GLENDALE—A delegation from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation Western US Central Committee met with Armenia’s Consul General to Los Angeles on Tuesday to discuss the recent beating of three Army doctors at a restaurant owned by a member of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia.
The ARF Central Committee members Avedik Izmirlian and Dr. Viken Yacoubian met with Armenia’s Consul General Grigor Hovannesyan and Consulate staff at the Armenian Consulate and expressed the organization’s concerns and outrage about the incident and express the expectation that those arrested for the crime are prosecuted and punished to the full extent of the law.
The ARF leaders also reminded the Consul that the ARF bloc in parliament had authored and successfully passed legislation regarding the authority of bodyguards in Armenia and there is an expectation that the provisions of the legislation are completely fulfilled. The delegation also urged that Armenian authorities ensure to put an end to other breaches of the law.
Given that this was the first visit to the Consulate by the newly-elected ARF Central Committee, the delegation also reflected on the sense of the 48th ARF Regional Convention, which expressed its determined support to the men and women of Armenia’s and Artsakh’s border regions who, on daily basis, withstand the continued Azeri aggression against our borders. On behalf of the ARF, the Central Committee also highly commended and voiced its solidarity with the brave soldiers who unwaveringly defend our border against enemy aggression.
On June 17, three Armenian Army doctors who were visiting Harsnakar restaurant were brutally beaten by bodyguards of Republican Party parliament member Ruben Hayrapetian, who is the owner of the establishment. On Friday, one of the doctors, Major Vahe Avetyan succumbed to his injuries and died in the hospital where he was being treated.
Widespread public outrage and criticism led to Hayrapetian resigning his parliament post, but questions still remain about the impunity with which Armenia’s oligarchic elite operate in Armenia.
It is very sad situation to lose our Army doctors like that.
As long as the ruling party are ex-communist members and are not willing to be civilized, there is no hope for Armenia to be class as a civilized nation. I think the body guard and Hayrapetin should be put in preson and through the key away. During the communist period these people were expecting to reseive a salery fron government to stand in line to buy bread and survive day to day. What happened so many millionars poped up in Armenia. They squeeze blood out of middle and poor class of the citizens. Peter