Brawl Erupts in Armenia National Assembly Over Gender Ministry Remark
Armenian lawmakers engaged in a physical fight during a parliamentary session after a ruling party member mocked an opposition leader's family.
A mass brawl broke out in the National Assembly of Armenia on Thursday during a debate regarding the election of an Audit Chamber member. The conflict began when Taron Chakhoyan, a member of the ruling Civil Contract party, criticized opposition leader Narek Karapetyan. Chakhoyan specifically referenced a controversial proposal by Karapetyan's cousin to create a ministry intended to satisfy women, a remark that triggered a verbal altercation.
The exchange escalated into a physical confrontation involving punches and kicks that spread from the main chamber into parliamentary corridors. Injuries included a bloody nose for MP Andranik Gevorgyan and torn clothing for MP Ruben Mkhitaryan. Security personnel eventually removed members of the Strong Armenia faction from the building.
Parliament Speaker Ruben Rubinyan initially refused to call a recess, stating he wanted the public to see the events via live broadcast. He eventually suspended the session after a ruling party lawmaker was knocked to the floor. Rubinyan held Karapetyan primarily responsible for the violence, accusing him of failing to control his emotions and attempting to hit Chakhoyan.
