Former Soviet nation detains opposition cleric on terrorism charges
(MENAFN) Armenian authorities have arrested prominent cleric Bagrat Galstanyan on accusations of terrorism and attempting to overthrow the government, according to the country's Investigative Committee and footage circulating on social media.
Galstanyan has been a leading figure in protests demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who sparked public outrage by agreeing to return several border villages to Azerbaijan in an effort to ease tensions between the neighboring countries.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Investigative Committee accused the movement ‘Holy Struggle,’ led by Galstanyan, of plotting terrorist acts and seeking to seize power. Authorities allege the group initially sought change through protests last summer but later shifted tactics toward violent methods, preparing “small strike groups.”
Officials claim the group recruited over 1,000 individuals, gathered intelligence to disrupt infrastructure like traffic lights and electricity in Yerevan, and stockpiled thousands of incendiary devices for potential attacks.
Local reports confirmed Galstanyan’s arrest during a security raid on his home. Pashinyan, without directly naming Galstanyan, accused “criminal oligarchic clergy” of planning to destabilize Armenia and praised law enforcement for thwarting the plot.
Galstanyan, a senior bishop in the Armenian Apostolic Church, became a key leader of the 2024 protests after Pashinyan’s controversial decision to cede villages in the Tavush region to Azerbaijan. Many Armenians saw this as a betrayal of national interests. Pashinyan has defended the move as part of efforts to normalize relations and officially demarcate borders after years of conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh.
As head of the Tavush diocese, Galstanyan led protest marches from Tavush to Yerevan, eventually organizing mass rallies in the capital calling for Pashinyan’s resignation and proposing the formation of a transitional government. Although he positioned himself as a potential candidate for prime minister, his Canadian citizenship makes him legally ineligible for the role.
The arrest follows the earlier detention of Russian-Armenian billionaire Samvel Karapetyan, who also voiced support for the Armenian Apostolic Church in its conflict with the government. Karapetyan faces charges of inciting the overthrow of the state.
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