Analyst`s attacker escapes from jail
An Armenian convicted of attempting an assassination
in Armenia has escaped from prison, local media reported.
No details are available regarding the escape of Arshak Aghababayan, nicknamed Turk Arshak, who is believed to be linked to Azerbaijani secret service agencies.
An Armenian court earlier sentenced Aghababayan to 12 years in jail for masterminding an attempt to kill Levon Melik-Shahnazarian, a well-known political analyst.
Aghababayan, a citizen of Georgia, had lived in the country`s Marneuli region. According to the indictment, Turk Arshak became acquainted with an Azerbaijani named Akhan and then headed to Armenia where he attempted to kill the analyst on Akhan`s orders. After determining Melik-Shahnazarian`s place of residence, he fired a gun at him on April 22, 2008. However, the bullet hit the window frame and ricocheted without injuring Melik-Shahnazarian.
Several days later, Turk Arshak made a phone call to Melik-Shahnazarian, demanding that he spread news about his alleged death, change his name and stop his anti-Azerbaijan media statements threatening, otherwise, to kill him and his family members. Melik-Shahnazarian, who taped the conversation, reported the call to law-enforcement agencies resulting in Turk Arshak being arrested while crossing the Armenia-Georgia border on May 8.
No details are available regarding the escape of Arshak Aghababayan, nicknamed Turk Arshak, who is believed to be linked to Azerbaijani secret service agencies.
An Armenian court earlier sentenced Aghababayan to 12 years in jail for masterminding an attempt to kill Levon Melik-Shahnazarian, a well-known political analyst.
Aghababayan, a citizen of Georgia, had lived in the country`s Marneuli region. According to the indictment, Turk Arshak became acquainted with an Azerbaijani named Akhan and then headed to Armenia where he attempted to kill the analyst on Akhan`s orders. After determining Melik-Shahnazarian`s place of residence, he fired a gun at him on April 22, 2008. However, the bullet hit the window frame and ricocheted without injuring Melik-Shahnazarian.
Several days later, Turk Arshak made a phone call to Melik-Shahnazarian, demanding that he spread news about his alleged death, change his name and stop his anti-Azerbaijan media statements threatening, otherwise, to kill him and his family members. Melik-Shahnazarian, who taped the conversation, reported the call to law-enforcement agencies resulting in Turk Arshak being arrested while crossing the Armenia-Georgia border on May 8.
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