ARMENIA: PARLIAMENT SHOOTING CONVICT DIES

EurasiaNet
May 17 2010
NY

A man convicted of helping to plan the 1999 shooting massacre in
Armenia’s parliament died in prison on May 15.

Hamlet Stepanian, who was found dead in his bunk, died halfway though
his 14-year prison term. Police reported no traces of foul play.

Armenia Now reported that officials assume that a heart attack was
the cause of death, but noted that some human rights activists cast
doubts on that explanation.

Stepanian was not in the parliamentary building during the attack that
killed top-ranking officials and left a deep scar on Armenian politics
for years to come. But the court found him guilty of conspiring with
the gunmen who opened fire in Armenia’s National Assembly. The five
attackers were sentenced to life in prison. One of them, Vram Galstian
committed suicide in his jail cell.