ unwarranted withdrawal of Armenian army units from strategic positions, old regime assets’ false pro
paganda designed to demoralize Armenian frontline soldiers, to massive misappropriation of funds from Diaspora designated for the twin Armenian republics’ economic development and humanitarian mission.”
Statement No. 7: Arch. Derderian misappropriated money from [Artsakh WarI] Fallen Soldier’s Widows and Orphan Fund “While he was the primate [of] the Canada Diocese, Arch. Derderian misappropriated thousands of dollars from [Fallen Soldier’s Widows and Orphan Aid] fund.”
Statement No. 8: California Appeals Court judges award attorney fees to plaintiffs Petros Taglyan against Western Diocese/Arch. Hovnan Derderian et al. “On June 28, 2023, California Appeals Court Judges J. Bendix, P.J. Roths child, J. Chaney unanimously granted an appeals motion to award attorney fees to Plaintiffs Petros Taglyan and his family against Defendants Western Diocese/ St. John Church’s Primate Arch. Hovnan Derderian and his spokesperson Archpriest Manoug and son Harout Markarian. Harout Markaryan is the Executive Director of Western Diocese.”
Statement No. 9: Judges Bendix, Rothschild, Chaney join four previous U.S.
Court judges confirming Western Diocese’s leaders as ‘liars’ and masters of de
ception
“Judges J. Bendix, P.J. Rothschild, J. Chaney joined four previous U.S. Court judges confirming Western Diocese’s leaders as ‘liars’ and masters of deception. (In 2019, in the Court, Judge Hammock had found Arch. Derderian’s represen tative Pastor Markarian as ‘a liar.’ Apparently Markarian was ‘authorized’ by Arch. Derderian and the Exec. Dir. Of the Western Diocese, Pastor Markarian’s son, Harut Markarian to deny the written agreement with the church benefactor.)”
Statement No. 10: Unanimous Verdict: Western Diocese’s Primate Hovnan Derderian et al knowingly concealed the existence of the written lease “After a series of legal battles that started in 2018 (Cases No. B321087, B321605 [Los Angeles County Super. Ct. No. 21STCV38713]), the June 28 unanimous verdict highlighted the fact that the “defendants (Western Diocese’s Primate Hovnan Derderian, Priest Manoug and son Harout Markarian) knowingly concealed the existence of the written lease, is sufficient to make a prima facie showing that defendants brought the unlawful detainer action for a wrong ful purpose, either to compel Petros (Dr. Taglyan) to pay additional monies to which they were not entitled, or to punish him for refusing to do so.”
Statement No. 11: The benefactor’s declaration makes prima facie showing of animus on the part of the Western Diocese “In the case ‘Petros Taglyan V. Western Diocese/Hovnan Derderian, Manoug
Markarian’ the “defendants (Western Diocese) do not address the malice element in their appellate briefing. In their anti-SLAPP motion, their only response to Divine’s evidence was the conclusory statement that ‘Divine’s claim fails to prove the essential element of actual ‘malice’; an element that requires proof of each Defendant’s subjective hared or actual animus.’ The benefactor’s declara tion makes a prima facie showing of animus on the part of Archpriest Manoug and Harout Markarian, and by extension the entities they represent, the Diocese
and St. John.”
Statement No. 12: Court documents highlighted Western Diocese’s Arch. Derderian, his attorneys Brian S. Kabateck, Shant A. Karnikian offer no valid basis to strike the cause of action for conspiracy to commit malicious prosecution
“The court documents also highlighted another critical fact according to which ‘Defendants (Western Diocese’s Archb. Derderian Archpriest Markarian and their attorneys Brian S. Kabateck his associate Shant A. Karnikian, Esq. and others) offer no valid basis to strike the cause of action for conspiracy to commit malicious prosecution.’”
Statement No. 13: The Appeals Court Judges further clarified Western Diocese’s Arch. Derderian, his attorneys Brian S. Kabateck, Shant A. Karnikian offerno valid basis to strike the cause of action for conspiracy to commit malicious prosecution
“The Appeals Court Judges further clarified that the ‘Defendants (Western Diocese’s Archb. Derderian Archpriest Markarian and their attorneys Brian S. Kabateck, Esq. his associate Shant A. Karnikian, Esq. and others) offer no other valid basis to strike the cause of action for conspiracy to commit malicious pros
ecution.’”
Statement No. 14: Judge orders Western Diocese Arch. Derderian et al pay ment of all court costs incurred by Dr. Taglyan’s “Judge rejects Western Diocese Arch. Derderian’s, Pastor Manoug Markarian’s request and orders payment of all court costs incurred by Dr. Taglyan’s”
Statement No. 15: Superior Court Judge: Arch. Derderian’s Western Diocese must pay all court costs incurred by Dr. Petros Taglyan “In Oct. 2019, Western Diocese’s Arch. Hovnan Derderian and Pastor Manoug Markarian were back in court to ask Superior Court Judge Randolph H. Hammock to award a reduction of payment to Dr. Petros Taglyan for the latter’s court costs. The Judge heard the case (no. 18STCV02144) and issued a verdict reconfirming the outcome of a court proceeding that took place earlier in the
year. Arch. Derderian’s Western Diocese must pay all court costs incurred by Dr. Petros Taglyan.”
