Illegal actions against AAC weaken resilience and lead to its loss -  statement 

ArmInfo.The illegal actions of the Armenian authorities to discredit representatives of the clergy exacerbate the split in society and weaken the resistance of the  state, which may ultimately lead to the loss of statehood. This is  stated in the statement of the participants of the conference  "Relations between the state and the church. Current issues", held on  June 16 in Yerevan.

The statement was initiated in connection with the attacks of the  Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan and his entourage on the  Armenian Apostolic Church (AAC), as well as the threats and insults  against the Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II and other  high-ranking clergy.

The statement emphasizes that these actions not only insult dignity,  but also violate human rights, and grossly contradict the norms of  public ethics. "In the context of military conflicts in the region  and dangerous events unfolding near Armenia, the authorities, instead  of joining forces to confront serious challenges and strengthen state  and public resistance, are carrying out destructive anti-church  actions inside the country. In fact, a campaign of the authorities to  incite hatred towards the Church has been initiated, which is  systematic and is carried out by abusing the status of the Prime  Minister," the statement says.

In addition, it is emphasized that such actions contradict the  Constitution of Armenia and do not correspond in any way with the  legislative requirement on the inadmissibility of state interference  in the activities of religious organizations. The actions of the  Armenian authorities, according to the statement, also grossly  violate internationally recognized requirements for the protection of  the right to privacy guaranteed by the Constitution of Armenia.

"The Church has the right to its own internal governance in  accordance with the rules and sacred traditions formed over the  centuries. No state body or official has the authority to interfere  in the internal affairs of the Church," the statement emphasizes.

The conference participants also drew attention to the fact that the  actions of the Armenian authorities against the Church echo the false  propaganda theses of the Azerbaijani authorities. In this regard,  they called on the competent authorities to take adequate measures to  immediately prevent the illegal actions of the Prime Minister and his  entourage, as well as to apply appropriate measures against the  registered cases of violation.

"The Holy Armenian Apostolic Church is the citadel of our faith,  identity and unity, the pillar of our nation's existence. To strike  at the Church and try to discredit this sacred institution means to  undermine the country's security and serve the interests of  anti-Armenian forces. As devoted sons of the Church, we will use all  possible legal means to protect our Church and cherished national  values from all kinds of attacks," the statement concluded.

Since May 29, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and his  associates have been systematically attacking the Armenian Apostolic  Church. This campaign began when, at a government meeting, Pashinyan  compared Armenian churches to closets where "all sorts of junk" is  stored. Then followed his statements on social networks, where the  Armenian prime minister used coarse language against the hierarchs of  the AAC and accused one of the archbishops of sexual promiscuity. At  the same time, the Prime Minister demanded that all priests who  violated their vow of celibacy be defrocked. Similar attacks were  made by the Prime Minister's wife, Anna Hakobyan, who called the  Patriarch "the main mafioso." Pyashinyan then called for "effective  steps" that would lead to the replacement of Catholicos of All  Armenians Garegin II and announced the creation of a special  coordination group for "the liberation of the Residence of the Mother  See of Holy Etchmiadzin" and the settlement of organizational issues  for holding new elections for the Catholicos. Pashinyan clarified  that followers of the Armenian Apostolic Church can become members of  the Coordination Group. At the same time, the Prime Minister intends  to choose the first 10 members of the Coordination Group himself.

These actions of Pashinyan are unconstitutional in nature, and  according to lawyers, are an attempt to overthrow the constitutional  order in the country.