Latest news with #SacredStruggle
10 hours ago
- Politics
Armenian authorities arrest an archbishop and accuse him of plotting against the government
YEREVAN, Armenia -- Armenia's security services arrested one of the country's top religious leaders on terrorism charges Wednesday and accused him of plotting to overthrow the government, the second arrest in a week of a prominent political opponent. Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan, a major figure in the influential Apostolic Church, was arrested by Armenia's Investigative Committee, which accused him of planning to carry out bombings and arson attacks to disrupt power supplies and stage accidents on major roads to paralyze traffic. His lawyer described the charges as 'fiction.' Galstanyan leads the Sacred Struggle opposition movement and has demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who was the focus of protests last year by tens of thousands of demonstrators after Armenia agreed to hand over control of several border villages to bitter rival Azerbaijan and to normalize relations between the neighbors. Galstanyan leads the Tavush Diocese in northeastern Armenia and spearheaded a movement that opposed the handover of the villages in the country, which was once part of the Soviet Union. Although the territorial concession was the movement's core issue, it has expanded to a wide array of complaints about Pashinyan, who came to power in 2018. The decision to turn over the villages followed a lightning military campaign in September 2023, in which Azerbaijan's military forced ethnic Armenian separatists in the Karabakh region to capitulate. Pashinyan wrote on social media that the security services had foiled a plot by 'the criminal oligarch clergy to destabilize Armenia and take power.' Officials said 13 others also were detained amid raids by police on the homes of dozens of opposition activists. The Investigative Committee said it carried out over 90 searches and recovered evidence that included firearms and ammunition. In addition to disputing the charges, Galstanyan's lawyer, Sergei Harutyunyan, said police searched the cleric's residence for six hours but found only smoke bombs that are commonly used at protests in Armenia. 'They spent time studying every room, every closet, every letter; they recorded everything,' Harutyunyan said. Attempts to impeach Pashinyan were unsuccessful, but the relationship between him and the Apostolic Church has deteriorated. On June 8, Pashinyan called for church leader Catholicos Karekin II to resign after accusing him of fathering a child despite a vow of celibacy. The church released a statement at the time accusing Pashinyan of undermining Armenia's 'spiritual unity' but did not address the claim about the child. Pashinyan's claim sparked fresh anger among the church's followers, including Russian-Armenian billionaire Samvel Karapetyan, who appeared in a video saying that the religious institution was under attack. Karapetyan, 59, was detained June 18, days after the clip was posted online, and accused of calling for seizing power in the country. Pashinyan later said the billionaire's energy company, Electricity Networks of Armenia, would be nationalized.
The Independent
10 hours ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Armenian authorities arrest an archbishop and accuse him of plotting against the government
Armenia's security services arrested one of the country's top religious leaders on terrorism charges Wednesday and accused him of plotting to overthrow the government, the second arrest in a week of a prominent political opponent. Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan, a major figure in the influential Apostolic Church, was arrested by Armenia's Investigative Committee, which accused him of planning to carry out bombings and arson attacks to disrupt power supplies and stage accidents on major roads to paralyze traffic. His lawyer described the charges as 'fiction.' Galstanyan leads the Sacred Struggle opposition movement and has demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who was the focus of protests last year by tens of thousands of demonstrators after Armenia agreed to hand over control of several border villages to bitter rival Azerbaijan and to normalize relations between the neighbors. Galstanyan leads the Tavush Diocese in northeastern Armenia and spearheaded a movement that opposed the handover of the villages in the country, which was once part of the Soviet Union. Although the territorial concession was the movement's core issue, it has expanded to a wide array of complaints about Pashinyan, who came to power in 2018. The decision to turn over the villages followed a lightning military campaign in September 2023, in which Azerbaijan's military forced ethnic Armenian separatists in the Karabakh region to capitulate. Pashinyan wrote on social media that the security services had foiled a plot by 'the criminal oligarch clergy to destabilize Armenia and take power.' Officials said 13 others also were detained amid raids by police on the homes of dozens of opposition activists. The Investigative Committee said it carried out over 90 searches and recovered evidence that included firearms and ammunition. In addition to disputing the charges, Galstanyan's lawyer, Sergei Harutyunyan, said police searched the cleric's residence for six hours but found only smoke bombs that are commonly used at protests in Armenia. 'They spent time studying every room, every closet, every letter; they recorded everything,' Harutyunyan said. Attempts to impeach Pashinyan were unsuccessful, but the relationship between him and the Apostolic Church has deteriorated. On June 8, Pashinyan called for church leader Catholicos Karekin II to resign after accusing him of fathering a child despite a vow of celibacy. The church released a statement at the time accusing Pashinyan of undermining Armenia's 'spiritual unity' but did not address the claim about the child. Pashinyan's claim sparked fresh anger among the church's followers, including Russian-Armenian billionaire Samvel Karapetyan, who appeared in a video saying that the religious institution was under attack. Karapetyan, 59, was detained June 18, days after the clip was posted online, and accused of calling for seizing power in the country. Pashinyan later said the billionaire's energy company, Electricity Networks of Armenia, would be nationalized.
