The Special Investigative Service Closes the Case Against Gegham Manukyan

The Special Investigative Service (SIS) has closed the criminal case against Gegham Manukyan, a member of the 'Armenia' parliamentary faction, related to the skirmish that took place in the National Assembly on December 25.

Gegham Manukyan stated in an interview with NEWS.am that he was informed by the SIS yesterday about the closure of the case. 'I don’t even know what grounds they used to close it, as I was not interested in this criminal case. What interested me was that the SIS, for three years serving only Nikol Pashinyan, has once again violated the law and did not initiate a criminal case regarding the mass hooliganism organized and provoked by Nikol Pashinyan on August 25, and did not provide a legal assessment of that incident,' he said.

Manukyan accused Nikol Pashinyan of provoking mass hooliganism in the National Assembly and inciting the ruling majority to participate in that hooliganism. He emphasized that mass hooliganism occurred, and in order to prevent further legal proceedings for the sake of Nikol Pashinyan, the SIS did not initiate a criminal case.

It should be noted that on August 25, during the discussion of the government program, a dispute occurred among the deputies. During the speech of 'Armenia' faction deputy Vahe Hakobyan, the ruling party deputies reacted from their seats, after which a scuffle began among the deputies. 'Civil Contract' faction deputy Vahagn Aleksanyan came down from his seat and kicked Hakobyan, followed by attacks from Hayk Sargsyan and Vahe Qalumyan from the ruling party. It can be seen in the footage how Vahe Qalumyan strikes Hakobyan from behind. During the brawl, injuries were also sustained by Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Ishkhan Saghatelyan and 'Armenia' faction deputy Gegham Nazaryan.

The SIS initiated a criminal case only regarding the episode of the assault on deputy Gegham Manukyan.