13:56, 31 March 2023

YEREVAN, MARCH 31, ARMENPRESS. The Investigative Committee of Armenia said Friday afternoon that it is investigating a report of an alleged fistfight between lawmakers in parliament. 

In a statement, Investigative Committee spokesperson Gor Abrahamyan said detectives are investigating the alleged incident.

“At this moment I can only say that one of the Members of Parliament has been taken to the police precinct, while another Member of Parliament has sought medical attention at a hospital,” he added.

Parliament Majority Leader Hayk Konjoryan earlier said that Mher Sahakyan, an opposition MP representing the Hayastan faction, assaulted MP Vladimir Vardanyan, the Chairman of the State-Legal Affairs Committee of Parliament representing the ruling Civil Contract, during a committee session. Konjoryan said Vardanyan suffered injuries, while Sahakyan left the scene. The ruling party faction leader described the incident as a “shameful hooliganism”.

Meanwhile, Hayastan faction leader Seyran Ohanyan told reporters that police officers escorted Sahakyan to a police precinct.

Ohanyan accused Vardanyan of provoking the fight.

He said that another scuffle began in his office afterwards when officers were about to escort Sahakyan to the precinct when Speaker of Parliament Alen Simonyan entered the room.

Ohanyan accused the police officers of “taking advantage” of Alen Simonyan’s presence and manhandling Mher Sahakyan. “This resulted in chaos in my office," Ohanyan added.

Whether or not Sahakyan is detained wasn't immediately clear.