YEREVAN. – The Constitution of Armenia does not make a distinction among presidential candidates, and therefore each and every one of them can petition to the Constitutional Court (CC) with a formal request to postpone the presidential vote, if he believes that insurmountable obstacles have come about before a contender. Levon Baghdasaryan, the attorney of presidential candidate, opposition National Self-Determination Union Chairman Paruyr Hayrikyan—who is recovering at hospital from a gunshot wound after an assassination attempt—, stated this during a press conference on Tuesday.

He added that even though his client decided not to petition to CC, the other presidential hopefuls can apply to the court with such request. In his view, however, even though an insurmountable obstacle was set solely before Hayrikyan, he is not petitioning to CC so as not to exploit this matter.  

In his turn, Hayrikyan’s fellow party member Garo Yegnukian expressed a hope that the other presidential hopefuls will express their relevant stand soon, and the Police will provide data on the respective criminal case. Also, Yegnukian informed that their studies have shown that Hayrikyan’s rating did not increase much as a result of this incident.     

As Armenian News-NEWS.am informed earlier, an assassination attempt was made against presidential candidate, opposition National Self-Determination Union Chairman Paruyr Hayrikyan, on January 31 at around 11:20pm in downtown Yerevan, in front of his home. Hayrikyan was shot and hospitalized with a gunshot wound. He underwent a successful surgery on the morning of February 1, and a bullet—which was located in the soft tissues of his right elbow shoulder—was removed. 

A criminal case is opened in connection with the assassination attempt against Paruyr Hayrikyan. It is launched on charges of carrying out an assassination attempt against a statesman, political or public figure, which—that is, the attempt—is carried out to end this person’s noted activities. This crime is punishable by imprisonment for 12-20 years, or life in prison.    

The National Security Service is conducting the investigation.

Photo by Arsen Sargsyan/NEWS.am