Yerevan district chief involved in violent incident resigns

The administrator of Yerevan’s Nor Nork district Tigran Ter-Margaryan announced his resignation on Monday, nearly three weeks after being involved in a brawl in his office.

Ter-Margaryan announced his resignation in City Hall.

Mayor Tigran Avinyan said he appreciated Ter-Margaryan’s decision to step down.

Ter-Margaryan, among several others, is under criminal investigation in connection with the violent incident.

Nor Nork district administration staffers and Arthur Chakhoyan, a local activist and critic of Yerevan authorities, were involved in a fistfight on April 30. The incident took place at the district administration office when Chakhoyan was demanding a meeting with the district chief. The footage of the incident, filmed by a media outlet, shows Nor Nork district chief Tigran Ter-Margaryan, among others, punching Chakhoyan. 

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.