CSI Report: Armenian Government Accused of Persecuting Armenian Apostolic Church

According to a new report by the international human rights organization Christian Solidarity International (CSI), the Armenian government is conducting an escalating campaign against the Armenian Apostolic Church (AAC), undermining religious freedom and the principles of the rule of law. According to Christian Today, authorities led by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan are accused of using arrests, criminal prosecution, and public attacks to assert political control over the ancient national institution.

The report, prepared by international lawyer and historian Dr. Peter Flew, points to systematic violations of Armenia’s constitution and international obligations. The document emphasizes that the government uses the «coercive power of the state» to pressure clergy and parishioners. At the center of the dispute is Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II: according to the report’s authors, the ruling Civil Pact party seeks to limit his power and change the internal governance of the church, which Dr. Flew calls an «unthinkable» act of interference by the secular government in religious affairs.

The CSI organization rejects the government’s claims that the Church poses a threat to national security or acts in the interest of foreign influence. The report notes that the AAC has historically been «the strongest pillar of the Armenian nation,» preserving its identity for 1,700 years, including periods of statehood and the Armenian Genocide. The detention of Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan, criminal cases against high-ranking clergy, and travel restrictions on church leaders are cited as examples of persecution.

CSI concludes the document by urging Armenia’s Western partners, including the United States and the United Kingdom, to condition further diplomatic rapprochement with Yerevan on respect for human rights and religious freedoms. Human rights activists insist on the need to stop political attacks on the Church and protect its autonomy, emphasizing that the ongoing incidents are not random mistakes but a coordinated campaign to undermine the independence of the religious community.