Robert Amsterdam addresses open letter to President of the European  Parliament

ArmInfo. International lawyer Robert Amsterdam has addressed an open letter to Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament.  

"Open Letter

RE: Issues Concerning Democratic Governance, Religious Liberty, and  Electoral Conditions in Armenia

Dear President Metsola,

I am writing on behalf of Mr. Samvel Karapetyan, the leader of the  Strong Armenia Party, which has formally announced its decision to  participate in the upcoming parliamentary elections in the Republic  of Armenia.

Recent statements by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan regarding the  Armenian Apostolic Church do not reflect the views or feelings of the  vast majority of the Armenian people. Armenia is widely recognized as  the world's first Christian nation, and the Armenian people have, for  centuries, held a strong attachment to their Church, culture, and  historical identity. The Armenian Apostolic Church remains one of the  most respected and unifying institutions in Armenian society.

Against this background, the Prime Minister's recent campaign against  the Church is without precedent in modern Armenian history and raises  serious concerns under Armenian constitutional law, European human  rights standards, and broader principles of international law. The  government's interference in the internal affairs of the Church, the  detention of clergy, the promotion of schismatic initiatives, and the  broader erosion of judicial independence have been extensively  documented in a recent report prepared by a group of eminent  international human rights lawyers.

These developments should be a matter of grave concern to the  European Parliament. They represent not merely a political dispute,  but a challenge to religious freedom, the rule of law, and the  democratic values to which Armenia has repeatedly committed itself in  its relationship with Europe.

We are particularly troubled by a series of public statements made by  Prime Minister Pashinyan on his official Facebook account directed at  the Catholicos and the Armenian Church. These statements contain  language that many Armenians regard as deeply insulting and offensive  to a religious institution that forms a core element of national  identity.

It is striking that the same individual who made these statements  appeared before the European Parliament only days ago and was  received with applause. One would reasonably expect that, before  extending such recognition or offering a platform within the  Parliament, careful consideration would be given to the speaker's  public conduct and record.

The concerns do not end there. At a time when Armenian nationals  continue to be held in unlawful detention in Baku following the  events surrounding the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh, the Armenian  public has seen little meaningful effort by the current government to  secure their release. This situation has only deepened public anxiety  regarding the direction of the country's leadership and its  commitment to protecting the fundamental interests of its citizens.

It should be noted that Mr. Samvel Karapetyan, the leader of the  Strong Armenia Party, has been detained since 18 June 2025. Mr.  Karapetyan is currently under house arrest, having previously been  held in particularly harsh detention conditions for approximately 200  days. The Central Electoral Commission has published the timeline for  actions and obligations of political parties in advance of the  elections scheduled for 7 June 2026. However, as the Court has  extended Mr. Karapetyan's house arrest for an additional month, it  appears that Mr. Karapetyan's ability to meaningfully contest the 7  June elections will be drastically reduced.

Such procedural actions are not only indicative of political  persecution, but may also be regarded as direct interference in the  electoral process. As the leader of a political party, Mr. Karapetyan  is effectively deprived of the ability to participate in important  political activities, including consultations and internal primaries  necessary for the preparation of electoral lists, which must be  presented to the Central Electoral Commission by 23 April 2026.

In light of these developments, we respectfully urge the European  Parliament to consider establishing an independent fact-finding  mission to examine the present state of democratic governance,  judicial independence, and religious freedom in Armenia. Such a  mission would serve an important role in helping to prevent further  weakening of fundamental liberties during the sensitive pre-election  period.

The Armenian people have long looked to Europe as a partner in the  protection of democratic values, human dignity, and freedom of  conscience. It is precisely for this reason that we believe the  European Parliament's attention and engagement at this moment are  both necessary and appropriate.

We would welcome the opportunity to provide the Parliament and its  relevant committees with the documentation referenced above.

Sincerely,

Robert Amsterdam"