Below is a summary of the six statements that Derderian appealed in his CA COURT OF APPEAL case against Jabarian.
COURT OF APPEAL GRANTED JABARIAN: Child abuse allegations (statement 1) The October 2022 publication included a heading, “Alleged Child Abuse Cover Up by Arch. Hovnan Derderian?” followed by the phrase “Armenian clergy child molester?”4 Under the heading was titled a “Media Inquiry” directed to
the Executive Director of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church, asking him to “confirm or deny the veracity of these allegations”: “According to certain sources, Primate of the Western Diocese, Hovnan Derderian, ‘committed child abuse.’ [¶] Reportedly, the mother of the child turned to the well-known lawyer – now deceased, Vartkes Yghaiyan, to initiate a lawsuit against the Diocesan Pri mate Hovnan Derderian. . . . [¶] . . . However, at the last moment, the mother of the child must have received a ‘large amount of hush-hush money[’] from Arch bishop Hovnan Derderian to remain silent and suspend the court case.”
COURT OF APPEAL GRANTED DERDERIAN: Misappropriation of funds (statements 2 & 3) The October 2022 publication alleged three statements about embezzlement and misappropriation of funds:
Statement 2: “The person behind the team in the embezzlement of Armenian Genocide Victims Settlement Funds: Western Diocese’s Arch. Hovnan Derderian”; Statement 3: “Arch. Derderian is directly involved in the numerous acts of misappropriation of funds.”
COURT OF APPEAL GRANTED JABARIAN: Statement 4: “Looting of 1st Artsakh War Fallen Soldier’s Widows and Orphan Aid Fund in Canada: While he was the primate [of] the Canada Diocese, Arch. Derderian misappropriated thousands of dollars from that fund.”
COURT OF APPEAL GRANTED JABARIAN: Expulsion from seminary in Lebanon (statements 5 & 6)
The October 2022 publication made two statements regarding Derderian’s alleged expulsion from a seminary in Lebanon:
COURT OF APPEAL GRANTED JABARIAN: Statement 5: “Arch. Derde rian expelled from Cilicia Catholicosate in Lebanon for breaking his celibacy vows. He was caught in engaging illegal sexual acts.”
COURT OF APPEAL GRANTED JABARIAN: Statement 6: “[T]he young Derderian’s mother received complaints from other mothers for his . . . sexual pass at other boys. [His] mother decides to cover up his sexual tendencies by en listing him as a young student-priest for celibate priesthood. But he gets caught in an illegal sexual act. He gets expelled from the convent.”
COURT OF APPEAL GRANTED JABARIAN: Treasonous acts (statement
7) The October 2022 publication also quoted a statement by Jabarian purportedly made during a television broadcast of USA Armenian Life TV: “‘Many are now convinced the three former regime kleptomaniacs,’” i.e., three former Armenian presidents, “‘with [chief bishop] Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II along with his clansmen such as Western Diocese primate Arch. Hovnan Derderian . . . have perpetrated treason against the Armenian nation. Their treasonous acts range from acts of sabotage of Armenia/Artsakh’s war efforts behind the front line, cutting off military supply by bribed Army general officers; corrupt
army general officers’ unwarranted withdrawal of Armenian army units from strategic positions; old regime assets’ false propaganda designed to demoralize Armenian frontline soldiers, to massive misappropriation of funds from Diaspora designated for the twin Armenian republics’ economic development and humanitarian mission.’”
During his tenure as an investigative reporter since 1978, Appo Jabarian has written nearly 400 exposés on various international and Armenian political and religious issues, leaders, and special-interest groups and a host of faith-based and community-based organizations.
His non-partisan approach has earned him a solid reputation as a respected journalist.
On international level his exposés have focused on numerous American, Eu ropean, Russian, Middle Eastern and other political leaders.
On Armenian level, his exposés focused on various Armenian political and religious leaders as well as nearly a dozen faith-based and community-based or ganizations without bias, favoritism or discrimination.
Jabarian’s exposés also focused on both Russian-controlled Holy Etchmiadzin Catholicosate (Headquartered in Armenia) and ARF-controlled Great House of Cilicia Catholicosate (Headquartered in Lebanon).
Since 2015, many of Jabarian’s articles served the same purpose: Bring to the forefront of public awareness nefarious activities both within Russian-con trolled Holy Etchmiadzin Catholicosate (Headquartered in Armenia) and ARF controlled Great House of Cilicia Catholicosate (Headquartered in Lebanon).
Blowing the whistle is an important tool for combating fraud and abuse. You blow the whistle. We will expose! Your anonymity is guaranteed!
Editorial Team
USA ARMENIAN LIFE MAGAZINE
HYE KIANK ARMENIAN WEEKLY
See the 36-page Court of Appeal of the State of California document
on pages 4-9, 16-19. See related articles on pages 3,11,16-19