YEREVAN. – Armenia’s former presidential candidate, non-party affiliate and epic poetry specialist Vardan Sedrakyan, who was detained on Tuesday, is preparing to appeal the handing down of such restraining order against him.  

Sedrakyan’s attorney Aleksandr Sirunyan told Armenian News-NEWS.am that they will write the respective letter of complaint on Wednesday and submit it to the court on Thursday, and they will request that the restraining order of confinement be commuted.  

Sirunyan also informed that Sedrakyan did not accept the charges that were brought against him and, also, he did not give a testimony. 

“The charges are unfounded because the grounds are not noted,” the attorney added.

Also, they will petition to the respective investigator on Wednesday, to clarify the grounds for the charge. Sirunyan noted that nothing was found from the search that was conducted in Sedrakyan’s house and automobiles.  

“If there is such charge, it is logical that he had to be searched and detained. [But] our task is to understand on what grounds this was done,” Aleksandr Sirunyan said.    

Incidentally, the attorney on Wednesday plans to visit Sedrakyan, who is kept in Yerevan Center penitentiary, and to discuss matters concerning his legal defense.

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. 

Photo by Arsen Sargsyan/NEWS.am