Authorities move to prosecute lawmaker for alleged assault

YEREVAN, APRIL 10, ARMENPRESS. Prosecutor-General Anna Vardapetyan has officially asked the Armenian parliament to allow her to bring criminal charges against Member of Parliament Mher Sahakyan for allegedly assaulting another Member of Parliament during a committee session on March 31.

Sahakyan, an opposition MP representing the Hayastan faction, is accused of physically attacking MP Vladimir Vardanyan (Civil Contract), the Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on State-Legal Affairs, during a session of the committee. Vardanyan suffered minor injuries, according to prosecutors.

In a statement released Monday, prosecutors said that Sahakyan’s alleged actions amount to disorderly conduct/infliction of minor bodily injuries under article 297, paragraph 1 and article 171, paragraph 2 of the Criminal Code.

Law enforcement agencies can institute criminal proceedings against a legislator only if parliament gives consent.

Sahakyan claims self-defense.

He claims that during the meeting Vardanyan was about to assault him and that he hit him to avoid getting punched. Vardanyan has denied this version of events and said that Sahakyan made an unprovoked attack.