Ombudsperson calls for preventative mechanisms after mayor, off-duty officer shot dead

Ombudsperson Anahit Manasyan has strongly condemned the killings of Parakar Mayor Volodya Grigoryan and an off-duty police officer.

Grigoryan and one of his close friends, identified as off-duty police officer Karen Abrahamyan, were shot dead near Parakar, just outside Yerevan, around midnight on Tuesday. Another person was wounded. Police have launched a criminal investigation into the murders.

Manasyan described the shooting as a “tragic incident” and stated that “such grave crimes undermine public safety and endanger the guarantees of the rule of law.”

She called for a comprehensive and objective investigation to ensure those responsible are held accountable.

“The state must have proper mechanisms to prevent such incidents and must continuously improve them,” the ombudsperson said, expressing condolences to the families of the victims.