Latest news with #GareginII
Observer
a day ago
- Politics
- Observer
Police, clergy scuffle in Armenia as standoff escalates
YEREVAN: A scuffle broke out in Armenia on Friday between clergymen and police, part of an escalating standoff between the influential Church and the Caucasian nation's authorities. The Two sides have been at loggerheads since Catholicos Garegin II — the church's spiritual leader — began calling for Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to resign over Armenia's military defeat to Azerbaijan in 2020. The loss of the disputed Karabakh region to Azerbaijan in 2023, Armenia's arch-foe, has divided the country and escalated the dispute. On Wednesday, the Armenian authorities said they had foiled a coup plot involving a senior cleric who had rallied opposition to Pashinyan and more than a dozen other suspects. The latest confrontation erupted after police arrived at the residence of the head of the Apostolic Church to arrest another senior figure, archbishop Mikael Adjapahyan. He is accused of publicly calling for the government to be overthrown. Masked police attempted to enter the residence of Garegin II to arrest Adjapahyan. Prosecutors had earlier charged him with "public calls aimed at seizing power... and violently overthrowing the constitutional order". Following the scuffle between priests and law enforcement officers, Adjapahyan said he would surrender to police but denied any wrongdoing. "This is a blatant act of lawlessness against me," he said. "I have never been a threat to our country. The real threat sits in government. I won't hide. I'll go with them." But locals and priests closed the gates of the residence, preventing Adjapahyan from leaving the premises and surrendering to police. Armenia's security service said it would deploy additional forces to detain Adjapahyan. Earlier this month, Pashinyan escalated the feud with the church by accusing Garegin II of fathering an illegitimate child and urging believers to oust him. That prompted calls for Pashinyan to be excommunicated. An Armenian court put an influential cleric into two months of pre-trial detention on coup attempt charges, a day after authorities claimed to have foiled a plot to overthrow the government. On Thursday, "a court of general jurisdiction in Yerevan decided to send Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan to a pre-trial detention for a period of two months," one of his lawyers, Hovhannes Khudoyan, told journalists. Armenia's Investigative Committee said the court granted motions for pre-trial detention for all the detained, adding that "15 suspects have been placed in custody". Later on Thursday, Armenia's prosecutor general office announced it had opened a criminal case against another senior cleric. — AFP
The Sun
a day ago
- Politics
- The Sun
Armenia church-police clash escalates over political tensions
YEREVAN: A scuffle broke out in Armenia on Friday between clergymen and police, part of an escalating standoff between the influential Church and the Caucasian nation's authorities. Two sides have been at loggerheads since Catholicos Garegin II -- the church's spiritual leader -- began calling for Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to resign over Armenia's military defeat to Azerbaijan in 2020. The loss of the disputed Karabakh region to Azerbaijan in 2023, Armenia's arch-foe, has divided the country and escalated the dispute. On Wednesday, the Armenian authorities said they had foiled a coup plot involving a senior cleric who had rallied opposition to Pashinyan and more than a dozen other suspects. The latest confrontation erupted after police arrived at the residence of the head of the Apostolic Church to arrest another senior figure, archbishop Mikael Adjapahyan. He is accused of publicly calling for the government to be overthrown. Masked police attempted to enter the residence of Garegin II to arrest Adjapahyan. Prosecutors had earlier charged him with 'public calls aimed at seizing power... and violently overthrowing the constitutional order'. Following the scuffle between priests and law enforcement officers, Adjapahyan said he would surrender to police but denied any wrongdoing. 'This is a blatant act of lawlessness against me,' he said. 'I have never been a threat to our country. The real threat sits in government. I won't hide. I'll go with them.' But locals and priests closed the gates of the residence, preventing Adjapahyan from leaving the premises and surrendering to police. Armenia's security service said it would deploy additional forces to detain Adjapahyan. Earlier this month, Pashinyan escalated the feud with the church by accusing Garegin II of fathering an illegitimate child and urging believers to oust him. That prompted calls for Pashinyan to be excommunicated.
