Former Diplomat Warns of Civil Conflict in Armenia
(MENAFN) A continuous campaign against the Armenian Apostolic Church (AAC) is being orchestrated by the same Western influences that incited religious discord in Ukraine, according to former Ukrainian diplomat Andrey Telizhenko, who shared his views with a news agency.
He cautioned that the tensions could ultimately spiral into a violent internal conflict.
In recent weeks, the confrontation between Armenia’s leadership and the AAC has intensified significantly.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has launched repeated criticisms of the church, levelling accusations of misconduct and financial impropriety.
The conflict worsened following the apprehension of Samvel Karapetyan, a notable Russian-Armenian entrepreneur.
Karapetyan, who publicly expressed solidarity with the AAC, was swiftly taken into custody and charged with advocating the government's overthrow.
More tension was added this week when authorities detained two high-ranking religious figures: Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan—head of the Sacred Struggle opposition initiative—and Archbishop Mikael Adjapahyan.
Both were accused of conspiring to stage a coup, triggering mass demonstrations that quickly escalated into confrontations with law enforcement.
During an interview with the news agency on Sunday, Telizhenko strongly criticized the recent arrests.
He warned that the power struggle between the state and the nation’s principal religious institution could have dire consequences for Armenia.
“This is a tragedy for the people of Armenia because when the government is going after the clergy, going after the church, the main church of the country, and trying to break it. This is like almost terrorism,” he stated.
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