British MP says Pashinyan treats the Church as if it were a political opposition

British MP Danny Kruger wrote in The Times that he is “deeply concerned about what is happening in Armenia, the world’s oldest Christian country.”

He noted that Armenia, which adopted Christianity as its state religion more than 1,700 years ago, has maintained a strong faith ever since. “It withstood the brutal occupations of Safavid Persia, the Ottoman Empire and Turkey, and later the Soviet Union. Now it is under attack again — this time from within. Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has launched a fierce assault on the Armenian Apostolic Church, despite being responsible for its protection,” the MP wrote.

According to the author, the Church, which is supported by 90 percent of Armenians, is being treated as if it were a political opposition. Pashinyan, he said, is following the example of authoritarian leaders: portray rivals as enemies of the state and then use the power of the state to crush them.

Several Armenian bishops have been arrested on what he described as fabricated charges. Pashinyan has called for the removal of Garegin II, the Catholicos and supreme head of the Armenian Church, and is using the arrests to pressure clergy to stop mentioning the Catholicos during church services.

Samvel Karapetyan, one of the Church’s most prominent supporters, has also been arrested for openly backing the Church during this state campaign. As punishment, the government has confiscated his national electricity company.

Kruger stressed that Armenia’s enemies are watching these divisions. Turkey continues to deny the historical genocide of the Armenians, while Azerbaijan denies responsibility for its actions in Nagorno-Karabakh, which led to the flight of 120,000 Armenian Christians.

“I can only pray that Pashinyan chooses to change course and reconcile with the Armenian Church. Christians around the world should also make their voices heard,” the MP concluded.