Arrests and persecution of clergy part of pre-planned political campaign initiated by Pashinyan, says Tatoyan

The arrest of six priests of the Armenian Church and the primate of the Diocese of Aragatsotn, as well as the persecution of clergy, are part of a pre-planned political campaign initiated by Nikol Pashinyan, Arman Tatoyan writes.

“Attorney Ara Zohrabyan has already announced the illegal deprivation of liberty of the Church’s clergy and the diocese’s secular staff. Moreover, even the location of the diocesan leader is not disclosed to the lawyer.

Pashinyan has assumed the roles of court, prosecutor, investigator, and operative officer in his position as prime minister and is now implementing the next stage of his scenario for political retribution against the Church—first through authority-backed propaganda aimed at discrediting and dividing the Church, and now through concrete actions.

Political persecutions by Nikol Pashinyan and statements from Azerbaijan against the Armenian Church, as always, go hand in hand. Just a few days ago, Azerbaijan’s spiritual leader made hostile declarations against the Armenian Church, accompanied by provocative and baseless accusations,” Tatoyan writes.