7 publishers · first seen Wed, 28 Oct 2026 13:40 UTC · updated Fri, 30 Oct 2026 19:28 UTC
Armenia's parliament descended into chaos on Thursday as lawmakers from the ruling Civil Contract party and the opposition Strong Armenia faction engaged in a physical brawl during a session, prompted by remarks from Civil Contract MP Taron Chakhoyan about a comment made by opposition leader Narek Karapetyan's cousin. The confrontation began after Chakhoyan referenced a controversial proposal for a 'ministry to satisfy women' attributed to Sargis Karapetyan, leading to heated exchanges that escalated into a fight involving punches, kicks, and thrown objects, including a chair thrown by Deputy Speaker Vahagn Aleksanyan.
Parliament Speaker Ruben Rubinyan blamed Narek Karapetyan for initiating the clash, stating he reviewed footage and found no offensive language in Chakhoyan's speech, while Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan defended his party's actions, calling the use of a chair 'proportionate and right'. An ambulance arrived following the brawl, with reports of injuries and torn clothing among MPs, and the Human Rights Defender Anahit Manasyan called for a proper investigation into the incident.
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