Pashinyan accused of interference in church affairs

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s decision to sign a joint statement with 10 senior clerics calling for church “reforms” has drawn sharp criticism from legal experts, who say it confirms direct state interference in church affairs.

The statement, signed at the prime minister’s residence on Sunday, calls for the removal of Catholicos Karekin II, head of the Armenian Apostolic Church, and the creation of a coordinating council to oversee the reform process.

Lawyer Yervand Varosyan said the key issue was that Pashinyan signed the document in his official capacity as prime minister, rather than as a private citizen. Hr argued it formally establishes the campaign against the church as a political process and shows the state intervening directly in ecclesiastical matters.

Constitutional law specialist Gohar Meloyan said Pashinyan had abused his office and acted without legal authority. She said neither the constitution nor Armenian law grants the prime minister any power to interfere in the internal governance of the Armenian Apostolic Church.

Meloyan cited Article 6 of the constitution, which states that state officials may exercise only those powers expressly granted to them by law.