Mikael Danielyan Assaulted, Attacked

Unzipped: Gay Armenia reports that a local human rights activist was verbally and physically assaulted in Yerevan today as well as shot at with a gas pistol. The assault was reportedly carried out by the former leader of a pro-establishment party who accused the activist of being a “CIA agent who defends the interests of gays.”

This assault was carried out by former leader of “Armenian Progressive Party” Tigran Urikhanian. He allegedly called Mikael Danielyan “CIA agent who defends the interests of gays” (in Armenian this verbal assault sounds even more disgusting “????? ?, ????????? ?????, ????-????? ????, ???????????? ?? ???????????”). […] Luckily, Mikael Danielyan did not get seriously injured.

Whether Armenian judiciary will conduct proper investigation of this apparent hate crime, physical and verbal assaults towards prominent human rights activist, and whether those who conducted this crime will get punished, remains to be seen. This should be a test case, including for Armenian Human Rights Ombudsman. I will definitely keep an eye on this story.