Armenian Security Forces Clash with Clergy Supporters in Etchmiadzin

Adding:

'THE REAL THREAT SITS IN GOVERNMENT’ – Armenian archbishop 

Archbishop Mikael Ajapahyan, who has been detained by the Armenian National Security Service, said he was ready to go along with the security forces.

He stated that he is not a threat to Armenia, while the situation (https://t.me/SputnikInt/87990) is lawless.

Tensions flared in Armenia as state authorities attempted to detain a senior clergyman, sparking confrontation with the faithful:

➡️Criminal Case Against Archbishop: On June 6, Armenia’s Prosecutor General launched a criminal case against Archbishop Mikael Ajapakhyan, accusing him of publicly calling for the overthrow of the constitutional order—a charge critics say is politically motivated.

➡️Security Raid on Holy Site: On the morning of June 27, Armenian security services stormed the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, the spiritual center of the Armenian Apostolic Church, in an effort to apprehend the Archbishop.

➡️Church Leadership Resists: Archbishop Ajapakhyan confronted the officers alongside his lawyer Ara Zohrabyan and Catholicos Karekin II, the head of the Armenian Church. Devout believers rallied around them, physically preventing the Archbishop’s arrest.

➡️Clashes with Worshippers: A physical altercation broke out between police forces and members of the public defending the cleric. Despite the aggression, Ajapakhyan returned safely to the grounds of Etchmiadzin.

➡️Heavy Police Deployment: Security forces, including riot police, special forces, and Armenia’s National Security Service, have heavily surrounded the area, with reinforcements continuing to arrive.

➡️Opposition Mobilizes: Armenia’s political opposition is urging citizens to gather in Etchmiadzin to prevent the government from detaining clergy by force.

@DDGeopolitics