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SEDRAKYAN'S ARREST: EX-CANDIDATE'S AIDE SEES "MULTI-LAYER ORDER"
VOTE 2013 | 06.03.13 | 15:40
Photolure
By GOHAR ABRAHAMYAN ArmeniaNow reporter
The attorney of a presidential candidate accused and taken into
custody for allegedly having ordered the assassination attempt against
another candidate for presidency says the charges and the grounds
are not clear; he says he will be appealing the court permission for
the arrest.
Former presidential candidate, self-declared epos expert Vardan
Sedrakyan was taken under arrest on Tuesday with charges of ordering
the attempt to assassinate another candidate for presidency, leader
of National Self-Determination party Paruyr Hayrikyan in order to
terminate Hayrikyan's political activities.
Sedrakyan's attorney Alexander Sirunyan told ArmeniaNow that he has
met with his defendant, who claims he is not guilty and refuses to
give testimony.
"There is nothing surprising in the fact of the arrest, if there are
charges, naturally there should be an arrest. But the accusation is
groundless, the grounds are not stated, hence I am planning to file
a motion to the investigator to provide the grounds," says Sirunyan.
Sedrakyan's PR manager Hayk Kirakosyan, head of the Armenian Center
of PR Development, told ArmeniaNow that Sedrakyan's arrest is clearly
a political persecution.
"Many expected that after the elections he would not be involved in
politics, but Sedrakyan has been actively involved, making appeals on
his Facebook page, holding press conferences, etc," says Kirakosyan,
adding that Sedrakyan had long been talking about his possible arrest,
but many back then thought he was "indulging in populism to raise
his ratings, but now his ratings are not an issue".
Karo Yeghnukyan, from Hayrikyan's pre-election campaign, told
ArmeniaNow that they do not believe Sedrakyan was behind the attempted
assassination and that, in fact, "it was a rather multi-layer order".
"Even if Sedrakyan indeed is an accomplice in this case, he cannot be
the ultimate mastermind who gave the order, because Sedrakyan lacks
motives to have assaulted Hayrikyan," says Yeghnukyan.
The 63-year-old Soviet-era dissident, Hayrikyan survived a gunshot
attack on January 31, and was hospitalized with a wound below his right
collarbone. A few days later two suspects were taken into custody,
one of whom is Sedrakyan's neighbor, both were workers who repaired
Sedrakyan's apartment and summer cottage in Yeghvard.
Hayrikyan now continues his treatment - his right arm proved immobile
after the surgery - at "Gratsia" International Rehabilitation Center
of Armenian Red Cross Society.
VOTE 2013 | 06.03.13 | 15:40
Photolure
By GOHAR ABRAHAMYAN ArmeniaNow reporter
The attorney of a presidential candidate accused and taken into
custody for allegedly having ordered the assassination attempt against
another candidate for presidency says the charges and the grounds
are not clear; he says he will be appealing the court permission for
the arrest.
Former presidential candidate, self-declared epos expert Vardan
Sedrakyan was taken under arrest on Tuesday with charges of ordering
the attempt to assassinate another candidate for presidency, leader
of National Self-Determination party Paruyr Hayrikyan in order to
terminate Hayrikyan's political activities.
Sedrakyan's attorney Alexander Sirunyan told ArmeniaNow that he has
met with his defendant, who claims he is not guilty and refuses to
give testimony.
"There is nothing surprising in the fact of the arrest, if there are
charges, naturally there should be an arrest. But the accusation is
groundless, the grounds are not stated, hence I am planning to file
a motion to the investigator to provide the grounds," says Sirunyan.
Sedrakyan's PR manager Hayk Kirakosyan, head of the Armenian Center
of PR Development, told ArmeniaNow that Sedrakyan's arrest is clearly
a political persecution.
"Many expected that after the elections he would not be involved in
politics, but Sedrakyan has been actively involved, making appeals on
his Facebook page, holding press conferences, etc," says Kirakosyan,
adding that Sedrakyan had long been talking about his possible arrest,
but many back then thought he was "indulging in populism to raise
his ratings, but now his ratings are not an issue".
Karo Yeghnukyan, from Hayrikyan's pre-election campaign, told
ArmeniaNow that they do not believe Sedrakyan was behind the attempted
assassination and that, in fact, "it was a rather multi-layer order".
"Even if Sedrakyan indeed is an accomplice in this case, he cannot be
the ultimate mastermind who gave the order, because Sedrakyan lacks
motives to have assaulted Hayrikyan," says Yeghnukyan.
The 63-year-old Soviet-era dissident, Hayrikyan survived a gunshot
attack on January 31, and was hospitalized with a wound below his right
collarbone. A few days later two suspects were taken into custody,
one of whom is Sedrakyan's neighbor, both were workers who repaired
Sedrakyan's apartment and summer cottage in Yeghvard.
Hayrikyan now continues his treatment - his right arm proved immobile
after the surgery - at "Gratsia" International Rehabilitation Center
of Armenian Red Cross Society.