Associated Press
11 hours ago
- Politics
- Associated Press
Armenian authorities arrest an archbishop and accuse him of plotting against the government
YEREVAN, Armenia (AP) — Armenia's security services arrested one of the country's top religious leaders on terrorism charges Wednesday and accused him of plotting to overthrow the government, the second arrest in a week of a prominent political opponent. Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan, a major figure in the influential Apostolic Church, was arrested by Armenia's Investigative Committee, which accused him of planning to carry out bombings and arson attacks to disrupt power supplies and stage accidents on major roads to paralyze traffic. His lawyer described the charges as 'fiction.' Galstanyan leads the Sacred Struggle opposition movement and has demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who was the focus of protests last year by tens of thousands of demonstrators after Armenia agreed to hand over control of several border villages to bitter rival Azerbaijan and to normalize relations between the neighbors. Galstanyan leads the Tavush Diocese in northeastern Armenia and spearheaded a movement that opposed the handover of the villages in the country, which was once part of the Soviet Union. Although the territorial concession was the movement's core issue, it has expanded to a wide array of complaints about Pashinyan, who came to power in 2018. The decision to turn over the villages followed a lightning military campaign in September 2023, in which Azerbaijan's military forced ethnic Armenian separatists in the Karabakh region to capitulate. Pashinyan wrote on social media that the security services had foiled a plot by 'the criminal oligarch clergy to destabilize Armenia and take power.' Officials said 13 others also were detained amid raids by police on the homes of dozens of opposition activists. The Investigative Committee said it carried out over 90 searches and recovered evidence that included firearms and ammunition. In addition to disputing the charges, Galstanyan's lawyer, Sergei Harutyunyan, said police searched the cleric's residence for six hours but found only smoke bombs that are commonly used at protests in Armenia. 'They spent time studying every room, every closet, every letter; they recorded everything,' Harutyunyan said. Attempts to impeach Pashinyan were unsuccessful, but the relationship between him and the Apostolic Church has deteriorated. On June 8, Pashinyan called for church leader Catholicos Karekin II to resign after accusing him of fathering a child despite a vow of celibacy. The church released a statement at the time accusing Pashinyan of undermining Armenia's 'spiritual unity' but did not address the claim about the child. Pashinyan's claim sparked fresh anger among the church's followers, including Russian-Armenian billionaire Samvel Karapetyan, who appeared in a video saying that the religious institution was under attack. Karapetyan, 59, was detained June 18, days after the clip was posted online, and accused of calling for seizing power in the country. Pashinyan later said the billionaire's energy company, Electricity Networks of Armenia, would be nationalized.
NDTV
11 hours ago
- Politics
- NDTV
Security Forces Foiled Coup Plot Involving Senior Cleric, Says Armenia PM
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 Armenia's Apostolic Church. Nikol 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," he wrote on his Telegram channel. He shared a statement by Armenia's investigative committee which claimed that 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." Galstanyan -- the leader of opposition Sacred Struggle movement -- last year 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. 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. 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. Earlier this month, Pashinyan launched an unprecedented challenge to Garegin II, urging believers to remove him from office. He has alleged that the Catholicos has a child in a blazing row that prompted fierce opposition criticism and calls for Pashinyan to be excommunicated. 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.
Int'l Business Times
16 hours 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.
