Azernews.Az

By Mushvig Mehdiyev

An influential Armenian political figure, well-known for his harsh criticism of the government, was recently attacked, receiving serious injuries on his body.

Aram Manukyan, a senior member of the opposition Armenian National Congress, was attacked by an unknown assailant while he was returning home at 8 pm on December 11.

Arman Munisyan, the party's spokesman, the attacker did not say anything to Manukyan, but immediately started to hit him in the face.

The fact caused a great resonance in the country, drawing all eyes on the continuous violation facts over the recent days.

Munisyan said the attack could be linked to parliamentarian's political activities, since Manukyan is an influential political figure in Armenia and the attack has a political motivation.

Police started to look for clues to identify the assailer, who beat up Manukyan in front of his house, inflicting serious injuries to the member of the parliament.

Munisyan claimed that there is a surveillance camera in crime area and it can help police to identify the criminal.

Series of attacks on the oppositional people happened in Armenia over the recent days, hinting to serious problems with human right and freedom of expression in the country, which the Freedom House confirmed as a partly free country, giving it bad marks in terms of the civil liberties and political rights

The fact succeeded the recent attacks on three Armenian activists famous for their oppositional views, while vehicles of four members of the opposition initiative group Pre-Parliament were deliberately set on fire in an unknown circumstance.

Levon Zurabyan, ANC parliamentary faction Head, claimed the attack on Manukyan was the continuation of the same chain of attacks aiming to intimidate and silence the opposition and its supporters.

“The authorities are trying to dash the popular movement, but they do not realize that people’s hatred is becoming stronger,” Zurabyan said.

Online social media severely reacted to the attack against the opposition figure, while many on Facebook claimed that the Armenian authorities use repressive methods to silence the dissent.

David Sanasaryan, member of the oppositional Heritage party, said the violence against Manukyan was a punitive arbitrariness.

Manukyan refused to make any comments on the event, saying that he will issue a statement later on.

Harsh violence against the political figure has turned into a hot spot for debates, as the local media started to slap the evil governance in Armenia.

Zoghovurd, a local newspaper, called the attack on Manukyan lawlessness, saying: "Seems a manhunt began in Armenia."

Levon Eranosyan, Deputy Police Chief of Armenia, has recently warned the people to avoid any critique addressing President Serzh Sargsyan, saying he will even cut the ears of those talking negatively about him.

Haykanak Zhamanak, another local paper, wrote that Aram Manukyan said harsh criticism of the president, his brother and son in low earlier in September.

"It is necessary to understand the main point and political context of the event," the paper claimed.

Recent events in Armenia hints to a political jackboot of the authorities on the oppositional forces, which strongly demand a change of state power in the country. Sargsyan is seemingly trying to suffocate the forces against him all while consolidate the coercive policy in Armenia.