Pashinyan compares Armenian Church clergy to Islamists

Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan. Photo: Interfax

On February 11, 2026, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan claimed that the Armenian Apostolic Church is allegedly providing shadow financing for political processes and compared clergy who criticize the authorities to radical Islamists. This was reported by the Institute of Religion and Politics outlet.

“We have information – which is, of course, being verified – that, through the format of the Holy Armenian Apostolic Church, shadow funds are being brought into Armenia for use for political purposes,” Pashinyan said in an interview with Armenia’s Public Television.

He stressed that “the Church must not present itself either as a state within a state or as a foreign state within a state,” adding: “The Church must not engage in politics or be a participant in the country’s domestic political life.”

Commenting on sermons in churches, Pashinyan stated: “Since 2020, political, radical texts have been heard in nearly all churches in Armenia.” He added that such manifestations remind him of “manifestations of radical Islam, which the international community is forced to fight.” The prime minister also confirmed that he will not withdraw his demand for the abdication of Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II, because, as he put it, “this concerns the security and sovereignty of our country.”

Earlier, the UOJ reported that a hierarch of the Armenian Church had been transferred from pretrial detention to house arrest.

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