Armenian PM Offers to Drop His Pants in Front of Head of Church Amid Coup Arrests

Armenian PM offers to drop his pants in front of head of church amid coup arrests

Amid a rift with the Armenian Apostolic Church, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan made a scandalous remark. He vowed to 'bare himself' before the church's head. The statement comes in the wake of the church publicly denouncing the government's handling of the conflict with Azerbaijan, while the state has accused the clergy of attempting a coup.

'Victory has no alternative': Armenian authorities raid church, arrest cleric amid escalating tensions

YEREVAN—Armenian authorities have escalated their campaign against leading clergy and members of the opposition-aligned “Tavush for the Homeland” movement.  Following the arrests of Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan, ARF Supreme Council member Igor Sargsyan, Artsakh Republic’s interim president Davit Galstyan and over a dozen other activists, government forces turned their focus to the very heart of Armenian spiritual life: the Mother See of Holy Etc…

Armenian Prime Minister in Power Play to Quell Church Opposition - Transitions

Two archbishops are in custody over alleged coup plot by conservatives angry at government’s peace deal with Azerbaijan. From Eurasianet. The post Armenian Prime Minister in Power Play to Quell Church Opposition appeared first on Transitions.

Pashinyan Admits State Surveillance of Armenian Clergy

YEREAN (Azatutyun.am)—In what his critics call an admission of abuse of power, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has said that his allegations regarding the private lives of senior clergymen are based on information provided to him by Armenia’s National Security Service. Pashinyan has been pressuring Catholicos Karekin II and other high-ranking clerics to resign, saying that they have had secret sex affairs in breach of their vows of celibacy. He p…