13 Facts About Karen Demirchyan

Karen Serobi Demirchyan was a Soviet and Armenian politician who served as President of the National Assembly in 1999 until he was killed in the Armenian parliament shooting.

Karen Demirchyan had been the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Armenia from 1974 to 1988.

Karen Demirchyan decided on a career in engineering, and took up studies at the Yerevan Polytechnical Institute in 1949.

Karen Demirchyan returned to work as chief engineer of the Yerevan Electrotechnical Factory and later director.

However, Karen Demirchyan failed to quell popular demonstrations in Armenia calling for Nagorno-Karabakh to be transferred to Armenian jurisdiction, even siding with the protesters.

Karen Demirchyan lost the support of the Moscow Kremlin leadership and was removed "on health grounds" in May 1988.

Karen Demirchyan kept out of politics and was a half-forgotten figure from the past, until his surprise reemergence into politics in 1998.

Karen Demirchyan later formed the People's Party, teaming up with defense minister Vazgen Sargsyan to form the Miasnutyun alliance to contest the May 1999 parliamentary elections.

Karen Demirchyan was overwhelmingly elected President of the National Assembly in June 1999.

Karen Demirchyan was buried at Komitas Pantheon which is located in the city center of Yerevan.

Karen Demirchyan was married with two sons, one of whom, Stepan Karen Demirchyan, became a politician in Armenia after its independence in 1991.

Karen Demirchyan was buried in a decorative tomb at the Komitas Pantheon, a cemetery in Yerevan where Armenia's most prominent artists and musicians have been buried.

Karen Demirchyan posthumously received the honorary title National Hero of Armenia.