In Armenia, law enforcement officers searched the president of Tashir Karapetyan

The Armenian authorities intend to launch legal proceedings against the owner of the Tashir Group company and philanthropist Samvel Karapetyan for supporting the Armenian Apostolic Church (AAC). This was reported on June 17 by the Yerevan edition.Today.

"Currently, law enforcement officers are near Samvel Karapetyan's house in Yerevan, they tried to get inside, but they failed," the newspaper's Telegram channel wrote.

It is specified that searches are being conducted in Karapetyan's mansion in Yerevan, and several people have been detained. Samvel Karapetyan himself is not among the detainees. According to the newspaper, security forces are monitoring the patron's house with the help of drones.

Interior Ministry officers arrived at Karapetyan's house immediately after he made a statement in defense of the Armenian Apostolic Church.

"I will fight for the shrines of the Armenian people with all my might, wherever I am and no matter what happens. I will not allow anyone to tear apart our shrines in pursuit of any goals," Karapetyan said in a statement.

In May, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan began actively criticizing the Armenian Apostolic Church (AAC) and, in particular, accused Catholicos Garegin II, the first hierarch of the AAC, of violating celibacy, calling on him to leave office. The Supreme Spiritual Council of the Armenian Apostolic Church issued a statement saying that Pashinyan had launched "another campaign" against the church, "putting himself above the law," with language, insults and accusations "unbecoming of a statesman."

Karapetyan then stated that a "small group of people" had launched attacks on the Armenian Apostolic Church, forgetting the "thousand-year history" of the country and the church. He added that he "has always been close to the Armenian Church and people" and promised to take a "direct part" in this situation.

From temple to trash: what will Pashinyan's war with the Armenian Church lead to?

The intimate life of bishops was taken care of in Yerevan

On September 10, 2024, the Archbishop of the Shirak Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church declared that the current government in the country was unable to preserve its security and integrity. The primate of the Shirak Diocese drew attention to the growing influence of the church in Armenia, as it shows itself to be an objective party to the popular unrest.