Armenian Church leaders face trial in escalating standoff with Pashinyan

The charges center on the refusal of the Apostolic Church to reinstate a defrocked bishop, Gevorg Saroyan, who had publicly aligned himself with the prime minister. If convicted, the clergymen face up to two years in prison. This legal action marks a significant escalation in the tensions between the state and the ancient institution, which traces its origins to 301 AD and commands deep influence among millions of Armenians.

Prime Minister Pashinyan, currently pivoting Armenia toward the European Union, has repeatedly questioned the church’s loyalty, alleging, without providing evidence, that it acts as a proxy for Russian interests. Conversely, church leaders and rights organizations characterize the prosecution as a direct violation of constitutional independence. Anna Melikyan of the non-profit group Protection of Rights Without Borders described the move as clear executive interference in ecclesiastical affairs, amplifying long-standing concerns regarding the integrity of the Armenian judiciary.

This trial arrives as the government faces mounting criticism over its handling of peace negotiations with Azerbaijan and its move away from Moscow’s influence. Analyst Tigran Grigoryan notes that the administration increasingly views the church as a potent political threat capable of galvanizing opposition. With other prominent figures, such as Bishop Bagrat Galstanyan, already under arrest for leading anti-government protests, the trial of the Catholicos serves as the latest chapter in what observers describe as a broader strategy of selective justice.