Hakob Aslanyan Presents Incident in Public Transport

“Are you serious?” responded Hakob Aslanyan, a member of the ruling Civil Contract party, today in the National Assembly regarding journalists' claims about an incident in public transport involving himself the day before, where it was alleged that he had struck a young man.

“First of all, an investigation is underway. That young man has crossed all boundaries and must be held accountable before the law,” he stated.

Describing the incident, the parliamentarian said: “It is clear, I was getting on to pay and get off, and he blocked my way and started using language that is unacceptable. Even in that situation, I told him to let me through, but he wouldn’t allow it. At that moment, I pushed him aside and passed. That's it. There will be a legal assessment of this. It was a directed approach.”

In response to a remark that when Alen Simonian had spat on a citizen, it was portrayed as an emotional outburst, Aslanyan answered, “This is not an emotional outburst, it is a clear premeditated approach. These are different domains. I am sitting calmly, I come to get off, he blocks my path and starts insulting me. His lawyers say we live in a democratic country. But in democracy, your rights end where my rights begin. One cannot say, ‘I have the right to do this,’ while questioning my rights.”

“Secondly, he had no right to film; filming means invading my personal space. They say that in all of Europe, paparazzi film, and I said, ‘That’s why they get beaten up.’ Yes, let him speak, let him say something, but he was filming,” he added.

It should be noted that yesterday, an incident occurred in public transport involving MP Hakob Aslanyan and activist Samvel Vardanyan, which was accompanied by mutual insults. A criminal case has been initiated regarding the incident, and the young man who allegedly insulted the parliamentarian has been arrested.

The incident was also addressed by the Speaker of the National Assembly, Alen Simonian.