YEREVAN. – The health condition of former presidential candidate, opposition National Self-Determination Union Chairman Paruyr Hayrikyan, who is recovering after surviving an assassination attempt, remains the same.

Hayrikyan told Armenian News-NEWS.am that he is undergoing intensive treatment, at the rehabilitation center of the Armenian Red Cross Society, to reduce the pain in his right hand, but there is very slow progress. The physicians have told him that this situation could continue for at least three months. 

Armenian News-NEWS.am also asked Hayrikyan about the imprisonment of fellow ex-presidential contender, non-party affiliate and epic poetry specialist Vardan Sedrakyan. To the query as to whether he thinks Sedrakyan is linked to his assassination attempt, Hayrikyan responded as follows: 

“I did not know this person. Besides, the assassination attempt was not carried out for private considerations, but rather political. Many unexpected things are possible, and therefore I will not make any preliminary assessment. They are conducting an investigation. Let them investigate, find out, tell us, and we [, in our turn,] will either consider it trustworthy, or not. [But] if he is involved in it, he carried out someone’s order.”        

As Armenian News-NEWS.am informed earlier, Armenian capital city Yerevan’s Kentron and Nork-Marash General Jurisdiction Court on Tuesday sentenced ex-presidential contender, non-party affiliate and epic poetry specialist Vardan Sedrakyan to two months in prison, Armenian News-NEWS.am reporter informs from the Court. The National Security Service had filed a petition to have Sedrakyan incarcerated.  

The former presidential candidate is charged with giving the directive for the failed assassination attempt against fellow ex-presidential contender, opposition National Self-Determination Union Chairman, Paruyr Hayrikyan. 

To note, an assassination attempt was made against former 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. 

Also, 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, and Samvel Harutyunyan were detained on suspicion of carrying out an assassination attempt against Paruyr Hayrikyan. And on February 10, Poghosyan, 46, and Harutyunyan, 40 were arrested. Both have pleaded guilty, but the motives of the assassination attempt are unclear to this day. Incidentally, both men had carried out remodeling in Vardan Sedrakyan’s home.