Father Diradur Sardaryan, spiritual leader of the Armenian community in Baden-Württemberg, criticized Anna Hakobyan—wife of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan—over her recent offensive remarks targeting clergy. In a Facebook post, he called her statement “a disgrace in terms of the quality of public speech.”
"When the wife—or partner—of a country’s acting leader makes a public statement, it is never perceived as merely personal opinion. Whether intentional or not, such statements always carry political weight. That is why restraint and dignity are essential," he wrote.
He condemned Hakobyan’s post, which described Armenian clergy as “pedophiles,” churches as “distorted warehouses,” and believers as “mindless carriers of a rotten system,” as a flagrant violation of civil discourse and a deliberate attack on a core societal institution.
"The Armenian Apostolic Church is more than a religious institution. It represents cultural memory, moral backbone, and a force of identity for millions. Whoever demeans the Church is not merely insulting clergy—they are insulting an entire society."
According to Sardaryan, when national institutions are undermined during times of upheaval by high-ranking figures, such actions are not seen as boldness but as irresponsible and condemnable behavior.
"If, in the name of modernization, state-affiliated individuals ridicule their people’s spiritual dignity, they will inevitably face the truth: No country can be led by mocking its soul," he warned.
He added that in Germany, similar statements targeting clergy, religious institutions, and believers with allegations of criminal or immoral behavior would trigger severe public backlash and possibly legal action.
Such speech, especially when it comes from someone closely associated with government leadership, is considered politically accountable—not private opinion—and influences public perception and social harmony, Sardaryan noted.
He outlined potential consequences in Germany:
- Public condemnation and official apology
- Political and moral accountability
- Legal proceedings on defamation or hate speech
- Demand for dignity protection under constitutional law
He concluded that Armenia should adopt similar standards, ensuring public restraint and respectful language from officials and their circles. If not followed by clarification or apology to restore public harmony, calls for resignation are justified.
Public trust and rule of law require that every citizen, regardless of status, be held accountable for their words, Sardaryan emphasized.
Anna Hakobyan had written: “The country’s chief pedophiles have gone mad over the word ‘storeroom.’ Of course, that’s how it should be. After all, storerooms are the dark corners of the lives of black-robed maniacs. It’s in the storerooms that perversions occur, which no longer even provoke the wrath of the faithful. The faithful people, long resigned, carry the country’s chief perverted maniacs on their shoulders.”
