An Armenian parliamentarian temporarily froze his membership in the Civil Contract party on Wednesday in protest against its treatment of another pro-government lawmaker, only to reverse his stance hours later, pledging renewed allegiance to the ruling party.
The lawmaker in question, Hakob Aslanyan, initially suspended his membership after the party expelled Hovik Aghazaryan, a fellow deputy, from its ranks and launched a criminal investigation against him. Aghazaryan had resisted a resignation request from Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, sent via text message on November 17. The dispute escalated when Pashinyan shared transcripts of Aghazaryan’s private communications—seized from his confiscated phone—with senior party officials.
The Civil Contract board accused Aghazaryan of leaking classified information to the media, a charge he denies. Speaking to Factor.am, Aslanyan criticized the party for allegedly exploiting Aghazaryan’s private data for political purposes. He claimed to have reviewed the transcripts himself and found no evidence of state secrets or national security threats.
“This is about justice,” Aslanyan said, explaining his decision to suspend his membership for a month. He warned he might leave the party’s parliamentary group altogether if it failed to provide stronger evidence against Aghazaryan.
The ruling party offered no immediate official response, but Arsen Torosyan, a senior Civil Contract member, labeled Aslanyan’s actions as “political treason.”
Just hours later, Aslanyan issued a Facebook statement retracting his earlier remarks, calling them “emotional and wrong.” He pledged to continue working within Civil Contract and align with its decisions.
In an unusual twist, Aslanyan briefly posted a screenshot of private correspondence with High-Technology Industry Minister Mkhitar Hayrapetyan, revealing that Hayrapetyan had drafted the statement. The minister later confirmed he “helped” the 70-year-old lawmaker craft his message.
It remains unclear what prompted Aslanyan’s rapid reversal. He did not respond to phone calls, and his retraction did not prevent Civil Contract’s parliamentary group from ousting him later that evening. Despite this, Aslanyan has refused to relinquish his parliamentary seat.
Prime Minister Pashinyan weighed in on the controversy, signaling that “political, moral, and other levers” would be employed to unseat Aghazaryan. Legally, this can only be achieved by stripping him of his parliamentary immunity, prosecuting him, and securing a conviction.
The turmoil follows a broader shake-up within the government. On November 17, Pashinyan requested the resignations of another pro-government lawmaker and six high-ranking officials from various government and judicial institutions. All complied, with analysts interpreting the move as part of the premier’s strategy to bolster his waning popularity ahead of anticipated general elections in 2026.
Some observers suggest Aslanyan’s initial defiance may have unnerved Pashinyan, raising concerns about dissent within Civil Contract’s ranks. Aslanyan hinted at dissatisfaction among other deputies, stating, “There are those who are broken, those who are upset, and those who believe in fairness but choose to remain silent.”
The incident underscores mounting tensions within the ruling party as it seeks to consolidate power amidst growing public scrutiny.
