Supporters of the Armenian church have attempted to thwart the authorities’ arrest of Archbishop Mikayel Ajapahyan at Etchmiadzin Cathedral, whom they have accused of complicity in an alleged plot to overthrow the government.
Armenian National Security Service (NSS) officers arrived at Etchmiadzin’s grounds on Friday following reports of a motion to arrest Ajapahyan, the head of the Shirak Diocese. If detained, he would be the second archbishop to have been arrested in the alleged plot to violently overthrow the Armenian government following Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan’s arrest on Wednesday.
Criminal proceedings against Ajapahyan were announced on Thursday, with the authorities accusing him of making public calls for usurping power. The authorities have quoted him as allegedly saying that it was ‘necessary to carry out a military coup in Armenia’.
The case against the archbishop was reportedly launched on 17 June.
Earlier, Armenian authorities detained 15, including Galstanyan, an opposition figure and leader of the anti-government Holy Struggle movement, accusing them of plotting terrorist attacks and a coup d’état.
Arshaluys Barseghyan
As of 14:00, the authorities had yet to apprehend Ajapahyan — despite him saying that he would go willingly with the police — as supporters of the Armenian Church continued to thwart the law enforcers’ attempts to arrest him.
‘What is happening is an absolute illegality, but I have never hidden anywhere and I am not going to hide now either. I don't want to create the impression that I am hiding behind my brothers’ backs. [...] They have come after me, and I will go’ Ajapahyan said.
‘I am not a threat to this country; the threat is sitting in the government’, Ajapahyan said in an apparent reference to Prime Minister Nikol Pashiyan, whom he referred to as a ‘madman’.
Catholicos Karekin II has expressed support for the archbishop, saying the Church would send a lawyer to escort him as he surrendered himself.
‘We will gather there, have our discussions, and draw conclusions regarding our future actions. It is unequivocal that we will all make every effort to ensure that justice prevails’, Karekin II said.
Prior to that, the clergymen present at the scene said they would not allow the authorities to arrest Ajapahyan.
As Ajapahyan was walking toward the gates of the cathedral, accompanied by Karekin II and other clergymen, small clashes took place between members of the clergy and their supporters and the police.
Opposition MPs were also present at the cathedral.
After the police failed to detain Ajapahyan, he returned to the cathedral grounds. RFE/RL has reported that the bells of Etchmiadzin had been ringing ‘non-stop’, with a clergyman telling them it was a ‘call for help’.
According to reports, the police are conducting enhanced surveillance on the Yerevan Vagharshapat highway, stopping cars, and searching them.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has refrained from commenting on the developments.
Both Ajapahyan and Galstanyan are among the most influential high-ranking members of the Armenian Church.
Editor’s note: This is a breaking news story and will continue to be updated.
