Armenian cleric gets detained amid esclation between Armenian goverment, church

(MENAFN)

A senior cleric of the Armenian Apostolic Church (AAC) has been detained on allegations of attempting a coup, in a dramatic escalation of tensions between the Armenian government and the Church amid nationwide unrest.

According to reports, Archbishop Mikael Adjapahyan voluntarily appeared at the Investigative Committee’s (IC) offices after prior attempts to arrest him were blocked by demonstrators. Police had previously stormed the Church’s main spiritual headquarters in Vagharshapat, prompting violent clashes between law enforcement and clergy-backed protestors.

The government accuses Adjapahyan of being involved in a plot to overthrow Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s administration — claims the archbishop firmly denies. The IC also announced that it has initiated criminal investigations related to obstruction of justice tied to the protests.

The conflict stems from deepening public opposition to a controversial agreement brokered by Pashinyan, under which Armenia would cede several border villages to Azerbaijan — a move the prime minister frames as necessary for peace. Many in Armenia, including the AAC and its supporters, view the deal as a betrayal of Armenian sovereignty.

The AAC has become a focal point of resistance, rallying citizens against the government’s perceived concessions to Azerbaijan. Tensions peaked earlier this week when another prominent Church figure, Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan — widely seen as a protest leader — was arrested on terrorism-related charges.

These developments come amid growing fears of political instability in Armenia, with religious institutions increasingly clashing with state authorities over the direction of the country’s foreign policy and territorial integrity.

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