Int'l Business Times
4 days ago
- Politics
- Int'l Business Times
Armenia PM Says Foiled 'Sinister' Coup Plot By Senior Cleric
Armenia's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Wednesday said security forces had foiled a coup plot involving a senior cleric, amid his escalating standoff with the leadership of the powerful Apostolic Church. Pashinyan has been at loggerheads with senior clerics since 2020, when Catholicos Garegin II began calling for his resignation following Armenia's disastrous military defeat to arch-foe Azerbaijan over the then-disputed Karabakh region. "Law enforcement officers have foiled a large-scale and sinister plan by the 'criminal-oligarchic clergy' to destabilise the situation in the Republic of Armenia and seize power," Pashinyan wrote on his Telegram channel. Armenia's Investigative Committee said Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan had "since November 2024 set himself the goal of changing power by means not permitted by the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia". Armenia -- the first nation to adopt Christianity as a state religion in the 4th century -- grants the Apostolic Church special constitutional status and the church wields considerable influence in Armenian society. Last year, Galstanyan -- the leader of opposition movement Sacred Struggle -- accused Pashinyan of ceding territory to Azerbaijan and led mass protests that ultimately failed to topple the prime minister. The Investigative Committee said that Galstanyan "with the prior consent of several members of the movement, acquired the necessary means and tools to carry out terrorist acts and seize power". "Searches are currently underway at the homes of Archbishop Bagrat and around 30 of his associates," it added. The website published footage showing Galstanyan leaving his house accompanied by masked police officers, who escorted him into a car and drove him away. "Evil, listen carefully -- whatever you do, you have very little time left. Hold on, we are coming," he said, apparently addressing Pashinyan, as a crowd outside shouted "Nikol is a traitor!" A close associate of the archbishop, MP Garnik Danielyan, told journalists that "these are actions of a dictatorial regime" and called the accusations against the cleric fabricated. Another opposition figure, Ishkhan Saghatelyan of the nationalist Dashnaktsutyun party, said police raided the homes of members of his party as well. Last week, rights groups and opposition parties said police detained dozens of activists as Pashinyan travelled to Turkey in a landmark bid to improve ties with Armenia's historical rival. The loss of the Karabakh region after Azerbaijan's lightning offensive in 2023 has divided Armenia, as its neighbour demands sweeping concessions in exchange for lasting peace. Earlier this month, Pashinyan launched an unprecedented challenge to Garegin II, urging believers to remove him from office. The prime minister called on Armenians to join a "coordination group" to organise the "liberation" of the Church and elect a new spiritual leader. He has alleged that Catholicos Garegin II has a child, in a blazing row that prompted fierce criticism from the opposition and has called for Pashinyan to be excommunicated. Galstanyan catapulted to the forefront of Armenian politics in 2024, galvanising mass popular protests and seeking to launch an impeachment process against Pashinyan. The charismatic cleric even temporarily stepped down from his religious post to run for prime minister. But as a dual Armenian-Canadian citizen, he is not eligible to hold the office under Armenian law. Pashinyan's grip on power, boosted by unpopular opposition parties and strong support in parliament, has so far remained unshaken. A former journalist and opposition lawmaker, he came to power after leading street protests that escalated into a peaceful revolution in 2018.
Russia Today
7 days ago
- Politics
- Russia Today
Armenians protest detention of Russian businessman (VIDEOS)
Thousands of people have joined a march in support of detained Russian-Armenian businessman Samvel Karapetyan and the Armenian Apostolic Church (AAC) in the city of Vagharshapat, home to the country's most important Orthodox site, the Etchmiadzin Cathedral. In recent weeks, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan repeatedly have attacked the church, accusing it of corruption and other violations. He also urged the head of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Catholicos Garegin II, to step down over what he called a breach of his vow of celibacy. The church has firmly rejected the allegations, suggesting that Pashinyan himself has been acting on behalf of 'Armenophobic' foreign forces.
Time of India
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Armenian PM pushes to unseat influential church head
Prime Minister Pashinyan and Catholicos Garegin II locked in a serious disagreement at the Mother See. The atmosphere is palpably tense. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Tuesday urged followers of the influential Armenian Apostolic Church to help unseat its spiritual leader, Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II. Relations between Pashinyan and the church leadership have sharply deteriorated in recent years. Garegin II repeatedly called for Pashinyan's resignation following Armenia's disastrous military defeats to arch-foe Azerbaijan over the then-disputed Karabakh region. The loss of Karabakh after Azerbaijan's lightning offensive in 2023 has divided Armenia, as its neighbour demands sweeping concessions in exchange for lasting peace. Last year, Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan led mass protests accusing Pashinyan of ceding territory to Azerbaijan -- a movement that ultimately failed to topple the prime minister. Now Pashinyan has launched an unprecedented challenge to Garegin II, urging believers on social media to form a "coordination group" to organise the "liberation" of the church and elect a new Catholicos. "We need to create a coordination group to handle the organisational aspects of this agenda," Pashinyan said on Telegram, specifying that members should be clergy and lay followers. Pashinyan and his wife in late May alleged that the Catholicos has a child which prompted fierce opposition criticism and calls for the couple's excommunication. Armenia -- the first nation to adopt Christianity as a state religion in the 4th century -- grants the Armenian Apostolic Church special constitutional status and the church wields considerable influence in Armenian society.
