“Aravot” sees a clear link between the approaching elections and an upsurge in high-profile killings in the country. “Because in this pre-election struggle money is the goal, now is the time to accumulate money and power and to distribute and re-distribute those resources before decisive battles,” editorializes the paper. “The money is used for vote bribes, while power is needed for making administrative levers and local criminal groups serve one’s own interests.” Shootings and attacks on journalists are inevitable in these circumstances, says the paper.

“Haykakan Zhamanak” reports that the investigation into the killing of senior tax official Shahen Hovasapian is led by Armenia’s National Security Service. “The theory that Hovasapian’s killing may be the result of intra-government or, more precisely, intra-clan clashes seems the most realistic one,” says the paper. It refers to Hovasapian as the “shadow head of the State Taxation Service.”

Several Shocking Murders Committed in Armenia in 2006

06.09.2006 14:05 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Several shocking murders were committed in Yerevan in 2006. Sedrak Zatikyan, the elder of the Malatia-Sebastia community and the son of RA NA member, late Vahan Zatikyan, was killed in Yerevan June 22.

Well-known entrepreneur, head of the Organization of Children’s Rights Protection Alexander Givoyev was killed on Ashtarak-Gyumri highway August 8.

Director of “Merci” bijouterie shop Armen Grigoryan was found dead in his flat with his hands and feet tied August 9.

Head of the local administration Tigran Petrosyan of Dalar village (Ararat region) was shot dead August 30 by former head of the village administration Gegham Badalyan, who was later arrested.

The service car of Shahen Hovasapyan, the head of the operating and investigating department of RA State Tax Service, exploded in the center of Yerevan, September 6 at about 10 a.m. local time. Shahen Hovasapyan died immediately.

According to the statistics, the crime growth in Armenia during the initial half of 2006 made 9.9%, reported newsarmenia.ru.

http://www.panarmenian.net/news/eng/?nid=19114

Senior tax official killed in Armenia

06/ 09/ 2006

YEREVAN, September 6 (RIA Novosti) - A senior tax official in Armenia has been killed in an apparent car bombing, the press office of the Tax Service said Wednesday.

According to preliminary data, Shagen Ovasepyan, the head of the operations and investigative department of the State Tax Service, died at the scene, the press office said.

The bomb went off Wednesday morning when Ovasepyan was leaving his home in the center of Yerevan, Armenia’s capital.

As does PanArmenian.net:

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The service car belonging to Shahen Hovasapyan, the head of the operating and investigating department of RA State Tax Service, exploded in Baryon street, Yerevan, September 6 at about 10 a.m. local time. Shahen Hovasapyan died immediately; his driver was gravely injured. The crime is being investigated by the Armenian Office of Prosecutor General, reported IA Regnum.

And, in this story and this one, Arminfo:

EXPLOSION IN CENTER OF YEREVAN

Yerevan, September 6. ArmInfo. A GAZ-31 car (005 LL03) was blown up on Byron Street, in the center of Yerevan 10:00 AM.

ArmInfo correspondent has found out that the car belongs to ARF Dashnaktsoutyun party member, the head of department of the Tax Service of Armenia Shahen Hovasapyan, better known as “little Shahen.” The car was heavily damaged. The police have found traces blood on the scene but refuse yet to specify what has happened to Hovasapyan.

AS A RESULT OF EXPLOSION OF CAR , HEAD OF OPERATIVE DEPARTMENT OF RA TAX SERVICE DIED, ACCORDING TO YET UNCONFIRMED DATA

Yerevan, September 6. ArmInfo. According to yet unconfirmed data, the head of the Operative Department of RA Tax Service, Shahen Hovasapyan, has died as a result of explosion of a car GAZ-31 in the center of Yerevan. S. Hovasapyan’s body-guard and the driver are wounded.

To be reminded, a car GAZ-31, which belongs to the Head of the Operative Department of RA Tax Service, Shahen Hovasapyan, was exploded today morning at 9:30 - 10:00 AM in the Bayron Street. According to the eye-witnesses , an explosive assembly actuated when the driver started the car. There is an information that Hovasapyan is the member of ARF Dashnaktsutiun.

A1 Plus’ web site is now back to being updated after being forced to close down during their forced eviction from their previous office by the authorities. Of course, today’s news is also covered albeit in brief.

MURDER AT THE CENTER OF YEREVAN

06 September, 2006

On September 6 at about 10:00 a.m. Shahen Hovasapyan, Head of the Operative Investigation Department of the Governmental Tax Agency, was murdered at the center of Yerevan. Shahen Hovasapyan’s office car was blown up near the Komitas Park. Hovasapyan died at once, whereas his driver was severely injured.