General Court of Yerevan Center and Nork Marash communities ruled applying arrest as a measure of restraint against Ara Budaghyan who stands accused of assassination attempt on Syunik Governor Suren Khachatryan.
To note, on July 3 the press-office of National Security Service of Armenia issued a statement, which read that Kapan citizens Garen Atajanyan, Henrikh Avagyan, Goris citizens Vitaly Minasyan and Ara Budaghyan were detained over the case of the attempt upon Syunik mayor Surik Khachatryan. The investigation discovered numerous weapons in the flats of the suspects.
On May 20 shots were fired towards the car of Syunik governor Surik Khachatryan. No harm came to the governor and his driver though 10 bullets were shot in their direction breaking the wind and side windows.
To recall, Khachatryan resigned from the post of the Syunik Governor following shootouts in front of his house on June 2 2013 when the former candidate for Goris mayor Avo Budaghyan was killed and his brother Artak Budaghyan, a commander at a military unit in the NKR was wounded. There was another wounded, Nikolay Arustamyan, a relative and bodyguard of Governor Suren Khachartyan. Syunik Governor Suren Khachatryan's son, Tigran Khachatryan, was arrested over the shootouts. Earlier, the governor's bodyguard Zarzand Nikoghosyan was arrested over the case. However, the Court terminated the case and set free the Governor's son and his friend. The name of Khahcatryan and his relatives are mentioned in many criminal scandals, including, rape, kidnapping and beating. Nevertheless, Khachatryan was re-appointed to his previous position.