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Haykakan Zhamanak, Armenia
Jan 16 2008
FACTIONS OF ARMENIAN PARTY CLASH OVER CONTROL OF PREMISES
"Fatherly slap - 2"
It was a war situation again at the CRU [Constitutional Right Union]
since yesterday [15 January] morning, which led to CRU leader Hrant
Khachatryan finding himself in a police station. What happened was
that Hayk Babukhanyan [the leader of a rival wing in the CRU] came to
the CRU [headquarters] with his team and accompanied by the police.
Hrant Khachatryan, however, had locked the entrance door. After their
requests to open the door were turned down, the police began to do
their job. Probably suspecting that Hrant Khachatryan's team would
not be willing to open the door, they had arrived with a toolbox.
After trying hard, the police brought a power saw and finally opened
the door. Before that Hayk Babukhanyan was saying that according to a
court ruling the party has a vice-chairman - him - and although the
ruling is faulty and illegal, they are obeying it and have come to
work in their offices. But because their previous attempt on Saturday
[12 January] failed, yesterday, Babukhanyan's team came accompanied
by police. "For a year now, this man has taken the party hostage and
we are deprived of using our property. Hrant Khachatryan is using the
party's budget alone, he has assigned salaries to himself while our
regional offices get no money at all," Babukhanyan kept saying.
[Passage omitted: Babukhanyan's team finally entered the headquarters
with the help of police]
When Babukhanyan said he was the CRU chairman, Mr. Khachatryan asked
him: "Hayk, who is the chairman of the party?" "I am," was the
answer. "Hayk, I am asking for the last time, who is the chairman of
the party," Hrant Khachatryan repeated his question. "I am, of
course," Babukhanyan answered. This answer was followed by Hrant
Khachatryan's slap. This is, by the way, the second time Hrant
Khachatryan has slapped Hayk Babukhanyan. Police immediately took
Khachatryan to a police station. Khachatryan was released about two
hours later after giving an explanation. He said he was not charged
with anything.
Jan 16 2008
FACTIONS OF ARMENIAN PARTY CLASH OVER CONTROL OF PREMISES
"Fatherly slap - 2"
It was a war situation again at the CRU [Constitutional Right Union]
since yesterday [15 January] morning, which led to CRU leader Hrant
Khachatryan finding himself in a police station. What happened was
that Hayk Babukhanyan [the leader of a rival wing in the CRU] came to
the CRU [headquarters] with his team and accompanied by the police.
Hrant Khachatryan, however, had locked the entrance door. After their
requests to open the door were turned down, the police began to do
their job. Probably suspecting that Hrant Khachatryan's team would
not be willing to open the door, they had arrived with a toolbox.
After trying hard, the police brought a power saw and finally opened
the door. Before that Hayk Babukhanyan was saying that according to a
court ruling the party has a vice-chairman - him - and although the
ruling is faulty and illegal, they are obeying it and have come to
work in their offices. But because their previous attempt on Saturday
[12 January] failed, yesterday, Babukhanyan's team came accompanied
by police. "For a year now, this man has taken the party hostage and
we are deprived of using our property. Hrant Khachatryan is using the
party's budget alone, he has assigned salaries to himself while our
regional offices get no money at all," Babukhanyan kept saying.
[Passage omitted: Babukhanyan's team finally entered the headquarters
with the help of police]
When Babukhanyan said he was the CRU chairman, Mr. Khachatryan asked
him: "Hayk, who is the chairman of the party?" "I am," was the
answer. "Hayk, I am asking for the last time, who is the chairman of
the party," Hrant Khachatryan repeated his question. "I am, of
course," Babukhanyan answered. This answer was followed by Hrant
Khachatryan's slap. This is, by the way, the second time Hrant
Khachatryan has slapped Hayk Babukhanyan. Police immediately took
Khachatryan to a police station. Khachatryan was released about two
hours later after giving an explanation. He said he was not charged
with anything.