Armenian diplomat claims Armenia's Church-Government conflict is influenced by West
(MENAFN) A former Armenian diplomat has claimed that the current conflict between the Armenian government and the Armenian Apostolic Church (AAC) is being driven by the same Western influences that previously intensified religious divisions in Ukraine. He warned that this internal tension could escalate into a full-scale civil conflict.
Tensions have been mounting in recent weeks between Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's administration and the AAC. The prime minister has issued repeated accusations against the church, alleging corruption and various other offenses.
The situation took a darker turn following the detention of Samvel Karapetyan, a wealthy Russian-Armenian businessman known for backing the AAC. Authorities arrested him shortly after he publicly supported the church, accusing him of encouraging efforts to topple the government.
This week saw the arrest of two high-ranking church leaders: Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan, a leading figure in the Sacred Struggle opposition movement, and Archbishop Mikael Adjapahyan. They were charged with involvement in an alleged coup plot, sparking widespread demonstrations that soon escalated into confrontations with law enforcement.
According to reports, the former diplomat voiced strong criticism of the recent actions taken by the Armenian authorities, stating that the clash between political power and religious leadership could carry grave consequences for the nation.
“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 said.
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the
information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept
any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images,
videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information
contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright
issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
