In a recent development, tensions between Armenia’s government and the Armenian Apostolic Church escalated as church supporters protested against Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan. The protest underscored ongoing grievances over perceived government encroachments on religious freedoms.
The demonstration coincided with a session of the Council of Europe, where Mirzoyan faced scrutiny. British Conservative MP Sir Edward Leigh interrogated him, hinting at potential breaches of freedom of speech and religion by the Armenian authorities.
Since Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s rise to power during the 2018 “Velvet Revolution,” his administration’s relationship with the Church has soured. The situation deteriorated further after Armenia’s defeat in the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and subsequent territorial losses to Azerbaijan between 2023 and 2024.
Catholicos Karekin II, the spiritual leader of the Church, has openly criticized the government’s foreign policy, aligning himself with opposition movements. In response, the government has targeted dissent, reportedly detaining up to half of the Church’s bishops.
Among those detained is Archbishop Mikael Ajapahyan, who received a two-year prison sentence in September. Authorities cited his calls for a coup, including one statement to News.am: “I called for a coup to save the country from this madman, they are not saving it, they are also guilty of all this. This is not just a call, it must be done.”
Protesters have accused Pashinyan of engaging in “political persecution,” claiming such actions erode democracy and public trust. They have urged for an immediate halt to political repression within Armenia.
Pashinyan has defended his administration’s stance, arguing that efforts are underway to shield the Church from “anti-Christian” and “anti-state” elements. He envisions a “real, pure, and state-centred Church,” a move that drew comparisons to a Soviet-era dictatorship by critics.
During a Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe meeting, Sir Edward Leigh challenged Mirzoyan on these issues, referring to the Armenian Apostolic Church as “one of the last bastions of independent thought” in Armenia. He accused Pashinyan of constructing a compliant church, stating, “How is this anything other than a violation of the democratic rights of freedom of religion and freedom of speech that the Council of Europe is supposed to uphold?”
Mirzoyan refuted Leigh’s claims, dismissing them as “rumour” and asserting, “There is no persecution of clergymen in Armenia.” He acknowledged that some Armenian citizens have called for violent regime change and noted, “The very sad reality in Armenia [is] we do have some clergymen who did this.”
This article was originally written by www.christiantoday.com
