Take for faith: how Pashinyan turned to the repression of the clergy

The attacks of the Armenian authorities on the clergy of the Armenian Apostolic Church may cause new protests in the republic, experts believe. In particular, on June 25, Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan, the leader of the "Holy Struggle" movement, was detained. He is suspected of preparing terrorist attacks and attempting to forcibly seize power. Earlier, several other representatives of the clergy were arrested in Armenia, as well as Samvel Karapetyan, a Russian businessman and president of the Tashir Group of companies. The political situation in the republic is obviously escalating. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has already called the opponents' actions an "attempted coup." They, in turn, talk about the persecution of the opposition on the eve of the parliamentary elections scheduled for 2026.

The detention of Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan

Armenia has found itself in the epicenter of a new political crisis — security forces have detained Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan, one of the country's most prominent opposition leaders and religious figures. He is accused of preparing terrorist attacks and attempting to forcibly seize power. According to investigators, the "Holy Struggle" movement, led by Galstanyan, allegedly formed strike groups of former military and police officers in order to overthrow the current government. The events have become a new round of tension between the government of Nikol Pashinyan and the Armenian Apostolic Church.

It became known about Galstanyan's detention live: the cleric was taken out of the residence by masked security forces and taken away in an unknown direction. According to Armenian media reports, other members of the clergy, including two priests, were detained on the same day. Supporters of the movement were on duty at the archbishop's house, to whom he managed to say: "Calm down, everything will be fine."

The Investigative Committee of Armenia claims that the supporters of the "Holy Struggle" planned to create detachments of 200-250 people, divided into groups of 25 fighters, each of which would have a specific task. The base of the strike cells, according to the investigators, was supposed to be made up of former military personnel and law enforcement officers. It is also noted that the movement has acquired the necessary funds to implement its plans.

— Archbishop Galstanyan organized the most numerous opposition rallies in Armenia last year. Now we are seeing some decline, because the people who came to the rally wanted a quick change of power, which did not happen. But Pashinyan's radical, repressive methods can eventually lead to an explosion of protest," says Karen Igityan, deputy director of the Armenian Research Institute.

The expert believes that the current arrests are not related to legal issues, but primarily to politics. Karen Igityan noted that the actions of the authorities indicate the desire of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's team to maintain power by any means.

The archbishop's arrest occurred a few days after another public statement by Prime Minister Pashinyan. He referred to the publication of an online resource. civic.am where the opposition's plan to organize a coup was allegedly revealed. In opposition circles, these allegations were called "fake" and the authorities were accused of political repression.

— The split between the government and the church will obviously deepen. There are no prerequisites for establishing a dialogue yet. The conflict between Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Catholicos Karekin II has become very broad and open. I think Galstanyan's detention is another drop in the opposition's patience. Protests are possible. Not specifically because of Galstanyan, but because of dissatisfaction with Pashinyan's policy in general," INF program manager Milan Lazovich told Izvestia.

Earlier, another detention attracted special public attention — Russian businessman of Armenian origin Samvel Karapetyan, head of the Tashir Group of companies. On June 18, he was charged with publicly calling for the seizure of power. The court imprisoned the businessman for two months. Karapetyan does not admit guilt, and his lawyers insist on the political nature of the case.

A few days earlier, the businessman's house in Yerevan had been searched. Hundreds of people gathered at the house, expressing support for Karapetyan, including representatives of the clergy. The businessman's brother then reported the detention of 45 people.

The case is particularly acute due to the fact that Karapetyan is one of the largest benefactors of the Armenian Apostolic Church, with which the Pashinyan authorities have been experiencing a steady conflict in recent years. After his arrest, the businessman publicly accused a "small group" in power of attacking the church and stated the need to protect national values.

Moscow reacted to the situation immediately. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that Russia "will provide Karapetyan with the necessary assistance to ensure that all his legitimate rights are respected."

The conflict between the Armenian authorities and the Church

The confrontation between the government of the country and the Armenian Apostolic Church (AAC) has been going on for several years. Despite the fact that the republic formally remains a secular state, the country's Constitution enshrines the special role of the Armenian Apostolic Church as a national church. More than 90% of the population are Christians, and the influence of the clergy on public life is traditionally great. Nevertheless, under Pashinyan, relations with the church have cooled sharply: the Armenian Orthodox Church consistently criticizes the policy of the authorities, especially in matters related to foreign policy and concessions to Azerbaijan.

According to Karen Igityan, Nikol Pashinyan's attack on the Armenian Apostolic Church is not accidental. According to him, it was prepared in advance and became a continuation of pressure on the country's only remaining independent national institution.

"The reason is that the Armenian Apostolic Church and Catholicos Garegin II personally continue to speak out from Armenian positions, including on the issue of the rights of the Armenians of Artsakh who were subjected to ethnic cleansing by Azerbaijan," the expert noted.

In addition, parliamentary elections are scheduled in the republic in 2026. Although the Church cannot be considered as a political force, it may well urge the population to support the opposition.

— The first thing to note is that everything that is happening is an internal matter of Armenia. But from the outside, it seems that, of course, this is due to the upcoming parliamentary elections in Armenia, which are scheduled to take place next year. One gets the impression that the authorities are actively working with the opposition, which, roughly speaking, means cleansing the political field from the most prominent representatives of dissident political, public or religious circles," said Milan Lazovich.

One of the turning points was in 2024, when Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan led mass protests against the delimitation of the border with Azerbaijan in the Tavush region. Then he organized a pedestrian march from the border villages to the capital, and then held a series of thousands of rallies in Yerevan demanding Pashinyan's resignation. It was from that moment on that Galstanyan became a symbol of the fusion of the opposition movement with the spiritual pillar of society. The authorities accuse him of trying to sway the situation and provoke violence.