ARSON ATTACK ON OPPOSITION ACTIVIST
By Karine Simonian in Alaverdi

Radio Liberty, Czech Rep.
May 28 2007

A defeated opposition candidate who alleged serious vote irregularities
in a constituency in northern Armenia on Monday survived an apparent
arson attack on her home which she blamed on her pro-government rival.

Unknown individuals set fire to the entrance door of Larisa
Paremuzian’s apartment in Alaverdi, an industrial town in the Lori
region, in the early hours of the morning. The fire practically
destroyed the door before being put out by Paremuzian and her
neighbors. They prevented a much more severe consequences by making
sure it does reach the apartment building’s gas pipes.

"If I slept well ,I would not stay alive and the whole building would
burn down," Paremuzian told RFE/RL.

Her neighbors were visibly shocked by the incident. "Luckily, my kids
stayed alive," said one woman.

Police in Alaverdian swiftly launched an investigation under an article
of the Armenian Criminal Code that deals with arson and other forms
of damage deliberately inflicted on citizens’ property.

Paremuzian heads the Alaverdi branch of the opposition People’s Party
of Armenia (HZhK) and is an outspoken critic of the municipal and
regional governments. She unsuccessfully ran for parliament in the
local single-mandate constituency in the May 12 elections. Official
vote results there gave victory to Karen Saribekian of the governing
Republican Party (HHK).

Paremuzian refused to concede defeat, accusing Saribekian of
large-scale vote rigging. She detailed her allegations in a May 18
article in the Yerevan daily "Aravot." The article prompted Alaverdi
prosecutors to summon her and the chairman of the local election
commission, Vram Vanian, for questioning on Friday. The opposition
activist claimed that the latter looked "terrified" when one of the
prosecutors suggested that the commission recount ballots.

"I believe this attack was the continuation of that questioning,"
Paremuzian said. "I suspect that it was the work of Vram Vanian and
my rival Karen Saribekian."

Artur Sakunts, head of the regional branch of the Armenian Helsinki
Citizens’ Assembly, also alleged political motives behind the
"terrorist act." "This is the result of Larisa Paremuzian’s political
and public activities," he told RFE/RL. "Law-enforcement authorities
will bear responsibility for the attack if they fail to punish its
perpetrators."

The police reported no arrests in connection with the incident as of
Monday evening.