Fake story claiming Pashinyan HIV diagnosis spread using CivilNet branding

Since May 21, videos have been circulating on social media using CivilNet’s branding, claiming that Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has been diagnosed with HIV (human immunodeficiency virus).

According to the posts, Pashinyan’s HIV was allegedly detected back in 2010 while he was imprisoned, and an alleged medical document is presented as evidence. In addition to social media, several Armenian-language websites, including yerkir24.am and armflash.am, have also spread the claim while citing CivilNet as the source.

However, CivilNet has made no such report, and the document presented as evidence is fake.

CivilNet Logo Used to Give Credibility to Fake Story

The circulating videos use the CivilNet logo as well as footage taken from the copyrighted Daily Armenia program, creating the false impression that the content was produced by CivilNet.

However, CivilNet has never reported on or possessed such information.

This is not the first time the CivilNet logo has been used in the same manner to mislead users and give fake information the appearance of credibility.

See also: Abortion Ban Claim in Armenia Is False, AI-Generated Video Misuses CivilNet Logo

The voice on the recording is not one of CivilNet’s hosts, but instead was generated using artificial intelligence, which is also confirmed by the results of AI-content detection tools.

As for the claims presented in the video, they are baseless and unsupported by any credible source. The only document presented as evidence also contains obvious signs of fabrication. It is incomplete and improperly filled out. Apart from a stamp, the document lacks other elements confirming authenticity, such as a doctor’s signature.

In addition, the stamp on the “document” references the “Yolyan Hematology and Oncology Center,” which further raises doubts about its authenticity, as the center specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of oncological diseases rather than HIV.

Dozens of Shares on X

The video has been actively spreading on the X platform through dozens of fake accounts, most of which are unrelated to Armenia and primarily post content about humor, sports, and cryptocurrencies. Such accounts are frequently used to artificially amplify disinformation campaigns.

Particularly notable is the involvement of the Syrian Girl account, which has around 600,000 followers. Syrian Girl, also known as Maram Susli, presents herself as a Syrian journalist living in Australia and has repeatedly spread conspiracy theories and pro-Assad narratives related to the Syrian war, including those on chemical attacks. She also regularly appears as a commentator on the Russian state television channel RT (Russia Today) and participated in the 2024 congress of the “International Russophile Movement” in Moscow.

Fake News Websites Spreading the Story

As mentioned above, the story was also published by Armenian-language websites yerkir24.am and armflash.am while citing CivilNet as the source. The first website was created on November 12, 2025, and the second on November 30, 2025. Examination of the sites shows that they contain almost no original reporting. Their publications mainly consist of reposted content from other outlets or fake and manipulative articles.

International researchers describe disinformation campaigns carried out in this format as part of the “Storm-1516” operation.

The Storm-1516 disinformation campaign is a coordinated Russia-linked network that employs hybrid warfare tactics, including AI-generated content, fake news websites, multilingual deepfakes, and temporary social media accounts.

The Russian investigative initiative Gnida Project, which focuses on exposing Russian disinformation operations, also addressed this publication and pointed to traces linking it to the campaign.

Thus, CivilNet’s name and logo were used to spread false information and make the false story appear as though it originated from a credible media organization.