Rights defenders criticize Armenian MPs for brawl in parliament

At a sitting of the Armenian parliament, after a verbal skirmish of MPs from the ruling party with those of the opposition, a mass brawl broke out. The Prime Minister, Nikol Pashinyan, has called the opposition's actions a provocation, while human rights defenders have criticized the ruling party, accusing it of intolerance of opponents.

On May 8, at a session of the parliament, Edmon Marukyan, the head of the oppositional faction of "Enlightened Armenia", got into a verbal skirmish with Babken Tunyan, an MP from the ruling faction "My Step". The latter had mentioned the criticism by Nikol Pashinyan in social networks that citizens with millions on bank accounts had used social support to pay their communal bills. "Social networks began escalating that authorities know banking secrets, and monitor their citizens. Those who think so are either illiterate or villains," the MP from the pro-government party has stated.

Marukyan urged colleagues not to offend opponents. Mikaelyan threatened to "twist his neck," after which a brawl broke out.

Marukyan's actions were a provocation, Premier Pashinyan has stated, also condemning his comrades for succumbing thereto.

Words and behaviour in parliament are an example for the society, said Arman Tatoyan, the Ombudsman. In his opinion, public figures should follow ethical standards in political discussions.

The skirmish in the parliament testifies that along with the revolution, the country failed to make "a revision of values," Zara Ovannisyan, the coordinator of the Coalition "Against Violence to Women", wrote on her Facebook.