International Christian Solidarity calls on the Armenian authorities to withdraw the report on the situation in the Armenian Apostolic Church and respect the autonomy of the Armenian Church.

ArmInfo. Christian Solidarity International (CSI) categorically rejects the Armenian government's report on the crisis surrounding the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church and its potential resolution. This is stated in a statement by the organization.

According to a source, CSI has reviewed the report and completely rejects it. The organization assesses that the report's authorship, methodology, and ulterior motives seriously undermine the credibility of its findings. The organization also states that the report contradicts the established principle of Church autonomy, guaranteed by both Armenian and international law. CSI insists that, contrary to the report's presentation, the crisis surrounding the Church is the result of government actions. CSI views the publication of the report as part of an ongoing state campaign against the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church.

The organization claims that Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan seeks to remove Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II and subordinate the Church to state control. According to CSI, this goal is also reflected in the ruling party's election platform and the government's platform. The organization also points to the arrests of high-ranking clergy, criminal cases brought against the Catholicos and six bishops, and government-sponsored attempts to sow discord within the Church.

CSI emphasizes that the report was not the result of an independent investigation or an impartial judicial process. According to the organization, it was prepared at the direction of the Prime Minister. According to CSI, the report primarily relied on "open sources": news websites, YouTube videos, and Facebook posts, including the Prime Minister's own. The organization asserts that the report contains virtually no primary evidence, and a number of claims are based on unconfirmed information, assumptions, or rumors. The organization also disputes the report's allegations of the Catholicos's involvement in politics. CSI believes that the Church's activities are linked to the spiritual life of the Armenian people and the preservation of their national identity, as recognized by the Constitution of Armenia. The organization also notes the 2020 war and the forced displacement of Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh in 2023 as contexts in which the Church acted in defense of the people. CSI emphasizes that the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church, although a national church, is an autonomous and self-governing structure. According to the organization, the state has no authority to remove or replace the Catholicos, as this process is governed by the canon law of the Church. CSI calls on the Armenian government to withdraw the report, abandon the plan to remove the Catholicos, and respect the autonomy of the Armenian Apostolic Church. The organization also calls on Armenia's international partners, including the United States, the European Union, and the Council of Europe, to remind the Armenian authorities of their human rights obligations and demand that they cease interfering in the Church's internal affairs.

It should be noted that the conflict between the Armenian authorities and the Armenian Apostolic Church has sharply escalated due to the government's policy of removing Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II and reforming church institutions. Relations have deteriorated amid Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's criticism of the clergy, the Church's disagreement with government policy, and accusations of political destabilization against the hierarchs. There were reports of arrests and persecution of several senior clergy (including diocesan heads). In August 2026, the Armenian government approved a program of action until 2031, which formally set out the goals of removing Karekin II and adopting a new charter for the Armenian Apostolic Church. In late September 2026, the authorities presented a special report on the church crisis, which sparked widespread outcry and accusations from the opposition of an attempted "raider takeover" of the religious structure.