Controversy between Armenian government and opposition deteriorates after incident in Aragatsotn

| News, Armenia

Two participants in the fatal incident in the Aragatsotn region of Armenia were taken the night before to the Astghik hospital in Yerevan, where one of them died. This was announced on June 20 by the head of the department of anaesthesiology, resuscitation, and emergency medical care of the Astghik medical center Hayk Antonyan.

Another wounded man was taken to the medical center with a diagnosed fracture of the metacarpal bone and damage to the artery. The patient was placed in intensive care, then operated on. “After the operation, the man's condition is assessed as stably grave. Nothing threatens his life,” Antonyan assured. "We give all the necessary information to the survivor's relatives, but they can visit him only with the permission of the police. Law enforcement officers are currently protecting both the patient and the doctors,” said the head of the department.

The Investigative Committee of Armenia previously reported that two participants in the incident died in hospitals.

The incident happened on June 19, late in the evening. During the shooting, seven people received gunshot wounds. Two 27-year-old men were taken to the city hospital of Aparan and died there. Another five were taken to various medical centers in Yerevan. A 32-year-old man was arrested for opening fire with a rifle.

After the tragedy, the Armenian media reported that the alleged relatives of Matevos Asatryan, a member of parliament from the ruling Civil Contract party, and a cousin of the vice-governor of the Aragatsotn region, Edgar Parvanyan, came into conflict with a group of young people in the village of Nigavan, Aragatsotn region. Then they opened fire on them because they insulted the country's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. Asatryan later denied his involvement in the incident. The Armenian police rejected the presence of political overtones in the incident.

“Seven injured men were hospitalized in various medical centers. Two of them have died. In connection with the incident, a criminal case has been initiated, within the framework of which large-scale operational-search measures are being taken. According to preliminary data, the shooter used a hunting rifle. We inform you that this incident does not contain political overtones. Moreover, the reason is domestic,” the internal affairs department informed.

In response to the recent tragic event in the hamlet of Nigavan, in the Aragatsotn region, which left two people dead and one in critical condition, the opposition in Armenia called for an urgent demonstration on June 20 evening. With signs saying, "stop terrorism" and "stop the killer," protesters marched from Yerevan's France Square to the police station, the National Security Service building, and the ruling Civil Contract Party headquarters. The participants left toy weapons in front of the door and threw red paint on the sidewalk in front of the ruling party's headquarters.

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