6 arrested after fistfight involving district administration staffers, activist in Yerevan

6 persons have been arrested in connection with the brawl at the Nor Nork district administration office on Wednesday, authorities said.

The Ministry of Interior told Armenpress that materials are being prepared for an investigation.

Nor Nork district administration staffers and Arthur Chakhoyan, a local activist and critic of Yerevan authorities, were involved in a fistfight that was filmed by a news outlet. The incident took place at the district administration office. The footage of the incident shows Nor Nork district chief Tigran Ter-Margaryan, among others, punching Chakhoyan. 

Authorities did not immediately release the identities of those arrested.

Yerevan City Hall earlier released a statement condemning the incident. It said that any kind of violence is unacceptable. 

The Nor Nork district administration officials accused Chakhoyan of insults, provocation and defamation. The activist denied this. In the footage of the incident, he told a district staffer “I haven’t insulted anyone.” 

“You are not a good guy,” a district administration staffer told the activist when he was trying to meet with the district chief at his office. “You are the one who is not a good guy,” he responded. An unidentified man is then seen pushing Chakhoyan, which then escalated the situation into a fistfight.