Fight between deputies forces suspension of Armenian Parliament session

A session of the Armenian Parliament ended in a brawl between deputies from the ruling Civil Contract party and opposition lawmakers, after a verbal argument escalated into punches, shoving, and the throwing of objects inside the chamber.

The incident occurred this Thursday, October 29, during a session in which the appointment of a member of the Audit Chamber, the body in charge of overseeing public spending, was being debated.

Tension rose when ruling party deputy Taron Chakhoyan made comments about the family of Narek Karapetyan, leader of the opposition Strong Armenia faction, and recalled a proposal attributed to a relative of his to create a ministry aimed at satisfying women.

Karapetyan responded from his seat and the verbal exchange escalated until several lawmakers stood up and began to physically confront each other. The fight spread among representatives of both political forces, while other deputies tried to separate them.

During the altercation, punches were thrown and chairs were tossed. The footage released of the incident showed several parliamentarians involved in the confrontation, which also spilled over into the hallways of the legislative building.

Injured deputies and security presence

The magnitude of the confrontation made it necessary to request medical assistance. According to Armenian media, an opposition deputy suffered a nosebleed, while another ended up with his clothes torn.

Parliament Speaker Ruben Rubinyan initially refused to interrupt the session and asked the lawmakers to cease the confrontation or return to their seats. However, faced with the escalation of violence, he finally declared a recess and requested the presence of parliamentary security officers.

After the break, the session resumed and Rubinyan held Karapetyan primarily responsible for the start of the confrontation, maintaining that he interrupted Chakhoyan’s speech and lost control of his emotions.

For his part, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan condemned the violence, although he attributed responsibility for the incident to the opposition and backed the actions of his party’s deputies.

The episode once again highlights the tensions between the ruling party and its political adversaries in Armenia, amidst a climate of confrontation that has caused other incidents within Parliament during October.