YEREVAN, JUNE 28, ARMENPRESS. The “Wikimedia Armenia” scientific-educational nonprofit organization filed a complaint to the State Commission for Protection of Economic Competition (SCPEC) of Armenia, the country’s official economic competition watchdog.  Wikimedia Armenia is the partner of the international Wikimedia Foundation corporation in Armenia.

Wikimedia Armenia told the SCPEC that one of their projects is the Wikipedia free encyclopedia, which aims at expanding and spreading Armenian virtual content in the Wikipedia dimension. Wikimedia Armenia said in the complaint that all contents are free of charge and are accessible to everyone.

However, the complaint said that another company called “Wikipedia” has registered in Armenia and is applying to various organizations offering to order paid articles and publish them on wikimediaarmenia.am.

During procedural activities of the economic watchdog, it was revealed that the company has provided paid services to several governor’s offices, city halls, medical institutions and dozens of legal entities.

Moreover, the company is illegally using the Foundation’s trademark and is engaged in activities which oppose the Foundation’s mission, goals and principles.

In addition to causing confusion in terms of the name, such activities harm the Foundation’s ranking and credibility, because the word Wikipedia has always been associated with the internet platform offering accessible and free information to the public.

As ruled by the SCPEC, the company called “Wikipedia” displayed wrongful and deceitful behavior in terms of competition, by creating and using a trademark which is owned by another entity and harming the latter’s credibility. The company has been officially warned for the wrongdoing and tasked with eliminating the violation.