Paruyr Ayrikyan Armenian statesman. Date of Birth: 05.07.1949 Country: Armenia

1. Early Life and Education
2. Political Incarceration and Activism
3. Leadership and Political Involvement
4. Later Career and Presidential Candidacy

Early Life and Education

Paruyr Hayrikyan, an Armenian statesman, was born on July 5, 1949, in Yerevan, Armenia. From 1956 to 1966, he attended the Nubarashen Secondary School. He then enrolled at the Yerevan Polytechnic Institute from 1966 to 1969 while working as an electrician at a knitwear factory.

Political Incarceration and Activism

In 1969, Hayrikyan's political activism led to his arrest and imprisonment for four years in Mordovia. Upon his return to Yerevan in 1973, he was placed under administrative surveillance. In 1974, he received a two-year sentence for violating his probation and was imprisoned in the KGB investigation prison.

In 1987, Hayrikyan returned to Yerevan and co-founded the National Self-Determination party. In February 1988, he accused the USSR authorities of organizing the Sumgait pogroms against the Armenian population, resulting in his loss of citizenship and exile to Ethiopia.

Leadership and Political Involvement

From 1988 to 1992, Hayrikyan served as the leader of the National-Popular Movement of the USSR and was elected chairman of the international organization Democracy and Independence. He became a deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the Armenian SSR from 1990 to 1995, where he served on the commission for establishing state independence and national policy.

From 1992 to 1993, Hayrikyan served as the commander of the Goris District, ensuring the protection and resettlement of refugees to the Syunik region. He was elected to parliament from 1995 to 1999 and served as the leader of the National Self-Determination party.

Later Career and Presidential Candidacy

From 1998 to 1999, Hayrikyan chaired the commission tasked with preparing constitutional amendments for the Armenian president. He also served as the chairman of the Armenian Human Rights Commission from 1999 to 2002. Since 2002, he has led the United Self-Determination party.

In February 2003, Hayrikyan ran for President of Armenia but was not elected.