Mesrop Arakelyan, co-founder of the Country to Live party, told reporters after an emergency meeting of the Parakar community council that the murder of Mayor Vоlodya Grigoryan remains unresolved, despite law enforcement claims to the contrary, Panorama.am reports.
“The identification or confession of the suspected killer doesn’t mean the crime is solved. It is clear this was an organized, premeditated murder. There are many questions and concerns that law enforcement must investigate: who helped, who planned it, whether there were masterminds involved, and if others had prior knowledge,” Arakelyan said.
He noted that the Unity alliance holds the majority in the council and was responsible for electing Onik Hakhverdyan as the new community head.
“Our team has no internal tensions or issues. Of course, there are serious concerns among residents about the situation following Grigoryan’s murder. It is difficult to work without him, but his ideas and plans compel us to act with even greater responsibility,” Arakelyan added.
Asked whether the absence of Civil Contract and National Progress factions from council meetings could trigger a crisis, Arakelyan responded that he sees no such risk. He noted that of the council’s 21 members, 12 belong to their bloc, which constitutes a majority. The day’s meeting was held with all 12 present, and previous boycotts had not been formally recognized.
Following the election of the new mayor, Mane Tandilyan stated in an interview with Aysor.am that identifying the killer does not mean the entire crime has been solved.
“We will go all the way. Everyone involved in this crime will be held accountable, whether by their silence, their complicity, or their logistical support. Whether it happens today or tomorrow doesn't matter. To take the life of someone like Volodya Grigoryan… They won’t get away with it,” she said, adding, “Volodya’s mission isn’t over.”
She emphasized that Grigoryan’s legacy and authority are so powerful that the community will continue to flourish in his name. “His reputation is such that the Parakar community will bloom under his name,” Tandilyan said.
On the night of September 23 in Merdzavan, a masked and gloved individual approached three people behind the newly built home of Mayor Grigoryan, opened fire, and fled. Grigoryan and Karen Abrahamyan, an officer of Armenia’s General Department of Criminal Intelligence who was off duty at the time, were killed. A third man, Artsrun Galstyan, was wounded.
On September 26, Narek Ohanyan, a relative of Civil Contract member and former Merdzavan mayor Mher Akhtoyan and the brother of murder victim Grigor Ohanyan, was arrested. On September 28, Gevorg Harutyunyan was also detained. He confessed to the shooting, and the murder weapon was recovered.
