Attempt on the candidate for the President of Armenia Paruyr Hayrikian

Yerevan/02.01.13/Turan-ArmInfo: On the night of February 1, the presidential candidate of Armenia, Chairman of the Association Paruyr Hayrikian was wounded in an assassination attempt.

The crime occurred in the center of Yerevan, where unknown persons opened fire on Hayrikian, after which he with a gunshot wound to the shoulder was taken to hospital. According to doctors, Hayrikian has a single gunshot wound and his condition is moderate. Hayrikyan is being conscious and is kept at the intensive care unit. Hayrikian’s life is not in danger, his condition is stable and there is no need for surgery.

 The attempt on Hayrikyan has political overtones, said the Chief of Armenia’s Presidential Administration, Vigen Sargsyan, after visiting the patient in hospital. However, he said that Hayrikian is not depressed and keeps well.

Paruyr Hayrikian will be operated today in order to extract the bullet jammed after a gunshot wound to the upper right side of the chest.

Speaking to reporters, the Health Minister Derenik Dumanian said Hayrikian’s condition is assessed as moderate, and his life is not in danger because vital organs were not affected. Hayrikian is even able to talk to people, who come to visit him.

Police opened a criminal case under Article 34-305 of RA Criminal Code (attempt to murder a state, political or public figure, committed to stop his activities). An operative investigation group has been created with representatives from the police and the National Security Council. The preliminary investigation is led by the National Security Service.

Paruyr Hayrikian is a supporter of pro-Western rapprochement and an opponent of close relations with Russia. Back in Soviet times, he was convicted of anti-Soviet propaganda and spent several years in prison. Armenian experts have not yet expressed any assumptions, but forces interested in destabilizing the situation in Armenia might stand behind the attempt. On the eve of the presidential election on February 18, it can be a warning to President Serzh Sargsyan, who makes no secret that he wants to leave the custody of the Kremlin. Therefore, we can not exclude that the attempt was committed by agents of the Northern neighbor. -02D-