YEREVAN, July 22 — Armenia’s “Zartonk” Christian National Party has submitted two formal complaints to the Prosecutor General’s Office against Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, accusing him of interfering in the judiciary and exerting political pressure on the Armenian Apostolic Church.
The announcement was made by party representative and attorney Ara Zohrabyan via social media, according to local media reports.
The first complaint urges the Prosecutor General to examine Pashinyan’s recent social media posts, which the party claims include direct instructions to law enforcement and the judiciary regarding arrests and criminal investigations. According to the party, these posts effectively target senior religious figures such as Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan and Archbishop Mikael Adjapahyan, as well as prominent businessman Samvel Karapetyan.
The party argues that by issuing such public statements, the Prime Minister has violated the constitutional principle of separation of powers, interfered in the judicial process, and undermined the presumption of innocence. It also alleges that Pashinyan’s ruling “Civil Contract” party has supported these actions.
The second complaint relates to what the party sees as ongoing interference by Pashinyan in the internal affairs of the Armenian Apostolic Church. According to the statement, the Prime Minister has exerted sustained pressure on the Church, hindering its ability to operate freely.
Tensions between the Armenian government and the Church have intensified in recent months, largely fueled by Pashinyan’s sharp public criticism of Church leaders on social media. The conflict escalated further when he proposed changes to the process for electing the Catholicos of All Armenians — the Church’s supreme leader — suggesting the state should play a decisive role in that procedure.
The complaints underscore the growing rift between Armenia’s secular leadership and its traditional religious institutions, raising concerns about political overreach and the erosion of constitutional norms.
