One person has been detained after government critic and activist Artur Chakhoyan was reportedly beaten in Yerevan.
The attack was first reported by Mesrop Manukyan, a member of the opposition Mother Armenia faction of the Yerevan City Council on Monday evening. According to him, Chakhoyan was assaulted over a social media post in which he accused the city government of ignoring a large market being built without a valid construction permit.
‘Under the nose of the Nor Nork administrative district administration, without a construction permit, a huge market is being built, demolishing the sidewalk, and the sidewalk is not being restored by the demolisher, but by the Yerevan Municipality, with the taxes paid by the people’, Chakhoyan said in a Facebook video.
The Interior Ministry told Factor TV that they had received a report regarding physical abuse and that officers of the Nor Nork police department had arrested one person.
‘Measures are being taken to identify the other participants in the incident’, said Narek Sargsyan, a spokesperson for the ministry. No further details were provided regarding the one detainee or the ongoing investigation.
Previously, in May, criminal proceedings were launched after the head of the Nor Nork district, Tigran Ter-Margaryan, and his employees attacked Chakhoyan.
Chakhoyan was visiting the district’s administration to arrange a meeting with Ter-Margaryan, where he was approached by a member of the administration who suggested they 'talk' without cameras.
Tensions escalated shortly after the same man remarked that Chakhoyan was ‘not a good man’. Immediately afterwards, another individual pushed Chakhoyan, triggering the scuffle. A group of men, including Ter-Margaryan, proceeded to attack Chakhoyan.
Following the incident, six people, including Chakhoyan — but not Ter-Margaryan — were detained; however, the activist was later released and was hospitalised.
In October 2023, Chakhoyan was reportedly attacked by three people a day before the vote to appoint the ruling party’s candidate for mayor.
OC Media
