Man forced out of Hovhannavank after protesting defrocked priest’s service

A man was forcibly dragged out of the Hovhannavank Monastery in the village of Ohanavan on Sunday after shouting that a defrocked priest had no right to lead a liturgy attended by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and other officials.

Security officers covered the mouth of the protester, identified as Hayk Dorunts, and took him away after he shouted, “Stepan Asatryan, you have no right to celebrate mass.” The incident caused commotion among the congregation gathered in the church courtyard.

Lawyer Varazdat Harutyunyan later praised Dorunts on social media, writing that “one man at Hovhannavank even made a difference”, adding that everyone is responsible for both their actions and inaction.

Political analyst Ara Poghosyan called the incident an example of “absolute authoritarianism”, saying it reflected how current Armenian authorities suppress free speech.

“Modern Armenia looks exactly like this,” Poghosyan wrote, reacting to video footage of security officers covering the man’s mouth and taking him away. “When it comes to human rights, this is what their protection looks like – silencing people by force.”

He stated that Armenia has turned into “a neo-authoritarian post-Soviet state with its own despot”.