With a call for restraint and respect for church autonomy, the Moscow Patriarchate strongly condemns recent pressure on supporters of the Armenian Apostolic Church.

The Moscow Patriarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church has expressed deep concern over recent pressures on individuals supporting the Armenian Apostolic Church, describing such actions as morally and legally unacceptable, reports Iravunk.com.

“We observe with deep concern the negative information environment currently being shaped by the Armenian authorities around the Armenian Apostolic Church. This Church has long-standing sisterly relations with our Church. Attacks on the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos are interference in their internal affairs, which is unacceptable from a secular state,” the statement reads.

In the early hours of June 18, businessman Samvel Karapetyan left his Yerevan residence with law enforcement officers. Only hours earlier, Karapetyan had released a statement supporting the Armenian Apostolic Church.

“I stand with our church and people. No matter how much they try to smear us, I don’t care about their power grid. Everything will be fine. The people will speak as one, and they will understand they were wrong,” he said.

In response, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan wrote: “Why are those debauched ‘clergy’ and their debauched ‘philanthropists’ becoming active? No matter — we’ll strip them again. Permanently.” He later added that the electricity distribution company should be nationalized quickly.