Activist accuses deputy speaker of discrimination, files criminal complaint

Civic and political activist Edgar Ghazaryan has filed a criminal complaint with Armenia’s chief prosecutor, accusing Deputy National Assembly Speaker Hakob Arshakyan of discrimination.

In a social media post on Saturday, Ghazaryan said that Arshakyan refused to meet with him during a reception for citizens on May 16, citing political bias as the reason. He claimed this act constituted a violation of Article 203.2 of Armenia’s Criminal Code, which addresses discrimination.

Ghazaryan, a vocal critic of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan who has called for his impeachment, said a similar complaint had recently been lodged against another deputy speaker, Ruben Rubinyan.

He urged Prosecutor General Anna Vardapetyan to initiate proceedings to strip the deputies of parliamentary immunity to allow for their prosecution.

Ghazaryan framed the move as part of his campaign to remove members of what he described as the ruling “enemy group".