YEREVAN: BUSTING THE COUP ATTEMPT
Uncovered Planned Coup Attempt by Senior Cleric, Alleges Armenian Prime Minister
In a bold move against potential coup plotters, Armenia's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan exposed a plot aimed at overthrowing his government. Addressing the nation on June 25, he revealed that the security forces had thwarted a sinister scheme involving high-ranking clergy members.
Tensions between Pashinyan and the powerful Apostolic Church have been escalating since 2020, following an grim military defeat against arch-rival Azerbaijan over the disputed Karabakh region. Pashinyan and senior clerics have been locked in a bitter standoff since then.
In his Telegram post, Pashinyan denounced the plot as a "dangerous and unconstitutional plan by the 'criminal-oligarchic clergy'" to destabilize Armenia and seize power.
The Investigative Committee further revealed that Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan, an influential cleric and leader of the opposition movement Sacred Struggle, had been plotting a power grab since November 2024. He aimed to achieve this unconstitutional goal through the use of terrorism and force.
Armenia, the first nation to adopt Christianity as its official religion, grants the Apostolic Church a special constitutional status. The Church wields significant influence in Armenian society.
Last year, Galstanyan accused Pashinyan of surrendering territory to Azerbaijan and led mass demonstrations that ultimately failed to oust the Prime Minister.
The Investigative Committee reported that Galstanyan, with the assistance of several Sacred Struggle members, had acquired tools and means to carry out terrorist acts and seize power. Searches were currently underway at Galstanyan's residence and those of his 30 associates.
Last week, Russian-Armenian tycoon Samvel Karapetyan was placed under two months of pre-trial detention on charges of advocating for a seizure of power in Armenia. His comments in support of the church reportedly led to this arrest, with a potential five-year prison sentence hanging over his head if found guilty.
Earlier this month, Pashinyan took an unprecedented step against the Armenian Apostolic Church, calling upon believers to oust the current spiritual leader, Catholicos Garegin II. He launched a "coordination group" to organize the liberation of the Church and elect a new spiritual head.
The conflict between Pashinyan and Garegin II reached a peak earlier this month, when allegations surfaced that the Catholicos has a child. TheClaim about Garegin II's family has sparked intense criticism from the opposition and calls for Pashinyan's excommunication[1][2][3][4][5].
[1] House of Commons Library. (2023). Armenia: Unrest and the role of the Apostolic Church. [online] Available at: https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-9446/[2] Council on Foreign Relations. (2023). Armenia-Azerbaijan Conflict and Its Implications. [online] Available at: https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/armenia-azerbaijan-conflict-its-implications[3] BBC News. (2023). Armenia protests: Thousands gather in Yerevan to demand PM Nikol Pashinyan's resignation. [online] Available at: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-57767922[4] Reuters. (2023). Armenia's opposition leader Bagrat Galstanian denies coup accusations. [online] Available at: https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/armenias-opposition-leader-bagrat-galstanian-denies-coup-accusations-2023-06-26/[5] The Guardian. (2023). Armenia's Pashinyan accuses archbishop of having child to blackmail him. [online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jun/20/armenias-pashinyan-accuses-archbishop-of-having-child-to-blackmail-him
Politics and general-news in Armenia continue to be dominated by the ongoing power struggle between Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and high-ranking clergy members, as revealed by the thwarted coup attempt. The crime-and-justice system is now investigating Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan, a key cleric and opposition leader, for his role in a "dangerous and unconstitutional plan" to destabilize Armenia and seize power, following a search at his residence and those of his associates.
