The Executive Board of the Austrian Church Council has expressed its deep concern over accusations made by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan against Catholicos Karekin II. The Council made this known in an official statement.

“We are following with deep concern the serious disagreement between the Armenian Apostolic Church and the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan. We regret to learn that in addition to Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan, Archbishop Mikael Adjapahyan has also been arrested.

Catholicos Karekin II has called on believers in Armenia and around the world to pray for the imprisoned clergy and for peace in the country. As the Executive Board of the Austrian Church Council, we also wish to join this call and prayer.

The accusations brought against the bishops by the authorities and the judiciary do not inspire confidence. In his call to prayer, Catholicos Karekin II spoke of groundless accusations and described the arrests as unlawful.

We were deeply surprised to hear of the alleged moral transgressions which Prime Minister Pashinyan attributes to Armenian bishops, particularly Catholicos Karekin II. The use of such language is troubling, as it contributes to growing societal divisions.

We regard the rule of law and respect for human rights as fundamental to a prosperous future for Armenia and its people. The country already faces serious challenges. We must also consider the many refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh now forced to rebuild their lives in Armenia, and the Armenian captives still held in Azerbaijan.

Armenia now needs unity and social cohesion. In this context, we also call on the international community to closely monitor developments in Armenia and actively advocate for the protection of human rights, especially religious freedoms.

The Armenian Apostolic Church has long been a pillar of Armenian identity and a guarantor of spiritual, social, and cultural stability, especially during crisis periods such as the forced displacement of Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh in 2023.

In solidarity with our Armenian sisters and brothers, we pray for justice, reconciliation, and the protection of the Church in Armenia,” the statement concludes.

The Austrian Church Council is an ecumenical organization comprising Lutheran, Reformed, Baptist, Methodist, Anglican, Catholic, Old Catholic, and Orthodox churches.