Half of Armenian archbishops have been thrown in jail

Campaigners have warned that Christians in Armenia are under increasing pressure from the state, with half of the nation’s archbishops having been imprisoned.

Relations between the Armenian Apostolic Church and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan began breaking down following Armenia’s defeat within the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War of 2020.

The end of the war saw 120,000 Armenians flee the victorious Azerbaijanis and led to protests against the federal government of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.

In response to increasing internal dissent, Pashinyan has been accused of using increasingly authoritarian measures, including fining residents for social media posts. Critics of the federal government have faced threats and even been detained.

Earlier this yr Archbishop Mikael Ajapahyan was arrested on charges of encouraging the overthrow of the federal government by undemocratic means.

Armenian prosecutors point to quite a lot of statements made by the archbishop appearing to call for a coup. In one he told News.am, “I called for a coup to save lots of the country from this madman, they aren’t saving it, also they are guilty of all this. This will not be only a call, it should be done.”

Christian Solidarity International has warned that the federal government is effectively attempting to take control of the church by suggesting the alternative of the church’s leader, Catholicos Karekin II, with a state-run committee.

Pashinyan has not denied this, in reality claiming that he’s attempting to save lots of the church from “anti-Christian” and “anti-state” groups that he says have taken over the church. He has also stated that he wants Karekin removed.

While Karekin stays free, campaigners argue he’s under increasing threat from the federal government, which has imprisoned half of all of the country’s archbishops.

Businessman Samvel Karapetyan, a distinguished supporter of the church, has also been imprisoned for his criticism of Pashinyan. Pashinyan took further motion against Karapetyan by nationalising one in every of his largest assets, the Armenian electricity network.

Conservative peer, Lord Jackson of Peterborough, who’s Vice Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Freedom of Religion or Belief, said, “Armenian Christians are under growing pressure.

“Prime Minister Pashinyan’s government, facing deep public anger, is sliding into authoritarianism: silencing critics, fining residents for social-media posts, and targeting the Armenian Apostolic Church, the nation’s most trusted institution.

“This crackdown on free speech and on the Church is unacceptable. Friends of Armenia must say so clearly: the Armenian people, and their ancient Christian heritage, deserve protection not persecution from their very own government.”