Opposition leader blasts Armenian government's anti-church campaign

Opposition politician Narek Karapetyan, who tops the Strong Armenia party’s electoral list for the June 7 parliamentary elections, has strongly criticized Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s government, accusing it of weakening the country while undermining the Armenian Apostolic Church.

In an interview with 168.am on Friday, Karapetyan defended his uncle and party leader Samvel Karapetyan, a prominent businessman and philanthropist who is currently under house arrest. He claimed his uncle’s detention was politically motivated and linked to his support for the church. “My uncle was detained because he spoke in defense of the church,” he said.

Karapetyan claimed the tensions involving the church are part of a broader campaign. “Had there been no attck on the church, we might have used other ways to explain to the people what we believe is the wrong path,” he said. “But it became evident they were moving in a completely different direction. How can you abandon all other priorities just to wage a campaign against the church?”

He further suggested that criticism targeting the church leader effectively amounts to an attack on the institution itself.

“He [Pashinyan] knows he is fighting against the church – the only functioning institution of the country, which carried us into the 21st century with dignity and perseverance,” Karapetyan said.

He contrasted the church’s historical role with that of the current government. “They ruled for eight years and gave away half of the country. The church brought us to the 21st century. Which is the more effective institution?” Karapetyan added.