Christian Solidarity International (CSI) has joined Armenian and European human rights organizations in condemning remarks by OSCE Secretary General Feridun H. Sinirlioğlu, saying his comments appeared to support efforts by the Armenian government to remove Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians and head of the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church.
In a joint statement issued on July 23, the Armenian Center for Political Rights (ACPR), the Helsinki Committee of Armenia, the Forum for Religious Freedom in Europe, and CSI expressed “deep concern” over comments made by Sinirlioğlu, the highest-ranking official of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).
The criticism follows the publication on July 8 of a recorded phone call in which Russian pranksters, posing as Nikol Pashinyan, spoke with the OSCE secretary general. During the conversation, Sinirlioğlu agreed to “look into” how the OSCE might support the Armenian government regarding the removal of the Catholicos.
“For the most senior official of an organisation whose founding commitments include the protection of human rights to entertain such a request, even in passing, is deeply troubling and demands an immediate and public clarification,” the statement said.
While emphasizing that they do not condone the deception employed by the prank callers, the organizations argued that Sinirlioğlu’s comments “reveal a posture that cannot be reconciled with the responsibilities of his office.”
The groups called on the OSCE secretary general to publicly clarify and retract any suggestion that the organization would support the removal of the Catholicos or otherwise interfere in the internal governance of the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church. They also urged him to reaffirm the OSCE’s commitment to protecting freedom of religion or belief in Armenia and to engage with Karekin II to ensure that the rights of the Church, its clergy, and its faithful are fully respected.
The statement was signed by John Eibner of CSI, Ján Figeľ of the Forum for Religious Freedom in Europe, Siranush Sahakyan of the Helsinki Committee of Armenia, and Rafael Ishkhanyan of the Armenian Center for Political Rights.
