YEREVAN. – 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—, submitted Monday a petition to the Constitutional Court (CC) and withdrew Sunday’s petition for a postponement of the forthcoming presidential election. CC Press Secretary Hovhannes Papikyan told Armenian News-NEWS.am. 

He added that Monday’s petition solely notes that, pursuant to the Law on Constitutional Court, they are withdrawing Sunday’s petition.  

Incidentally, Hayrikyan no longer has any time to change his mind because he can submit a petition, to put off the presidential vote for two weeks, only within eight days after the incident.

As Armenian News-NEWS.am informed earlier, the forthcoming presidential election in Armenia will be conducted on February 18, as slated. Baghdasaryan submitted Monday a new petition to the Constitutional Court and withdrew Sunday’s petition. Hayrikyan himself told this to Armenian News-NEWS.am.  

To note, Hayrikyan had initially stated that he would not petition to the court for a postponement, but he had changed his mind several times thereafter. But on Sunday he ultimately submitted to the Constitutional Court a formal request to postpone the presidential election—which is slated for February 18—for two weeks. He had noted that if the opposition’s presidential candidates are able to join forces within the next two days, he will withdraw his petition and the vote will go ahead on February 18. Otherwise, he will put off the election to carry out a full campaign.      

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 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. On February 7, formerly convicted Khachatur Poghosyan (born in 1966), and Samvel Harutyunyan (born in 1972) were detained on suspicion of carrying out an assassination attempt against Paruyr Hayrikyan. And on Monday, Poghosyan, 46, and Harutyunyan, 40 were sentenced to two months in prison.

Photo by Arsen Sargsyan/NEWS.am