Brother and nephew of Armenia’s Catholicos detained as tensions with government continue to escalate

In a fresh escalation of the growing confrontation between the Armenian government and the Armenian Apostolic Church, authorities have arrested the brother and nephew of Karekin II Catholicos, charging them with coercion of individuals to engage in election campaigning or obstructing campaigns.

The arrests stem from an incident in the town of Vagharshapat (Etchmiadzin) where opposition political activists allege that Nersisyan intervened in a pre-election campaign. According to reports, the candidate for the Republican Party of Armenia claimed that Nersisyan and his son attempted to ‘obstruct’ his campaign activities. The family’s lawyer disputes these accusations, insisting that no interference occurred.

In October, Armenia’s security services raided several diocesan offices and detained over a dozen clerics, including Bishop Mkrtich Proshyan, a cousin of the Catholicos, on charges of inciting unrest. Those arrests, too, were condemned by the church as state intimidation.

Since mid-2024, the standoff has widened to involve high-ranking clerics and leading opposition figures. In June 2025, Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan and other church-aligned activists were arrested on charges of plotting to overthrow the government — a move condemned by the church as political persecution.

Criminal investigation launched over alleged sex tape involving Armenian priest

While the authorities condemned the circulation of the video, the Church denounced it as yet another attack.

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The Catholic­osate has repeatedly accused Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s administration of encroaching on its independence and using state agencies to undermine it. Pashinyan, for his part, has accused church officials of meddling in politics, aligning with opposition forces and threatening the country’s stability.

From a legal perspective, article 211 covering coercion or obstruction of election campaigns, is rarely used, and its invocation in a high-profile case may set precedent for future political-legal confrontations. The Investigative Committee says the case is under active investigation and that both men are detained pending further procedural steps. The church released a statement calling the move ‘unjust’ and warned of broader implications for civil society and religious freedom.

Armenian authorities crack down on the church, again

At least 10 priests and one bishop have been arrested after police and National Security Service raids.

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