Mikael Danielian Shot

MIKAEL DANIELIAN SHOT

A1+
[05:53 pm] 21 May, 2008

Today about 3:00 an unknown person fired a shot at the chairman of
the Helsinki Association-Armenia Mikael Danielian on Terian Street,
Yerevan. According to Danielian’s friend they had hardly stopped
under a traffic light when Danielian noticed a friend walking along
the pavement. He stretched out to salute him.

Just at that moment a BMW began honking continuously from behind. In
reply to Danielian’s inquiries a fellow got off the BMW and started
railing at the human rights activist and calling him a CIA "agent"
who defends the interests of gays. Afterwards, he took out a gun and
shot at Danielian’s chest. Fortunately, the wound wasn’t serious as
according to the preliminary investigation the criminal had shot from
a pneumatic gun.

Wounded Danielian had been taken to the police department of Yerevan’s
central Kentron district before an ambulance arrived. Danielian’s
friend informed A1+ that the moment Danielian was being taken to the
police department the criminals were still on the spot.

Witnesses say that the suspect was the former leader of the Armenian
Progressive Party Tigran Urikhanian who was taken to a police station.