Scuffle erupts in Armenian parliament

PanARMENIAN.Net - A debate in Armenia’s National Assembly turned into a dramatic confrontation during discussions on lifting parliamentary immunity and detaining opposition Armenia bloc MP Artur Sargsyan.

After Sargsyan’s speech, tensions escalated, prompting the entrance of security personnel into the chamber. “You’re already arresting me—what more do you want?” Sargsyan reportedly said, according to Aysor.am .

Unidentified individuals were also seen entering the chamber. A verbal altercation soon erupted between aides from the ruling Civil Contract party and those linked to Levon Kocharyan. The dispute escalated into a physical scuffle involving opposition and pro-government MPs, both inside and outside the hall.

Following a brief de-escalation, special police forces entered the building to detain Artur Sukoyan, an aide to Levon Kocharyan.

During this chaos, Sargsyan attempted to leave the chamber to briefly see his family before being taken into custody. According to MP Kristine Vardanyan, Civil Contract MP Vahe Ghalumyan chased after him and allegedly tried to assault him from behind.

Several other MPs reportedly followed Ghalumyan, and a large number of security staff entered the chamber as the situation grew more chaotic.

Amid the confusion, lawmakers noticed a man in the chamber who was not an MP. “Who is this? A stranger. Who are you to speak to a deputy like that?” opposition MPs asked. The man then ran out of the chamber.

He was later identified as Civil Contract member Arman Barkhudaryan, former head of the Malatia-Sebastia district and current member of the party’s regional council. Barkhudaryan has previously attracted media attention after being detained by the National Security Service.

Deputy Speaker Hakob Arshakyan commented on the incident, accusing the opposition of deliberate provocation.

According to Armenpress, he stated: “It became clear that the opposition’s aim is to continuously escalate the situation. Artur Sargsyan delivered a speech with various accusations regarding his alleged crimes but refused to answer questions. This was an organized attempt to avoid accountability.”

Arshakyan added that the outcome was predictable and that from the moment Sargsyan tried to leave the chamber, opposition MPs began provocative actions intended to unsettle others.

He called on all MPs to refrain from provocations, maintain order, and follow legal procedures.