Yerevan, June 28 — Armenia's escalating political crisis deepened on Friday as security forces attempted to arrest a senior cleric accused of plotting to overthrow the government, sparking clashes outside the historic spiritual center of the Armenian Apostolic Church in Etchmiadzin.
According to Armenian media reports, police scuffled with supporters gathered outside the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin—widely regarded as the spiritual heart of Armenian Christianity—when they attempted to detain Archbishop Mikael Ajapahyan. Footage circulating on local news sites showed officers jostling with a crowd blocking access to the cathedral grounds.
The standoff ended when security forces withdrew, and Archbishop Ajapahyan reportedly agreed to meet with officials from the Armenian Investigative Committee to address the allegations. A court is expected to determine whether he will be held in custody pending further investigation.
The confrontation comes just two days after Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan, a prominent cleric and vocal government critic, was arrested alongside 13 others on similar charges of conspiring to overthrow Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s administration. Both archbishops have denied any wrongdoing.
Church–State Relations at Breaking Point
Friday’s events have drawn sharp condemnation from the Armenian Apostolic Church, which issued a statement calling the attempted arrest a grave injustice. “This day will remain in the modern history of our people as a day of national shame due to the disgraceful actions of the Armenian authorities against the Armenian Church,” the statement read.
The arrests mark a new low in the already strained relationship between Armenia’s political leadership and the Church, which retains significant moral and cultural authority in the country.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who came to power in 2018 through a wave of anti-corruption street protests, has accused elements within the clergy of conspiring with former oligarchs to destabilize his administration. Speaking earlier this week, Pashinyan alleged that authorities had successfully foiled what he described as a “large and sinister plan by the criminal-oligarchic clergy” to seize control of the government.
Political Backdrop: War Losses and Public Discontent
Pashinyan’s leadership has faced mounting criticism since Armenia’s defeat in the 2020 war with Azerbaijan over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region. The loss of territory and subsequent surrender agreements have sparked public anger and led to calls from within both the political opposition and the church for his resignation.
The pressure intensified in 2023 when Azerbaijan reasserted full control over Nagorno-Karabakh, effectively dissolving decades of de facto autonomy enjoyed by its ethnic Armenian population. The fallout from the conflict has eroded public trust in Pashinyan’s government and reignited debates over Armenia’s national security and foreign policy direction.
A Volatile Path Ahead
With a national election on the horizon and opposition forces regrouping, the deepening rift between Armenia’s secular government and its powerful religious institution threatens to further destabilize an already fragile political landscape in the South Caucasus.
Legal proceedings against the detained clergy are expected to continue in the coming days. Meanwhile, human rights advocates and international observers are closely monitoring developments amid concerns over political repression and the state of democratic freedoms in the post-Soviet republic.
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