Catholicos Karekin II faces trial in Armenia
Catholicos Karekin II, Armenian Apostolic Church, and six senior clerics face trial in Armenia. This escalates the confrontation between the Church and Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's government. They are accused of not complying with a civil court order to reinstate a defrocked bishop. If convicted, they could face prison sentences of up to two years. The case centers on Bishop Gevorg Saroyan, who called for the Catholicos's resignation and aligned with Pashinyan. Church officials assert the prosecution is politically motivated, viewing it as government interference in Church affairs, violating the Armenian constitution. They link it to a broader pattern of arrests targeting government critics. Tensions between church and state have intensified, particularly concerning Pashinyan's leadership and peace negotiations with Azerbaijan. The Armenian Apostolic Church, deeply rooted in national history, has criticized Pashinyan's policies, regarding the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Pashinyan has called for Karekin II's resignation, accusing the Church of acting as a proxy for foreign powers, specifically Russia. The Church denies these allegations. He has made claims of corruption and misconduct. Critics express concerns about judicial independence in Armenia, particularly in politically sensitive cases. This trial represents the most substantial legal challenge to the Armenian Apostolic Church's leadership since independence, highlighting a deep ideological divide between national-religious narratives and the government's secular pragmatism. The confrontation continues to polarize the nation.
