Brawls, Threats, and Arrests: Armenia’s Parliament Erupts in Political Chaos

Armenia’s parliament was in chaos this week as tensions between the ruling Civil Contract party and the opposition “Armenia” faction exploded into a physical brawl during a heated session. The drama unfolded while lawmakers debated whether to strip opposition MP Artur Sargsyan of his parliamentary immunity and allow his arrest on charges linked to an alleged coup attempt.

The incident was a dangerous escalation in the country’s deepening political crisis. Video footage and eyewitness accounts confirm that members of the ruling party physically attacked opposition lawmakers, used offensive slurs, and disrupted the session with violent outbursts.

The session began with Sargsyan addressing parliament. Calm but defiant, he told lawmakers that the outcome was already decided. “Everything is already predetermined,” he said, before announcing that he would rather spend his remaining time with his wife and four children at church than remain in a chamber that had already made up its mind. He said he would voluntarily report to the Investigative Committee.

As Sargsyan left the hall, he was allegedly assaulted by ruling party MP Vahe Ghalumyan. Other members of the Civil Contract faction joined in, throwing punches and shouting insults. A senior ruling party MP, Artur Hovhannisyan, even threatened to “rip off” a fellow lawmaker’s neck and hurled a glass bottle—only for it to hit his own colleague.

Opposition lawmaker Kristine Vardanyan later reported that unknown individuals entered the parliamentary chamber after Sargsyan’s exit. She accused them of trying to physically intimidate MPs. One ruling party member claimed the intruders were parliamentary assistants.

Security officers had to intervene multiple times. At one point, they attempted to forcibly remove the assistant of opposition MP Levon Kocharyan, son of former President Robert Kocharyan, from the building—acting under reported orders from the parliament’s chief of staff.

The Human Rights Defender of Armenia, Anahit Manasyan, issued a rare public condemnation, warning that parliament must never become a “battlefield.” She called for new rules to uphold ethical behavior and prevent violence among lawmakers.

Despite the mayhem, the ruling Civil Contract majority voted to approve the motion allowing Sargsyan’s arrest. He had already arrived at the Investigative Committee by the time the result was announced. Prosecutors claim he was involved in a coup plot allegedly led by Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan and 14 others—all of whom deny the charges.

This vote came just one day after parliament lifted the immunity of two other opposition lawmakers—Seyran Ohanyan and Artsvik Minasyan—on separate corruption charges. Both men reject the accusations. Critics say these actions are part of a broader crackdown on political dissent and an effort to silence opponents of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s government.

Pashinyan’s conflict with the Armenian Apostolic Church is a key backdrop to this political drama. In recent months, the prime minister has made moves seen as attempts to weaken the Church’s leadership. Archbishop Mikael Ajapahyan, another outspoken cleric, was arrested on June 27 on charges of inciting violence against the state.

The escalating arrests and criminal cases have raised concerns among civil society groups and opposition parties about the future of democracy in Armenia. Many see the prosecutions as politically motivated, especially after Pashinyan publicly vowed to imprison Ohanyan weeks before the charges were formally brought.

With physical violence now breaking out in parliament and tensions rising between government institutions and the Church, the country appears to be entering a new and volatile phase in its political life. The scenes in parliament have shocked many Armenians, but for critics of the government, they are just the latest sign that the ruling party is determined to crush all opposition—no matter the cost.

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