A new report accuses Armenia’s government of carrying out an escalating campaign against the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church (AAHC).
The report, from Christian Solidarity International (CSI), was written by international lawyer and historian Dr Peter Flew following a fact-finding visit to Armenia. It raises concerns about religious freedom, judicial independence and the rule of law, and coincides with major European diplomatic meetings in Yerevan.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s government is accused of using arrests, criminal charges, travel bans and public attacks to pressure the country’s ancient national church and its leadership.
In the foreword, CSI President Dr John Eibner says the government is using “the coercive power of the state” to try to impose political control over the Armenian Apostolic Church.
He warns that Western leaders building ties with Yerevan should “judiciously consider the contents of this disturbing report”.
Dr Flew writes that Armenia is “systematically violating the freedom of religion or belief” in its campaign against the Church.
He says the prime minister has used hostile rhetoric to undermine the Church’s authority, while bishops, parishioners and supporters have faced detention or legal restrictions.
At the centre of the dispute is Catholicos Karekin II, the spiritual leader of Armenians worldwide.
The report says Pashinyan and his ruling Civil Contract party’s manifesto has sought to remove him and reshape the Church’s internal governance, bringing it under state influence.
Dr Flew calls this “unconscionable”, comparing it to a secular leader attempting to overthrow the Pope.
The report also argues that the ruling Civil Contract party’s election manifesto marks a significant escalation, and risks crossing legal and constitutional boundaries by turning internal religious matters into state policy.
It further details what he describes as continued attacks on the Catholicos, including public statements questioning his legitimacy, government-backed efforts to encourage dissenting bishops, and pressure surrounding liturgical practices.
The report says these actions are designed to undermine the Catholicos’ authority and weaken the Church from within.
It also points to alleged state interference in Church affairs, including the civil court reinstatement of a bishop removed by the Mother See, criminal charges against senior clergy, and travel bans that prevented Church leaders from attending major ecclesiastical events abroad.
Legally, the report grounds its criticism in Armenia’s Constitution, the European Convention on Human Rights and European Court of Human Rights case law.
It argues that the state must remain neutral toward religious communities and cannot dictate religious leadership, sponsor rival factions or interfere in ecclesiastical governance.
The report also places the church-state conflict within Armenia’s wider geopolitical crisis following the wars over Nagorno-Karabakh.
Dr Eibner argues that the Church remains a major defender of Armenian national memory and identity, writing that it has served as “the sturdiest bulwark of the Armenian nation since its founding 1,700 years ago”.
He added: “This national church kept the Armenian nation united for centuries when it was stateless. It sustained the Armenian nation throughout the great Armenian Genocide and the chain of anti-Armenian massacres, pogroms, ethno-religious cleansings that proceeded and followed it.”
CSI says the government has portrayed the Church as a national security threat, including by implying links to Russian influence.
The report rejects those claims, saying the Armenian Apostolic Church is not part of the Russian Orthodox Church and that the government has not provided convincing evidence of foreign-directed activity.
The report highlights several cases, including the continued detention of Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan, arrests or restrictions involving other clergy, the case of church benefactor Samvel Karapetyan, and incidents involving parishioners during church services.
It also includes a list of people described as prisoners of conscience or individuals subject to travel bans, house arrest or supervision.
A brief response from the British government, cited in the report, notes that it recognises the violations, is monitoring the situation and expects Armenia to act in line with its constitutional and legal obligations while ensuring fair and transparent judicial processes.
However, the report suggests such statements fall short of directly addressing serious violations of religious freedom.
In its conclusion, the report says the infractions are “not isolated incidents”.
It continues: “Taken together, they constitute a coordinated campaign that undermines the separation of church and state, and violate the autonomy of a religious community in a manner incompatible with Armenia’s constitutional order and its international obligations.”
It warns that the campaign has already produced a human cost, with clergy and laypeople facing intimidation, detention and criminal proceedings.
“Now is the moment for principled and coordinated action,” the report concludes.
It urges Armenian authorities to cease political attacks on the Church, calling on Western governments - including the US - to tie deeper relations with Armenia to respect for religious freedom, transparency, democracy and the rule of law by defending the Church’s independence, pushing for the release of detained individuals, and engaging more actively with civil society groups monitoring human rights in Armenia.
