16:40, 24 May 2008

Human Rights Watch demands that Armenian authorities investigate the attack on Danielyan

The international Human Rights Watch organization has called on the authorities of Armenia to investigate the attack on Michael Danielyan, Chairman of the Helsinki Association, and to find out if his human rights activities could have caused these illegal actions.

"The circumstances of the attack on Michael Danielyan evidence that the motive of the attack could quite well have been in his popularity as a human rights activist. The authorities of Armenia, while making the universal and objective investigation, should keep this circumstance in mind," said Holy Cartner, Director of the European and Central Asian Office of Human Rights Watch.

Meanwhile, almost four days have expired after Tigran Urikhanyan attacked Michael Danielyan, Chairman of the Helsinki Association. So far, Tigran Urikhanyan, who attacked the human rights activist and injured him from a gas pistol, is at large. Michael Danielyan made his comments on this situation: "I don't want to comment Urikhanyan's behaviour. As to the law enforcement bodies, I trust in their impartiality. Let the investigation go on, and we'll see the results."

Author: Lilit Ovanisyan, CK correspondent