LONDON, June 25 (Reuters) – Armenian authorities have arrested Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan, a prominent Christian cleric, along with 13 others, charging them with orchestrating a plot to overthrow the government.
The Investigative Committee announced that Galstanyan and 15 other suspects were accused of acquiring weapons and tools intended for a terrorist attack aimed at seizing power. While 14 individuals have been detained, authorities have withheld their names.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated on Telegram that the arrests disrupted a “large and sinister plan by the ‘criminal-oligarchic clergy'” to take control of Armenia. This incident marks an intensifying confrontation between Pashinyan and the Armenian Apostolic Church amid growing political turmoil ahead of the 2026 elections.
Some senior clerics have previously called for Pashinyan’s resignation following Armenia’s military defeats to Azerbaijan. Last week, Russian-Armenian billionaire Samvel Karapetyan was detained for allegedly calling for government overthrow; he denies any wrongdoing.
Galstanyan’s lawyer, Sergei Arutyunyan, condemned the charges as unfair and accused the government of fabricating the case to distract from other issues.
Since coming to power in 2018, Pashinyan has faced mounting pressure following Armenia’s losses in the 2020 war and the 2023 recapture of Nagorno-Karabakh by Azerbaijan. Galstanyan and supporters led protests last summer demanding Pashinyan’s removal.
Authorities claim Galstanyan recruited over 1,000 mainly ex-military and police personnel to disrupt public order, block roads, incite violence, and cut internet access to destabilize the government. Audio recordings and photos of seized weapons were published as evidence.
Despite moves toward a peace treaty with Azerbaijan, tensions remain high, with ceasefire violations increasing this year as Armenia prepares for parliamentary elections in June 2026.
