Hetq is an investigative media outlet founded by the NGO Investigative Journalists. The team has participated in international investigations including the Panama Papers. It publishes articles in English and Armenian.
"Investigative Journalists" NGO was founded in 2000. Since 2001, the organization has been publishing the "Hetq" newspaper (www.hetq.am). The mission of "Investigative Journalists" NGO and Hetq media is the development of investigative journalism in Armenia, the strengthening, development of freedom of speech, democratic principles.
Hetq has adopted self-regulatory concepts: Code of ethics, Fact-checking policy. Hetq founded the School of Investigative Journalism, formed and coordinates the "InFact" network of fact-checkers in Armenia.
Hetq has produced hundreds of and investigative stories and documentaries that uncover hidden information, expose corruption and crime, bring justice to victims of human rights abuses. Our stories have brought critical issues to public attention, promoting transparency, public discourse, and social change.
The activity of Hetq is also of great importance to international organizations, which follow the ongoing reforms in Armenia. In the Human Rights 2023 report of the US State Department, there is a reference to the findings of Hetq, which show the existing problems in the field of public procurement. Freedom House's 2023 report on Armenia refers to six Hetq publications presenting cases of corruption. RSF's report published on World Press Freedom Day, May 3, 2024, mentions Hetq as an independent media outlet that fulfills its watchdog role.
The organisation has received many awards over the years. In 2004, the Armenian branch of Transparency International awarded the NGO a prize for contributing to the fight against corruption in Armenia. The same year, the series of films Hrazdan Gorge: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow won the second prize in a competition organised by the Aarhus Armenian Centre of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) on Environmental Themes Represented in Media.
In 2007, Hetq received the Incentive Award from the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) in the Environmental Journalism Competition category. For five consecutive years (2015–2019), Hetq reporters won the Tvapatum award in the category Observer: Investigative Reportage for the best investigative journalism piece, including twice in 2016 for two different investigative stories.
The team also works on investigative documentary films, often broadcast on TV stations in the Republic of Armenia.
In 2017, the NGO started an effort to help reporters working in Central Asia develop investigative journalism stories.