YEREVAN. – The health condition of Armenia’s presidential candidate, opposition National Self-Determination Union (NSU) Chairman Paruyr Hayrikyan—who is at capital city Yerevan’s Surb Grigor Lusavorich Medical Center as a result of a gunshot wound after a recent assassination attempt—is good, Center Deputy Director Gagik Manukyan told Armenian News-NEWS.am. 

In his words, the pain in Hayrikyan’s right hand is relatively less on Saturday, and his fingers have started to move.

“There are positive dynamics; Hayrikyan feels well ,” Manukyan said.   

The presidential contender will remain in hospital on Saturday, and it will become clear on Sunday as to when he could leave.  

In his turn, Hayrikyan’s friend, NSU Public Relations Officer, and the candidate’s election campaign headquarters representative Garo Yegnukian told Armenian News-NEWS.am that Hayrikyan’s letter of petition to the Constitutional Court (CC), and with respect to postponing the presidential election—which is slated for February 18—for two weeks, is prepared. All that remains is for Hayrikyan to make a final decision on whether or not he will petition; and this depends on his health condition. If they decide to apply to CC, they will submit the petition at 3pm.   

As Armenian News-NEWS.am informed earlier, Paruyr Hayrikyan announced Tuesday that he will not petition to the Constitutional Court with a formal request to postpone the presidential election, and therefore the vote will be conducted on February 18, as planned. Hayrikyan explained his reason for this by saying he does not wish to contribute to the plans to forcibly change Armenia’s political agenda. On Friday, however, Hayrikyan noted that they are preparing to submit a petition and, also, that he wants to note in his petition that he should have the right to withdraw it at any time, and depending on his health condition. Subsequently, representatives fro Hayrikyan’s campaign headquarters announced that the CC is prepared to accept the petition on Sunday, too. So, if Hayrikyan’s health condition does not improve, the petition will be submitted on Sunday.      

To note, 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.

And on Thursday, formerly convicted Khachatur Poghosyan (born in 1966), and Samvel Harutyunyan (born in 1972) were arrested on suspicion of carrying out an assassination attempt against Paruyr Hayrikyan.