The Akhalkalak Police Department, in the course of investigating a murder case, is in hot pursuit of one Gurgen Shirinyan. As a result, tensions are running high throughout the town.

The Akhalkalak District Police Department is offering a reward of 10,000 Georgian Lari to anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Gurgen Shirinyan. Neither the District nor Regional Police Departments are providing any information regarding the ongoing case. Their response to queries remains the same, “We are not authorized to provide any information on the matter at hand.”

It all began early on the morning of July 17th. At 4 a.m. an explosion thundered in Queen Tamara Street, close to the house of Samvel Petrosyan, the District Chief of Police. One theory claimed the blast was an explosive device while another said it was the result of a grenade. There were no casualties as a result of the blast with only neighboring windows being shattered.

Immediate suspicion centered on 26 year-old Gurgen Shirinyan, a member of the “Javakh Youth Athletic Union” (JYAU). That same day, at around 7:15 p.m., three police officers arrived at Shirinyan’s home to conduct a search of the premises. During the search Shirinyan allegedly shot and killed one of the officers, Baralet village resident Artur Beroujanyan, Hearing shots being fired from inside, the Police quickly surrounded the Shirinyan house and closed off neighboring streets. According to what neighbors stated, they all believed that it was Gurgen firing the shots in the house but it later turned out that he wasn’t at home at the time.

The Akhalkalak Police Department, in cooperation with other law enforcement agencies, has been searching for Gurgen Shirinyan as of that fateful day. A criminal case involving charges of “murder”, “attempted murder” and “illegal possession of a firearm” has been brought against Shirinyan.

From that day on, residents note that everything taking place in Akhalkalak seems to be connected to the Shirinyan case. All the arrests   occurring in both Akhalkalak and Ninotzminta seem to relate to the ongoing conflict between Police Chief Samvel Petrosyan and members of various local youth organizations. But the matter isn’t restricted to just arrests.

On the morning of July 19th a series of new incidents again jolted residents of Akhalkalak. The first was the murder of another police officer, Armen Gabrielyan. Rumor has it that Gabrielyan committed suicide during a special ops to capture Shirinyan or that he was accidentally killed by gunfire of fellow officers. Here too, official information was not forthcoming.

Already there is talk in the town of the murder of yet another officer, one attached to the Ninotzminta Police Department. The killing of this third officer has yet to be verified.
 All of the talk in Akhalkalak centers around the killings and the whereabouts of Shirinyan and most residents believe that he killed the police officer, who was only 23years-old with a wife a baby child. While residents grieve for the officer they also unanimously state that, “Gurgen should be left alone, that he permitted to go into hiding somewhere.” Akhalkalak residents believe that both sides are at fault in the matter but don’t wish to be quoted making such claims, except for one.

25 year-old S. Petrosyan states that, “Naturally, what has taken place in our city was a tragedy. However, it seems to me that the panic we are experiencing is unfounded. Just look around. Whatever happens is being tied to Shirinyan. I think people are just overreacting.”

Early on the morning of July 21st weapons were allegedly found on the premises housing the JYAU and the offices of the Youth Radio Station as well as at the house of JYAU President Vahagn Chakhalyan. Mr. Chakhalyan was arrested and his brother Armen and father Rouben were taken into custody and charged with illegal weapons possession. This, despite the fact that the numerous searches of both their homes and the radio station offices conducted since  July 17th had turned up nothing of the kind.

Ever since July 17th, the day of the explosion, Akhalkalak residents were quick to recollect the simmering conflict between Police Chief Petrosyan and the JYAU. Vahagn Chakhalyan had been organizing a number of rallies in the town to give voice to the concerns of local residents. However, his run in with Petrosyan started a few years ago and residents state that tensions reached a head a year before last when both Vahagn Chakhalyan and Gurgen Shirinyan were beaten in a Yerevan suburb. After the incident the two were charged with illegally entering Armenia and provisionally sentenced. (The duration of the sentence has since expired). Chakhalyan believes that the Akhalkalak Police Department had a hand in the matter. Thus, most assumed that the July 17th explosion was an act of revenge by the JYAU against Police Chief Petrosyan.

That night, Vahagn Chakhalyan was celebrating his birthday along with some friends. All were immediately questioned after the bombing. It was only Gurgen Shirinyan whom the Police couldn’t locate until later that evening, a fact that resulted in the string of events that haunted him afterwards.

According to 23 year-old Ani M., all this could have been avoided. “It shouldn’t have happened. If a person struggles for an ideal, well that’s their own business. As\\a result, only the innocent were punished. That explosion was a senseless act. Nobody was injured and only some glass was shattered in a house where nobody lived. This entire tragedy happened because of some broken glass.”

Ani continues, “What was it that they couldn’t sort out. Their longstanding enmity resulted in so many innocent people suffering. What’s the sense in that? The only thing we have come to understand is that our Police Department isn’t prepared for such emergency situations. They still haven’t found Gurgen and probably never will.”

Rima Gharibyan, Christina Marabyan
Akhalkalak